Tinnitus Awareness Week begins today and to mark the campaign, charity Action on Hearing Loss has realised the findings of a new report on tinnitus.
The charity, formerly known as RNID, conducted research into the treatments currently available for tinnitus sufferers across the UK, finding that just two in five (41 per cent) of NHS audiology departments provided tinnitus sufferers with access to the four key services required to help manage their condition.
The charity issued Freedom of Information requests to every NHS adult audiology provider in the UK, discovering that there was a real postcode lottery in the level of care that tinnitus sufferers are receiving across the country. The findings reveal that six audiology units are providing no tinnitus services at all, with an additional nine units needing to reduce the level of service provided in the past two years.
Paul Breckell, Chief Executive of Action on Hearing Loss, said: “Tinnitus can be a torturous condition, so it’s deeply concerning that millions of patients do not have access to effective support services. NHS audiology and tinnitus provision must be protected, as short-term savings will only lead to higher NHS and social care costs in the long run. We need governments and commissioners to develop a forward-thinking plan that will enable frontline staff to deliver every patient the advice and support that they have the right to expect from our NHS.”
The report shows that just over half of providers (56%) are offering access to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), one of the most effective treatments of tinnitus. On a positive note, 77% of audiology departments are delivering essential services for sufferers including Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT), specialist support and information about products.
Tinnitus Awareness Week runs from 2nd to 8th February. Find out more about what’s going on during the week by clicking here. You can also join in the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #TAW15