Sensory loss
This page helps you find support, information and advice about living with your sensory loss.
Your hearing
If you’re worried about your hearing or notice any problems, please contact your GP practice so you can find out the cause.
The GP will refer you to the Audiology Department (Diana Princess of Wales’s Hospital 0303 330 6649 or email [email protected]).
The audiology department perform hearing tests, provide information on tinnitus as well as fit and maintain NHS hearing aids. If you don’t currently have a hearing aid but have difficulty hearing ask your GP to refer you to this service. If you currently have an NHS hearing aid but have a problem with it, or it needs servicing (approximately every 6 months) also contact them.
Specialist advice
- Focus independent adult social work – Support with information and advice on adapting to hearing loss, have a limited supply of equipment to support hearing loss that service users can test to see whether they are beneficial to them. Call 01472 256 256 (option 2) or email [email protected].
- Hull Deaf Centre – A charity that provide an on site community centre for the Deaf community and their families including a sports hall, fully licensed bar, chapel, billiards room, TV lounge and sizable kitchen. They also have staff that can assist you with welfare and communication issues. Call 01482223911 or email [email protected].
- Royal Association for Deaf People – From supporting children, young people and their families; to helping deaf people find work; to befriending older people; they ensure people who use their services get the support they want, when they need it and that it is accessible to them. Call 0300 688 2525, text 07851 423 866 or email [email protected].
- Deafblind UK – Information and advice, social groups, befriending, digital inclusion, holidays, care and support, supported living and training. Call 01733 358356 or email [email protected].
Self help
- Lookhear Group – Support group for people with combined sight and hearing loss. The club meets at 10:30 am on the first Wednesday of each month at Freeman Street Resource Centre, 41-43 Kent Street, Grimsby, DN32 7DH. Call Linda Jameson – 07957 870972.
- Hull Deaf Centre – A charity that provide an on site community centre for the Deaf community and their families including a sports hall, fully licensed bar, chapel, billiards room, TV lounge and sizable kitchen. They also have staff that can assist you with welfare and communication issues. Call 01482223911 or email [email protected].
- British Deaf Association (BDA) – The BDA is the UK’s leading membership organisation and registered charity run by Deaf people for Deaf people. The BDA delivers a range of services to achieve its aims of empowering Deaf people to overcome difficulties that they face on a daily basis. Call 0207 697 4149, text 07795 410725 or email [email protected].
- National association of deafened people (NDAP) – Provides information and support for deafened people, who have lost all or most of their useful hearing, to help enable them to regain their independence and enjoy the best quality of life. Call 0845 055 9663 or email [email protected].
- Relay UK (used to be next generation text) – Brings relay services for deaf, hard-of-hearing and speech-impaired people right up to date with the latest app technology. Call 0800 731 1888, text relay 0800 500 888 or email [email protected]. Download the app from the App Store- external site or Google Play.
- Hearing link – Help you adjust to the practical and emotional challenges that hearing loss can bring, offering shared experiences, practical support and guidance, so you can reconnect with people and face the future with confidence. Call 07526 123255 or email [email protected].
- BT Here for You- external site information for people who are worried their hearing might be going, or who know someone who’s having trouble hearing when they’re using the phone
- Deafplus – Offer one to one confidential information and deaf advice services nationwide via British Sign Language, online chat, text and email. Information and advice on independent living, finances, health and wellbeing, training and employment. Call 020 7790 8478, finance 020 7790 9227 or email [email protected].
Work, money, legal and benefits
- Citizens Advice North East Lincolnshire – free advice service
- Centre4 – free local advice
- Age UK – practical support and help for families with welfare benefits
- GOV.UK – support to access work information
- Disabled persons railcard – 1/3 off travel for you and a person who travels with you, if you have a hearing impairment
Useful websites
- Amplifon – the world’s leading dedicated hearing specialist. 137 branches and 56 hearing care centres nationwide means you’re never far from expert advice. Hearing care is tailored to each person’s hearing and lifestyle needs and is delivered by professionally qualified hearing aid audiologists, regulated by the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- British Tinnitus Association – an independent charity supporting thousands of people who experience tinnitus and advise medical professionals from across the world. They are the primary source of support and information for people with tinnitus in the UK, facilitating an improved quality of life
- Central England Lipreading Support Trust (CELST) – a voluntary (not for profit) charity whose prime objective is to raise funding to sustain lipreading classes and expand them where it is possible. CELST welcome everyone who has an interest in hearing loss
- Ménière’s Society – the UK’s leading charity for people with vestibular (inner ear) disorders causing dizziness and imbalance. Offers information and support to those affected by vestibular conditions and those who care for them; as well as health professionals
- Royal National Institute for Deaf People (previously Action on hearing loss) – UK’s national charity supporting people with deafness, tinnitus and hearing loss. They support and encourage people to take control of their lives, campaign for change and fund research to find a cure
- Sector Support North East Lincolnshire Partnership – supports charities and community groups in North East Lincolnshire
- Sense – information and advice, housing and individual support has centres that provide education and day services, social groups, holidays and activities groups. For people with complex disabilities and deafblind.
Equipment providers websites
- Connevans – a wide range of products specialising in audio equipment for the deaf
- Hearing Products International Limited – design and supply hearing aid products like hearing loop systems, induction loops and wireless listeners
- Sarabec – providing hearing products to improve your lifestyle
Your vision
If you’re worried about your sight or notice any problems, please contact your GP practice or find your nearest optician so you can find out the cause.
Red eyes? Flashes or floaters? Any other problems? NHS appointments are available at local opticians. Find a participating practice at Primary Eyecare.
The GP or opticians will refer you to the Ophthalmology Department (Diana Princess of Wales’s Hospital 03033 306530).
Specialist advice
- Focus independent adult social work – Provide support with visual impairment and rehabilitation to help regain your independence following sight loss. Also provide a low vision aid service for magnifiers, lamps and other pieces of equipment to complete tasks that you may find difficult independently. Call 01472 256 256 (option 2) or email [email protected].
- Lincoln and Lindsey Blind Society (LLBS) – Enables and supports any person who is blind or sight impaired to be as independent as they wish and to live the life they choose. They also work with other organisations and help with form filling support. Call 01507 605604 or email [email protected].
- See Ability – Specialist support, accommodation and eye care help for people with learning disabilities, autism and sight loss. Call 01372 755 000 or email [email protected].
- Blind Veterans – Rehabilitation, training, practical advice and emotional support for blind veterans. Call 0800 389 7979 or email [email protected].
- NHS – Blindness and vision loss information including changes to your home, reading and writing, getting around and much more.
Self help
- Lookhear Group – Support group for people with combined sight and hearing loss. The club meets at 10:30 am on the first Wednesday of each month at Freeman Street Resource Centre, 41-43 Kent Street, Grimsby, DN32 7DH. Call Linda Jameson – 07957 870972.
- Mac – Support group takes place the last Monday of every month 10:00 am to 12:00 pm for people with macular degeneration at St James Hotel, St James Square, Grimsby, DN31 1EP. Call 07963 173734.
- Soundscene – Talking newspaper of local news based in Grimsby. Call 01472 346889.
- Fortitude Club Sue – Social group for visually impaired adults at Rock Foundation, Heneage Road, Grimsby, DN32 9ES. Call 07793 013245.
- Sense – Provides information and advice, housing and individual support. Call 0300 330 9250.
- Lincs Inspire Libraries – Talking books and home service. Call 01472 323651.
- Calibre Audio Library – A national charity providing a subscription-free service of unabridged audio books for anyone with a print disability, such as dyslexia, MS, a visual impairment or brain injury. Call 01296 432 339 or email [email protected].
- British Wireless for the Blind Fund – Supply specially adapted audio equipment to those who would not usually be able to afford it, on a free loan to visually impaired people all across the UK. Call 01622 754757 or email [email protected].
- Deafblind UK – Assist with information and advice, social groups, befriending, digital inclusion, holidays, care and support, supported living and training. Call 01733 358356 or email [email protected].
- BT Here for You – provide advice on phones for the visually impaired.
Work, money, legal and benefits
- Citizens Advice North East Lincolnshire – free advice service
- Centre4 – free local advice
- Age UK – practical support and help for families with welfare benefits
- GOV.UK – registering vision impairment as a disability
- acas working for everyone – impartial advice on workplace rights, rules and best practice
- Money advice service – provide free and impartial money advice
Useful websites
- Carers’ Support Service North East Lincolnshire – provide free information, advice and guidance
- Care Quality Commission – independent regulator of all health and social care services in England
- Guide dogs – support with sighted guiding service, mobility, technology, guide dogs for adults and children’s support and education services
- International Glaucoma Association – provide information, advice, a helpline, a buddy system and fund research
- National Federation of the Blind – for people that are partially sighted, blind, deaf-blind and organisations with issues and helps to find solutions
- NHS – look after your eyes
- Partially-Sighted Society – a national charity to help anybody living with sight loss. Their specialist services focus on helping you to make the best use of your remaining vision
- Retina UK – support for people affected by inherited progressive sight loss and medical research to ensure that people can lead a fulfilling life and has a helpline and shop
- Royal National Institute of Blind People – help with sight loss information and advice, reading services, online shop, heath social and education professionals
- Royal National Institute of Blind People – information for families and carers
- Sector Support North East Lincolnshire Partnership – supports charities and community groups in North East Lincolnshire
- Thomas Pocklington Trust – services to support blind and partially sighted people wanting to start, restart or progress their careers. They also develop a student support service to ensure young people with vision impairments have the same potential to participate, achieve and thrive in education as their fully sighted peers
- UK Cinema Association card – a card enables a disabled cinema guest to receive a complimentary ticket for someone to go with them when they visit a participating cinema this applies to people with a registered sight loss
Equipment providers websites
- IC vision – suppliers of magnifying glasses and low vision aids for independent living
- Living made easy – equipment for blind or partially sighted people
- Royal National Institute of Blind People – online shop
- VisionAid – solutions to assist partially sighted & blind people