Translate
Audiologists carry out a range of tests to determine the presence, nature and extent of hearing loss and balance disorders, enabling accurate clinical diagnosis of hearing-related conditions.
Our audiology service provides hearing assessments for people referred by their GP or ear, nose and throat doctors at the Royal Free Hospital, Barnet Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital.
For patients who choose to go ahead with hearing aids, the audiology service arranges comprehensive hearing aid fittings, with a range of modern, digital, behind the ear hearing aids fitted according to national clinical standards.
Another role of the service is the long-term management and rehabilitation of the hearing impaired and those with tinnitus, many of whom require the support of hearing aids/communication equipment and counselling with respect to their hearing loss or tinnitus.
Patients who have been fitted with hearing aids at one of our hospitals and who require a repair, can contact the department via phone or email to book a repair appointment.
Please note, all appointments need to be pre-booked as there is no walk-in service. Appointments are available Monday to Friday.
Patients can use the ‘click and post’ service using our online form so that hearing aid accessories can be ordered online and delivered straight to your door by post.
Your completed form will be sent to the audiology team, who will post your accessories out to you within one week.
This service is for patients who have had hearing aids issued at our hospitals, and we only send new hearing aid accessories when they are due (e.g. every six months for tubes).
The department can provide advice on how hearing aids can connect to assistive listening devices, for example those with Bluetooth compatibility. Signposting to local social support services is also available for patients who are deaf, or have hearing impairment.
Social support services can offer assistance with telephones, text-phones listening equipment and induction loops which work with your hearing aid, alarms, alarm clocks, doorbells and teletext adapters, smoke alarms and more.
The social services department you need to contact will depend on the borough you live in. Contact your local council and ask to speak to the sensory support team or the person who works with people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Barnet Hospital
Located in outpatients, on the first floor to the left of the main entrance.
Chase Farm Hospital
Located in Zone N, which is in waiting area 4 on the first floor.
Royal Free Hospital
Located on the first floor, at the back of clinic 5.
Royal Free Charity
The Royal Free Charity has provided funding for audiology equipment at Barnet Hospital.
Through donations from individuals and organisations, and the proceeds from fundraising activities, the charity supports our hospitals, our colleagues, our patients and our researchers.
New patients
New patients who would like to use our audiology service should arrange an appointment with their GP and ask them to send a referral to the service.
Direct access appointments can be made by a GP writing a referral letter directly to the audiology department, or GPs can book patients using the department’s e-referral system.
This type of appointment is only for adults who are concerned about their hearing, but have no other ear-related problems.
Existing patients
Patients who have already received hearing aids from our audiology department should contact the audiology department directly for an appointment. If hearing aids are faulty or broken, please ask for a hearing aid repair appointment.
Hearing aid lifespan is approximately four years, therefore patients who have hearing aids older than three years and patients who have not had a hearing assessment (hearing test) within the last four years will be advised to get a GP referral so that the audiology service can reassess their hearing thresholds and discuss their amplification needs.
To simplify this process, the audiology department can send a letter to the patient’s GP. This letter should be signed by the GP (with any wax removed from the patient’s ears as requested) and sent directly back to the department.
Here are some websites you may find useful when looking for more information on audiology:
- Royal National Institute for Deaf People
- Deafblind UK
- British Tinnitus Association
- Sense
- Hearing Link
- National Association of Deafened People
- Age UK
- Government contacts for people who are deaf or have hearing impairment
- Government advice on independent living if you are deaf or hearing impaired
Please note, the Royal Free London is not responsible for the content of external websites.
