Carers Information Pack - Hearing Difficulties

If you would like a PDF version of the full pack or individual sections of it, emailed to you please contact us.

ACTION FOR DEAFNESS (Previously West Sussex Deaf and Hard of Hearing Association) Resource centre for specialised equipment eg phones, TV listening devices, alarm clocks, alerting devices.  Advice and advocacy service; audiology service (referral by GP needed) and equipment loan service.  Based at 51 Rowlands Road, Worthing BN11 3JN. 

BRIGHTON, HOVE & WEST SUSSEX DEAF CHILDREN’S SOCIETY A support group for the families of hearing impaired people aged 0 – 25, run by committee of parents.  The group arranges trips and events for all the family. 

BRITISH DEAF SPORTS COUNCIL Aims to ensure that sports and leisure opportunities are available for deaf people in parity with their hearing contemporaries.  Organise inter-club leagues, inter-regional tournaments and national championships which are held on a regular basis.

BT Publishes a free guide to telephone products and services for elderly and disabled people, available in large print, Braille or on audio cassette.  A free Directory Enquiry Service is available for blind and disabled customers on 0800 5870195.  A large range of equipment is available for people with disabilities, including loud bell units and inductive couplers. http://www.bt.com/includingyou/

DARBY AND JOAN CLUB A club for people with hearing difficulties offering entertainment and social contact.  Meets at 291 Tarring Road, Worthing on the first and third Thursdays of the month between 12 noon and 4pm. www.worthingdeafsocialclub.co.uk 

DEAFBLIND UK Works with people who have a dual sensory loss in West Sussex and provides support, a visiting service, information about services and promotes awareness of deafblindness.   Also has a Families, Carers and Friends Scheme. www.deafblind.org.uk

 HARD OF HEARING CLUB - WORTHING Weekly club for anybody involved with hearing loss. Meets Mondays, 7.30-9pm, Methold House (not August or public holidays).  Information, entertainment, advice, outings and social activities. Regular newsletter.  Transport help in Worthing area.   Campaigns for better access for people with hearing impairment locally. 

HEARING DOGS for DEAF PEOPLE A national organisation that trains dogs to alert profoundly deaf and severely hard of hearing people to sounds such as doorbells, phones and fire alarms, as well as providing companionship and a sense of security. www.hearingdogs.org.uk 

HEARING LINK National charity dedicated to improving the quality of life for those who are hard of hearing. Its main objectives are to provide advice, information and support, promote communication access and raise public and professional awareness of the issues associated with hearing loss. Also provides holidays for deaf people accompanied by a lipspeaker. www.hearinglink.org

LIP READING CLASS This 30-week course run by Littlehampton Adult Education Office runs on term-time Mondays from 1.30pm – 3.30pm.  Small, friendly group all with hearing loss.  The group learn how much of our language is visible, how to cope better in all sorts of difficult situations and what equipment is available which might help.  Standard fee £216. 

NATIONAL DEAF CHILDRENS SOCIETY Provides advice and information on all aspects of childhood deafness (age 0 – 25), including education, benefits, technology and equipment.  Provides support with benefit claims, Disability Appeal Tribunals and special educational needs tribunals/appeals. www.ndcs.org.uk

 ROYAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR DEAF PEOPLE (RNID) Represents deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK.  Offers a range of services and provides information and support on all aspects of deafness, hearing loss and tinnitus. www.rnid.org.uk 

RNID COMMUNICATION SUPPORT UNIT Central booking service for people who need sign language interpreters, lip speakers, note takers, speech to text and deafblind communicator, or video interpreting service.  The video interpreting service is a low cost and easy to book service which requires access to a videophone or video conferencing equipment and an ISDN2 line or access to Broadband internet.

 SENSE Offers advice, help and information; supports families through a national network and local branches; runs a holiday programme; education, residential, respite and day services; communicator guides and one-to-one intervenor support; training and consultancy. www.sense.org.uk 

SOCIAL CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES ICIS have details of a number of local clubs exist for people who have problems with their hearing.   

SUSSEX DEAF ASSOCIATION Provides communication support, advocacy, assistance with benefit forms and runs social groups/outings.  Provides Deaf Awareness Training and British Sign Language Level 1 courses.   Communication Club on Tuesdays 7pm-10pm for people who are deaf or hearing impaired, learning sign language and or wishing to learn to communicate with deaf people.  A support group for hard of hearing people on 1st Wednesday of each month from 10am-1pm.  Drop-in coffee morning on Thursdays 10am-12am.  Thursday drop-in surgery from 10am – 4pm.  Darby and Joan club meets on the first and third Thursdays between 12 noon and 4pm.  Worthing Deaf Social Club meets on the second and fourth Saturday from 5.30pm – 10pm.  Venues are in the process of changing for the clubs, contact above number for details.  www.worthingdeafsocialclub.co.uk   www.sussexdeaf.co.uk 

TYPE TALK, TEXTDIRECT AND RELAY ASSIST Enables people with communication problems to make phone calls.  Typetalk Relay Service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is accessed by making calls through BT TextDirect.  TextDirect converts ringing and busy tones into text messages that are displayed on the textphone.  A prefix used before the number being called brings a Typetalk Relay Assistant into the call if required.  Ringing the 18000 number will put callers in direct contact with the 999 emergency services.  Typetalk is managed by RNID, TextDirect is provided by BT. www.typetalk.org 

WEST SUSSEX COMMUNITY EQUIPMENT SERVICE A service provided by Nottingham Rehab Supplies National Care on behalf of West Sussex County Council and NHS West Sussex.  The service offers deliveries, collections, maintenance, repair and fitting of equipment by qualified staff. Does not accept requests directly from service users . Access by on-line referral through health or social service professionals.  Equipment provided includes equipment for people with sensory impairments. 

WEST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL (SENSORY SERVICES TEAM) Central office for provision of services for adults with sensory impairments in West Sussex. Telephone for general enquiries about the services, or issues relating to hearing, visual impairment, or dual sensory loss.

This page was last updated 23/04/2012