On Tuesday 4th February, our audiologist Ruth Bannister BSc, attended the launch of Tinnitus UK’s recent research; Ringing the alarm: The tinnitus care crisis. The authors, Sonja Jones, a highly accomplished clinical audiologist and hearing aid dispenser with a wealth of knowledge across the hearing care sectors and Dr James Jackson, a reader in psychology at Leeds trinity University and member of the Tinnitus UK scientific board, were both present to share their findings. Both authors have tinnitus themselves and understand the journey patients go on to seek help.
The Key Findings of the research:
- Long delays in NHS tinnitus care – with some patients up to three years for an ear, nose and throat (ENT) appointment and up to 12 months for talking therapy/audiology/hearing aids.
- Tinnitus is low priority for private clinics – 36% of private audiology professionals state tinnitus is low priority for them.
- Concerns over NICE guidelines – increasing concerns of practice diverging from the NICE recommendations.
- Significant gaps in university level education – None of the universities surveyed in the UK are offering tinnitus-specific clinical mentoring or work placements.
A panel discussion with experts in the field including ENT doctors, audiologists and psychologists showed the variation in what is being offered and the level of qualifications and accreditations the clinicians delivering tinnitus care hold.
The audience heard from George Webster, a flight lieutenant with the Royal Air Force. He shared his story of living with tinnitus and sound sensitivity. He explained once in the hands of an audiologist who knew how to support tinnitus, he could begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. He described how being provided education on tinnitus and sound sensitivity changed how he viewed the crippling pain it was causing. George understood the importance of knowing the difference between the tinnitus sound and the reaction to the sound can make all the difference. The final turning point for him was speaking to another patient who had habituated himself. The lived experience, the evidence that you can live well with tinnitus.
The recommendations:
- Embed NICE guidelines fully – clinicians must adhere to NICE guidelines. Employers should ensure their teams remain up to date.
- Recognise and share best practice – Tinnitus UK recommend celebrating and disseminating effective approaches to tinnitus care. Collaboration with high performing NHS departments can help establish a uniform standard of care nationwide.
- Foster cross-industry collaboration – greater collaboration between audiology and psychology organisations to elevate tinnitus care in both the NHS and private sector.
- Standardise tinnitus education and continued professional development (CPD) programmes – Tinnitus UK are committed to leading the development of a standardised tinnitus education. These guidelines should ensure that students and practitioners are equipped with the knowledge and tools to provide evidence-based tinnitus care.
- Align curricula with best practices – course providers must align their curricula with the NICE and British Society of Audiology (BSA) guidelines. Up to date approved CPD programmes are essential.
- Upskill the workforce – Employers should prioritise tinnitus education and actively support their teams in engaging with tinnitus specific CPD.
Ruth commented:
“There is a long road ahead to improve tinnitus care in the UK, however, after seeing the passion, knowledge and experience in the room on Tuesday, I feel confident we can achieve this goal. At Kent Hearing we are happy to report that Tinnitus remains high on our agenda that we value and prioritise tinnitus care.”
For information on tinnitus therapy at Kent Hearing please visit https://kenthearing.com/tinnitus-therapy/
For information on tinnitus management and treatment at Kent Hearing please visit https://kenthearing.com/tinnitus-services/
To find out more about Tinnitus UK and the work that they do please visit https://tinnitus.org.uk