Hearing Aids

Hearing aids require regular maintenance to ensure that they continue to function normally. If your hearing aids were provided by RBH Audiology, please request replacement consumable parts (tubing, domes, cleaning rods and batteries) by completing our consumables request form.

If your NHS hearing aids were fitted for free by Specsavers in Reading, Newbury, Bracknell or Wokingham and you have not contacted us before, please contact us by phoning 0118 322 7238 or emailing audiology.royalberkshire@nhs.net.

If you have contacted us previously, please use the consumables request form. 

If your hearing aid has stopped working normally, please see our FAQ section below for easy to follow advice.

The majority of hearing aid faults can be resolved easily by following the information provided on the booklet you were given at your hearing aid fitting appointment. 

If your hearing aids were provided by the RBH Audiology service, or you have previously contacted us to transfer your care and you have been unable to resolve the problem, you can arrange a hearing aid repair appointment by completing our Adult Audiology Hearing aid repairs online booking form. If you cannot use the online booking system, you can ask someone to book an appointment for you, or telephone 0118 322 7238.

Please note that our hearing aid services are not available at Wallingford Community Hospital. Please use our hearing aid repairs online booking form to request a hearing aid repair appointment at one of our alternative locations.

If you are currently using free NHS hearing aids fitted by Specsavers, and you have received a letter notifying you that your care needs to be transferred to the RBH Audiology service, please contact us by calling 0118 322 7238, or by emailing audiology.royalberkshire@nhs.net. You will be unable to book appointments or request consumable parts for your hearing aids until you have received confirmation that your care has been transferred to the RBH Audiology Service.

If you are an existing patient and wear hearing aids, we would always recommend checking your hearing aids first to ensure they are working optimally before booking a hearing assessment appointment. Please arrange a hearing aid repair appointment using the booking form Audiology Adult Hearing Aid Repairs online booking form to check your hearing aids. If appropriate a hearing assessment appointment will be booked for you following this initial appointment.

The Royal Berkshire Hospital covers a large geographical area. Depending on where you live, referral arrangements can vary slightly. You may be eligible to self-refer for a hearing assessment if you are over 55 years of age and are currently registered with a GP surgery in the Oxfordshire area or live in Berkshire West (Reading, Wokingham and West Berkshire).

If you are over 55 years of age, and your GP falls within the Oxfordshire area, please phone us on 0118 322 7238 or email audiology.royalberkshire@nhs.net to request an audiology appointment.

If you live in Berkshire West (Reading, Wokingham and West Berkshire), please check if you meet the self-referral criteria (see below) to request a hearing assessment appointment. 

Self-referral for hearing assessment

What is self-referral?

Many people over 55 years of age experience some degree of hearing difficulty as they get older. This can make it difficult for them to listen to the television or socialise and can make them feel very isolated.

Self-referral is a direct route to Audiology for a hearing assessment and for provision of National Health Service hearing aids. This means that you do not need to see your GP to request a referral for a hearing assessment, provided you meet the eligibility criteria (listed below).

Could it be wax?

Ear wax is naturally produced by our ears. It’s a perfectly healthy substance that helps protect our ear canals from bacteria, water, and other external irritants. But sometimes a build-up of ear wax can become uncomfortable and can even affect hearing.

If you tend to have a build-up of wax, please refer to our leaflet called Managing ear wax  for advice on wax management. You will need to follow this advice for a minimum of two weeks before attending the appointment. Please be aware that we may not be able to complete the hearing assessment if there is too much wax in your ears.

Alternatively, you may wish to consider wax removal services available from stores / businesses on the high street before attending the appointment. Many opticians offer this service or look for local ear wax removal services online.

Am I eligible for self-referral?

In order to self-refer you:

1)    Must be over 55 years of age

2)    Must NOT answer YES to any of the questions listed below:  

If you answer ‘Yes’ to any of the medical questions above, please do not fill in this form – you will need to make an appointment with your GP first. This is so that they can understand your symptoms in more detail and advise you on the appropriate referral route.

Please note: If you currently wear hearing aids that were fitted in the last 3 years and are under the care of another service provider locally, please seek advice from them regarding your hearing aids. 

I am eligible, what next?

Please check that you meet the criteria before filling in the referral form. If information provided is incorrect, we may not be able to complete the assessment appointment and you will need to see your GP to request a referral to Audiology.

If however, you are eligible to self-refer and wish to do so, please complete the self-referral online form. We will then arrange a suitable appointment for you.

Please note:

We are unable to accept new referrals over the telephone. This must be completed online. If you are unable to access and complete the online form, please contact your GP requesting a referral to the Audiology service.

My hearing aid has stopped working, what should I do?

Most common hearing aid faults can be resolved without any assistance. If your hearing aid has stopped working, you should follow the troubleshooting advice provided in the departmental booklet which you were given at your fitting appointment.

How do I clean my hearing aids and how often should I do this?

If you are prone to experiencing a build-up of wax in your ears, you may need to clean your hearing aids every day. If your hearing aid needs cleaning, you should follow the steps shown on pages 9-10 of your departmental booklet. 

All hearing aids have parts that must be changed every 6 months. Even if you clean your hearing aids regularly, they may stop working well if you don’t replace these parts every 6 months. For more information on how to replace consumable parts, please refer to pages 11-13 of your departmental booklet. 

Which hearing aid parts need replacing every 6 months and what happens when these parts aren’t changed?

You should change the tubing in your earmould, or the thin tube and dome attached to your hearing aid, every 6 months (or before if it is damaged or pinched).

If these parts are not changed every 6 months, the sound quality of your hearing aid will gradually reduce, and it may seem as though the hearing aid has stopped working. Some patients describe their hearing aid sounding “dull”, or as though they cannot hear well when their tubing/tubing and dome needs replacing.

How can I replace the tubing in my earmould?

If you are under the care of the RBH Audiology service, and you need more earmould tubing, you can request more by completing our online consumables request form.

Watch a video showing you how to replace the tubing in your earmould.

How can I replace the thin tube and dome attached to my hearing aid?

If you are under the care of the RBH Audiology service, and you need replacement thin tubes and domes, you can request more by completing our online consumables request form. 

For information about how to replace the thin tube and dome attached to your hearing aid, please refer to page 13 of your departmental booklet. 

My hearing isn’t working. I can only hear beeps when I press the buttons on my hearing aids and beeps when it first turns on. What should I do?

If your hearing aid microphones are blocked, the device will not amplify sounds that you want to hear, but you may still be able to hear the start-up beeps when your hearing aid turns on, or beeps when you press the buttons on the back of your hearing aid.

View a video showing you how to clean your microphone ports.