COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

There is a range of equipment available to assist with communication.  This may be available for children as an education tool.  The Speech Therapy Service should be contacted for more information. For adults there needs to be a recommendation by a Speech Therapist.  Some equipment can be hired for a few weeks to enable a person to find out if it really meets their needs.  Contact your doctor, school Speech and Language Therapy Service, CLDT or NYCAP Team at The Dales School for an assessment. (NYCAP – North Yorkshire Communication Aids Project.  CLDT – Community Learning Disability Team).
 

HEARING AIDS

To get a National Health Service hearing aid you must get a referral from your doctor to a hospital consultant.  They will assess your hearing and if a hearing aid is seen to be necessary then the Audiology or Hearing Aid Department of the hospital will fit one.

For people who are hearing impaired there are several different telephone systems (look under Telephones), as well as other aids.  Examples are flashing light doorbells, flashing light and vibrating alarm clocks, a loop induction to facilitate listening to TV, radio or other individuals, television adaptors, which provide a separate volume control to an earpiece, which does not then affect the volume to other users. Contact:

Members of the Speech and Language Therapy Service within the Community Learning Disability Team have regular monthly clinics at the Friarage Hospital specially for people with learning disabilities.  Contact the CLDT for more details.
 

TELEPHONES

British Telecom produces a free “Guide to Equipment and Services for Disabled Customers”.  It describes a range of telecommunications equipment specifically for use by those with hearing, speech, sight or mobility difficulties.

Telephone 150 for a free call.

Special telephones are available for people who wear hearing aids.  They have clearer sound, a “switch” for hearing aid users and adjustable volume.  British Telecom will make extension bells or tone callers free to people registered as deaf by Social Services.

There are minicoms – telephones by which people send messages and hold conversations in text rather than by speaking.  These can be provided free on loan to deaf people.  For more information contact Adult and Community Services Customer Services.

There is a national relay system called “Typetalk” which means that a person using text can contact an operator who speaks the message to a person who does not have a text telephone.