Useful Information
The Social Services provide a service for deaf and hearing impaired people. They will assess your requirements. They may be able to offer help at home, such as training and advice in everyday skills. A Social Worker can put together a Care Plan tailored to individual needs which could include special equipment like a Minicom or Door Alarm.
Some companies such as British Gas, British Telecom and the Water and Electricity Companies have special services for people who are deaf and hearing impaired. Contact your supplier for further information.
Hearing Aids
To obtain a hearing aid on the National Health Service, first go to your own doctor who will refer you to an Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) Specialist at your local hospital. The Specialist will examine your ears and take a medical history. An Audiologist will continue the assessment by testing your hearing with an audiometer. The record of your hearing loss will be presented on a chart called a Audiogram. If a hearing aid is required the Audiologist will discuss options with you. They may also take impressions of your ears, so that individual ear moulds can be made. An appropriate hearing aid will be selected for you.
Buying A Hearing Aid
If you do not wish to wait for an NHS appointment, which could take several months or you require a smaller in-the-ear aid which is not generally available through the NHS, private hearing aids can be obtained through a registered hearing aid dispenser.
Amplivox
Ultratone
Hearing Care Centre
17 Netherhall Rd
Doncaster
Tel: 01302 321 957.
Remember that a hearing aid is no more than a sound amplifier, whatever the advertisements may say. Hearing aids help most people with a hearing loss, but no aid can restore your natural hearing.
Induction Loop System
An induction Loop System comprises of a loop of wire, an amplifier and either a microphone or a direct connection to a sound source. If a hearing aid is switched to its "T" setting, a tiny coil within the aid responds to the magnetic waves sent out from the loop. This enables someone with a hearing aid to tune in to just what they want to hear without interference from background noise.
Infrared Loop System
An infrared loop system consists of a transmitter and a listening receiver. Sound is fed to the transmitter in the same way as with an induction loop system - either by a direct electrical connection or via a microphone. It is then transmitted to you as an invisible infrared light.
Textphones
A variety of Textphones (for example, Minicoms) are available enabling deaf people to contact other text users. Text Telephones comprise of a keyboard and a small screen and may be used over the telephone network.
Typetalk
Typetalk is a telephone service enabling deaf, hearing impaired, deaf blind and speech impaired people access to the same kind of telephone service that hearing people enjoy.
Typetalk also enables hearing people to ring deaf people. Typetalk runs the RNID/BT Text User's Rebate Scheme*. This enables you to claim back 60% of the cost of calls up to £160 each year and applies to both BT and TYPETALK bills. *This applies to private users only.
Return to the top of this page
Schools and Colleges
Yorkshire Residential School And College
Leger Way
Doncaster
DN2 6AY
Tel: 01302 386 710
Fax: 01302 361 808
Reception: 01302 386 700
entry at 3 - 16 Years of age.
This is a residential and day school for deaf and partially hearing people.
The school is firmly committed to a total communication policy.
This includes a sign language system, finger spelling, speech, lip-reading, amplification, gesture, facial expression and body language.
Doncaster College For The Deaf
Leger Way
Doncaster
DN2 6AY
Tel: 01302 386 710
Tel: 01302 386 709
Reception: 01302 386 700
Fax: 01302 361 808
E-mail: enquiries@ddt-deaf.org.uk
Website: www.deaf-school.com
College entry at 16 Years of age.
The college offers wide opportunities in further and higher education, vocational training, work experience and job training.
Specialist Staff and links with the local colleges.
The college has two Employment Liaison Officers.
Deaf Centre
Milton Walk
Doncaster
DN1 3QG
Tel: 01302 852 124
OAP - every Monday 10:00am till 2:30pm
Social Club - Saturday 11:00am till 5:00pm
Doncaster Deaf Leisure Club - Saturday 7:00 pm till 11:00 pm
Mother & Toddler - Wednesday (every fortnight) 9:00 am till noon.
Drop-in Coffee Mornings - First Thursday every month 11:00 am till 2:00 pm
Return to the top of this page
Other Local Organisations
Doncaster Deaf Action Group
44 Lindrick Close
West Bessacarr
Doncaster
DN4 7JL
Tel: 01302 536 247
Fax: 01302 536 247
Contact: C. Mary Jones (secretary)
The group represents the interests of the Deaf Community in Doncaster and District by campaigning for better services and providing services for deaf people.
Hands Together/Deaf Christian Network
P.O. Box 212
Doncaster
DN2 5XA
Tel: 02920 611798
Fax: 01302 739 660
E-mail: manager@handstogether.org.uk
Website: www.handstogether.org.uk
Advice, information and deaf awareness training to churches and groups.
Orchids
69 Tenter Lane
Warmsworth
Doncaster
DN4 9PE
Tel/Fax: 01302 570729
E-mail: sarah.orchids@blueyonder.co.uk
Orchids offers one-to-one support tailored to individual needs to help maintain independence in the community. Services range from light house duties, assistance with shopping and preparing meals, companionship, day trips, accompaniment to medical appointments and relief for main carers.
Cost: £10 per hour for the first two hours then £8 per hour.
Return to the top of this page
National Organisations
British Tinnitus Association
Ground Floor
Unit 5
Acorn Business Park
Woodseats Close
Sheffield
S8 0TB
Minicom: 0114 258 5694
Fax: 0114 258 2279
E-mail: info@tinnitus.org.uk
Website: www.tinnitus.org.uk
Also:
Freepost, NEA 3263, Sheffield, S1 1AY
Freephone: 0800 0180 527
The association works for the relief and cure of permanent head noise.
It also offers help, advice, support and information to people with Tinnitus, their families (no carers).
Hearing Dogs For Deaf People
The Grange
Wycombe Road
Saunderton
Princes Risborough
Bucks
HP27 9NS
Tel:/Textphone: 01844 348 100
Fax: 01844 348 101
E-mail: info@hearing-dogs.co.uk
Website: www.hearing-dogs.co.uk
Hearing Dogs For The Deaf People train carefully selected dogs to alert severely, profoundly or totally deaf people to the everyday sounds which hearing people may take for granted, such as alarm clocks, doorbells, telephone, smoke alarm, baby alarm, cooker timer etc.
RNID
19 - 23. Featherstone Street
London
EC1Y 8SL
Helpline: 0808 808 0123
Helpline Text No: 0808 808 9000
Admin Voice: 0808 7296 8000
Fax: 0207 296 8199
E-mail: information@rnid.org.uk
Website: www.rnid.org.uk
RNID aims to enable deaf people to enjoy equal opportunities.
They provide a range of services including communication support services, training and information.
Return to the top of this page
National Deaf Childrens Society
15. Dufferin Street
London
EC1Y 8UR
Minicom/Helpline: 0808 800 8880 (Freephone)
Tel / Text: 020 7490 8656
Fax: 020 7251 5020
E-mail: helpline@ndcs.org.uk
Website: www.ndcs.org.uk
Information and help line open:
Monday - Friday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
The National Deaf Children's Society is an organisation of families, parents and carers which exist to enable hearing impaired children and young people to maximise their skills and abilities, it works to remove the barriers which hinder this process.
They also have advisors for education, benefits, technology, careers and higher education.
(SENSE) National Deaf Blind Rubella Association
11 - 13 Clifton Terrace
Finsbury Park
London
N4 3SR
Tel : 0845 127 0060
Text: 0845 127 0062
Fax: 0845 127 0061
E-mail: info@sense.org.uk
Website: www.sense.org.uk
SENSE is the National Voluntary Organisation which campaigns for the needs of children & adults who are deafblind or have associated disabilities providing advice, support, information and services for them, their families and professionals who work with them. Also works with people who have a single sensory impairment.
Deafblind UK
National Centre for Deafblindness
John & Lucille van Geest Place
Cygnet Road
Hampton
Peterborough
PE7 8FD
24 Hour Free phone: 0800 132 320
Tel: 01733 358 100
Fax: 01733 358 356
Minicom: 01733 358 100
E-mail: info@deafblind.org.uk
Website: www.deafblind.org.uk
Deafblind UK works with all other bodies to improve the social conditions of deaf blind people.
It promotes contacts between deaf blind people and the public to try and create a more understanding attitude towards them in the public mind.
It also provides information and advice on relevant problems
Return to the top of this page
Equipment Manufacturers and Suppliers
Sarabec Ltd
15 High Force Road
Middlesborough
Cleveland
TS2 1RH
Tel: 01642 247 789
Minicom: 01642 251 310
Fax: 01642 230 827
E-mail: mail@sarabec.co.uk
Website: www.sarabec.co.uk
Sarabec are manufacturers and suppliers of equipment for deaf and hard of hearing people. Equipment includes Loop Systems available for use in rooms up to 20ft. wide.
Solutions (RNID)
1 Haddonbrook Business Centre
Orton Southgate
Peterborough
PE2 6XX
Tel: 0870 789 8855
Fax: 0870 789 8822
E-mail: solutions@rnid.org.uk
Customer Service
Direct Line: 0870 789 8855
RNID Solutions are dedicated to providing a whole range of interesting and practical products for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
DIAL Disclaimer
Whilst all the information given in this fact sheet was correct at the time of going to press,
DIAL Doncaster cannot be held responsible for any subsequent changes.
Return to the top of this page
