Audiology

Earwax Removal Survey

Many people are experiencing difficulties finding services to undertake earwax removal. More and more patients are telling us that they are unable to access help via the NHS.

The Royal National Institute for the Deaf is interested in your experience to help build a national picture of the problem. The aim is to collect an evidence base to bring about policy change.

Please could you take a few moments to visit the RNID website to share your experience.

The Audiology Department is located in Beeden House at Bedford Hospital South Wing.  Bedford Hospital South Wing Map

Monday to Thursday – 9am to 5pm

Friday – 9am to 4.30pm

Closed for lunch 12.45pm to 2pm

Please note that the department is not open on bank holidays.

Contact us

Call reception on 01234 792191 or e-mail

If you are deaf or hard of hearing and have general hospital queries, please email.

Address: Audiology Department, Beeden House, First Floor Reception D, Bedford Hospital, Kempston Road, Bedford, MK42 9DJ.

About the Department

• The Audiology Department offers diagnostic and rehabilitative audiology services for all ages.
• The Department is funded to fit digital hearing aids to all appropriate patients with hearing loss using nationally recognized guidelines and standards of care.
• The Department operates an appointment-only system for hearing aid repairs and replacements. Routine repairs are usually seen within two to three days.
• The Department is open daily for battery replacements.
• The Department offers a specialist Tinnitus and Hearing Therapy Service.

Battery Replacement Service

As well as getting your batteries from the Audiology Department, you can also obtain them from local Health Centres in and around Bedfordshire. A list of locations is available here.

Bedford:

The Surgery, 2 Goldington Road.

Pemberley Surgery, 32 Pemberley Avenue.

De Parys Medical Practice, 23 De Parys Avenue.

The Surgery, 85 Goldington Avenue.

The Surgery, 13 Linden Road.

The Surgery, 12 Goldington Road.

Rothesay Surgery, 14 Rothsay Place.

Queens Park Medical Centre, 23C Carlisle Road.

Bedfordshire:

Ampthill. Houghton Close, 1 Houghton Close

Arlesey Medical Centre, High Street.

Biggleswade. Health Centre, Saffron Road.

Biggleswade. Ivel Medical Centre, Chestnut Avenue

Clapham, Priory Medical Practice, The Glebe.

Cranfield. The Surgery, 137 High Street.

Great Barford. The Surgery, 26 Silver Street.

Great Denham. The Village Medical Centre, Kingswood Way,

Harrold Medical Practice, Peach’s Close.

Kempston. Cater Street Surgery.

Kempston. King Street Surgery, 273 Bedford Road.

Kempston. St John’s Surgery, 16 St John’s Street.

Lower Stondon. Station Road

Marston Mortaine, 59 Bedford Road,

Potton. Greensands Medical Practice, Brook End.

Sandy. Health Centre, Northcroft.

Sandy. Shannon Court, High Street

Sharnbrook Surgery, Templars Way.

Shefford Robert Lucas Drive, Hitchin Road.

Shortstown. 2 Quantrelle Court.

Stotfold. Larksfield Surgery, Arlesey Road.

Wootton. Vale Healthy Living Centre, Fields Road.

Wootton. Pharmacy, Tithe Barn Road, Wootton.

Private Hearing Aid Service

A registered hearing aid dispenser visits the department on a weekly basis. The dispenser is usually able to see interested patients within a fortnight and offers a wider range of hearing aids than the NHS. For further information on this service, please contact the Audiology Department.

Hearing Therapy

We offer a Hearing Therapy service for adults with acquired hearing loss. This includes a tinnitus clinic and advice regarding assistive listening devices.

In some cases, assistive listening devices may be funded by the Deaf Services Team in Social Services. Call 01234 718318 for more information.  Mobile 07748 760192; Fax 01234 276186; Minicom 01234 228116; care@bedford.gov.uk

Children’s Audiology

Paediatric Audiology provides hearing test services for babies, children and young adults.  The service offers management options for children with hearing difficulties, including the provision of hearing aids. The team works closely with Ears, Nose and Throat (ENT) colleagues, Paediatricians, Community Audiology Services, and Education Services (Teachers of the Deaf).  All children require an initial referral to access the service.

If your child is a hearing aid user we will offer regular reviews until they leave full time education.  We’re able to offer advice when your child moves into the Adult hearing aid service or moves away to another area.  If your child’s hearing aid is faulty, please contact the Audiology Department and we will endeavour to arrange a repair appointment within two working days.  If your child’s ear moulds need replacing, we will endeavour to offer an appointment for ear impressions within one week of your request.

Community support services

Local Sensory and Communications Support Team for babies, children, and young adults

If your child wears a hearing aid or has specific hearing problems, the team can put you in contact with the Sensory and Communication Support Team in Beds Borough, or the Children’s Services Hearing Impairment Team in Central Bedfordshire.  A teacher from one of these teams will be assigned to visit you and your child, either at home or nursery when they are very young, or at school as they get older.

Local Sensory Impairment Services for learning disabled adults

The service aims to help adults with learning disabilities access appropriate sight and hearing assessments in an environment suitable for their needs. It supports people to use their sight and hearing, use aids and adaptations and maximise the use of their senses. The service is run by SEPT (South East Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust).

The service also provides primary ear care and health promotion to clients and their carers and is based at two centres:

Clinical Resource Centre

Twinwoods Health Resource Centre
Milton Road
Clapham, Bedfordshire
MK41 6AT
Tel: 01234 310589

Beech Close Resource Centre

Beech Road
Dunstable, Bedfordshire
01582 538250

Bedfordshire Hearing Advisory Service

The Bedfordshire Hearing Advisory Service (BHAS) visits several GP surgeries every month, as well as Bedford Hospital, to offer advice and support to people affected by hearing loss, as well as basic hearing aid maintenance and new batteries.

Information on BHAS

Access Bedford

Access Bedford’s aim is to work with the D/deaf and hard of hearing community to make Bedford Borough more accessible. You can find out more on their website.

Self Help

This website lists useful videos providing advice and support to help with many aspects of hearing aid use including getting used to your hearing aids and getting the most out of them, communication tips for you and your family/friends, how to clean and maintain hearing aids, including replacing parts, and how to fit your hearing aids into your ears.

Other useful links

The Bedfordshire Meniere’s Support Group aims to support those suffering from and those caring for sufferers of Meniere’s Disease (symptoms: vertigo plus tinnitus plus deafness and other vestibular conditions).