Audiology

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About this service

Audiology at the Royal Cornwall Hospital is a department that detects and diagnoses hearing problems, tinnitus and balance problems. We also help people of all ages manage their hearing impairments. We offer a full range of hearing assessments and supply the latest high-quality digital hearing aids for free on the NHS. We also provide specialised rehabilitation and offer help, information and advice about ways of managing your condition such as lip-reading, other communication tactics and specialist equipment for home and work.

Our highly experienced team of audiologists and hearing therapists and work closely with health services in the community and the Ear, Nose and Throat department (ENT) to offer outstanding service and support to our patients.

In May 2022, Audiology at RCH became a complex Audiology service. This means that patients who have a routine, age related hearing loss will be seen and provided hearing aids by NHS approved community providers. Referrals to these providers can be completed by your own GP or if you’re known to RCHT Audiology, we can complete this for you.

Contact information

Hearing aid workshop

Please use these contact details if you require assistance with your hearing aid or maintenance advice.

If you require any additional consumables such as batteries or tubing/domes, please complete this online form. Alternatively, you can request these via the telephone number and email address above. Please ensure you include your name and date of birth if contacting us via email.

For any hearing aid maintenance or repairs by post, please post your hearing aids via recorded delivery to:

Audiology,
Royal Cornwall Hospital,
Truro,
TR1 3LJ

Hearing therapy

Adult social care

Adult social care can provide support and equipment, such as TV adaptors, door bells, smoke alarms and alerting systems, to assist people with hearing impairment. There are also social workers who can support deaf and hard of hearing people, should you require any additional support. You can contact them via the access team using the details below:

Requesting an interpreter

If you require an interpreter, please contact Audiology Admin with plenty notice, on the contact details above.

Where to find us

The Audiology Department is located at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.

From the main Trelawny entrance

From the main entrance, continue down the corridor past WH Smiths and take the stairs or lift down to the ground floor. Turn left and continue onto the link corridor, turning left opposite the Emergency Department. Follow the corridor and we’re on the left before you get to Oral Surgery.

Other locations

We offer appointments at the following locations across Cornwall:

We may select the most appropriate location dependent on the needs of the patient and type of assessment required as not all facilities are available at all locations.

What will happen at my appointment? (Adults)

Hearing assessment

During your hearing assessment, an Audiologist will take a comprehensive history to understand your hearing concerns and medical background. They will then examine your ears, complete a hearing test to assess your hearing levels and identify any potential hearing loss. The results will be discussed with you, and the Audiologist will provide recommendations for next steps, which may include hearing aids, further testing or an onward referral. This is an opportunity for you to ask any questions and discuss any concerns you may have about your hearing.

If you have previously been seen or assessed as part of an Ear, Nose & Throat review, your hearing assessment may differ.

Hearing aid fitting

During a hearing aid fitting, the Audiologist will ensure your new hearing aid is a comfortable fit and is functioning properly. They will conduct hearing aid verification tests to confirm the devices are meeting targets for sound quality and amplification. You’ll have the opportunity to test the hearing aids and provide feedback on sound quality and performance. The Audiologist will also provide instructions on how to use and care for your new hearing aids.

Repair

An Audiology Technician will assess and repair your hearing aids depending on the problems/concerns you report. In the repair clinic you can have:

  • Tubing on your hearing aid replaced
  • New impressions taken of your ears
  • An extra hearing aid programme added, i.e. Loop
  • Adjustments to the length of tubing for comfort
  • Management of feedback/whistling
  • Replacement of a faulty hearing aid or arrangement of a replacement (separate appointments are occasionally required)

Fine tune

During a Fine Tune appointment, an Audiologist will make adjustments to your hearing aids to optimise their performance and better meet your specific hearing needs. They’ll work with you to fine tune the device settings to ensure you’re happy with the appointment outcome.

What will happen at my appointment? (Children)

Hearing assessment

During your child’s hearing assessment, an Audiologist will take a comprehensive history to understand any hearing concerns and medical background. They will complete a hearing test to assess your hearing levels and identify any potential hearing loss. The method of testing will depend on the age and ability of your child. The Audiologist will also examine your child’s ears and conduct any additional tests, such as testing for congestion. The results will be discussed with you, and the Audiologist will provide recommendations for next steps, which may include further testing, an onward referral or in some cases, hearing aids. This is an opportunity for you to ask any questions and discuss any concerns you may have about your child’s hearing.

If your child has previously been seen or assessed as part of an Ear, Nose & Throat review, their hearing assessment may differ.

Hearing aid fitting

During a hearing aid fitting, the Audiologist will ensure your child’s new hearing aid is a comfortable fit and is functioning properly. They will conduct hearing aid verification tests to confirm the devices are meeting targets for sound quality and amplification. The Audiologist will also provide instructions on how to use and care for your new hearing aids.

I’ve lost my hearing aid, what should I do?

Hearing aids are supplied on loan. A charge will be made if a hearing aid is lost or damaged through carelessness. Please note, the charge is per hearing aid.

If you lose a hearing aid, please contact us via email or telephone.

Some patients are exempt from our lost hearing aid charge, please contact Audiology for further information.

If you find a lost hearing aid within 30 days of payment, you may be entitled to a refund. 

Wax Management

Please see our wax management information leaflet.

Newborn hearing screening programme

All newborn babies in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are offered a hearing screen as part of the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme.

Why Screen?

About 2 in every 1000 babies are born with a permanent hearing loss in one or both ears. The screening test helps identify babies with a hearing loss early. Finding a hearing impairment early gives children a better chance of developing speech and language skills, and of making the most of social and emotional interaction from an early age.

Even if there is no family history, it is still important to screen all babies because most babies with hearing loss are born into families with no previous history of the condition.

What does the test involve?

Health Visitors screen babies when they are between 10 and 14 days old, at home, as part of the primary visit.

The test is called the AOAE (automated otoacoustic emission) and takes a few minutes. A small, soft-tipped earpiece is placed in your baby’s ear and soft clicking sounds are played. When the ear receives sound, the inner part (called the cochlea) responds and this can be picked up by the screening equipment.

It is not always possible to get clear responses from the first test. This does not necessarily mean your baby has a hearing loss. It can mean your baby was unsettled when the test was done, there was background noise, you baby has fluid or a temporary blockage in their ear (this is common and passes with time) or your baby has a hearing loss.

If this happens, we will offer your baby another test. This may be the same as the first test or another type called an AABR (automated auditory brainstem response) test.

During an AABR, three small sensors are placed on your baby’s head and neck, and soft headphones are placed on your baby’s ears whilst soft clicking sounds are played. This test takes up to 30 minutes and is done by specially trained staff.

Possible Results

If your baby has clear response in both ears then they are unlikely to have a permanent hearing loss. However, newborn hearing screening does not pick up all types of hearing loss and children can develop hearing loss later on. It is important to check your child’s hearing as they grow up.

The checklist in your baby’s personal child health record (red book) tells you how to do this. If you have any concerns about your child’s hearing tell your health visitor or family doctor.

If the screening results do not show a clear response from one or both of your baby’s ears, we’ll make an appointment with audiology to see a hearing specialist. About 2-3 babies in every 100 do not show a clear response on the screening tests. Being sent for further tests does not necessarily mean your baby has a hearing loss.

You and your baby will see a hearing specialist, usually within four weeks of having your baby’s hearing screen. It is very important that you attend the appointment in case your baby has a hearing loss.

Getting Results

You will be given your baby’s results as soon as the hearing test is done

If your baby has been on the Neonatal Unit

Around one in every 100 babies who spend more than 48 hours on the Neonatal Unit has a hearing loss in one or both ears. We offer these babies both AOAE and AABR tests when they are at least 34 weeks gestation and up to 3 months of age.

Specially trained staff will undertake these tests and is usually when the baby is near to discharge, when treatment and intervention is complete.

For further information, please contact the Newborn Hearing Screening Manager, Sandy Dyer, on 01872 25 3998 or rch-tr.hearingscreening@nhs.net.

You can also find out more about the programme via the link below: 

https://www.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/population-screening-programmes-newborn-hearing

Hearing Therapy

The role of a Hearing Therapist is to help Adults understand and manage their hearing difficulties.

Patient information leaflets

Page last reviewed: 14 November 2025

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