Reasonable adjustments with severe hearing

choccy25
choccy25 Online Community Member Posts: 3 Listener
in Work
Hi everyone,
hope you can help .
I have severe hearing loss for years of middle ear infections. I have private and nhs hearing aids with microphones .
I work in healthcare working one to one with a professional alongside patients. It involves a lot of focus .
I started in my current place back in august of last year. Since then I have found that my microphone that picks up my colleagues voice isn’t working. After weeks of sending the aids off and microphone off to be serviced and checked I have realised it is the building and the surrounding businesses affecting my set up and loop system. 
I have spent a few days at other practices and there have been no problems. So as a reasonable adjustment my manager has agreed to get me a transfer. However it seems that they are not treating  this with urgency and they are demanding I work with the professional with patients with a broken set up . They want me to learn and get experience but I am not learning or getting experience because I am ending up with headaches and concentration fatigue from trying to guess what is being said to me.

I am going home most days frustrated and wound up from all of this and it’s not helping my hearing . The delay they say is due to getting me a replacement and I am concerned that this is delaying a time when I should be learning my job.
can anyone advise me ? 

Comments

  • Albus_Scope
    Albus_Scope Posts: 9,784 Scope Online Community Coordinator
    Hi there @choccy25 and welcome to the community!

    That sounds amazingly frustrating for you, I'm so sorry.  At a guess it may be taking some time to get a new member of staff, which is understandable, but it doesn't make your situation any easier.  Are you able to work with them to think up some other possible adjustments to make in the mean time?  Maybe something 'speech to text' related for a laptop or similar? 
  • choccy25
    choccy25 Online Community Member Posts: 3 Listener
    I have asked the person I work with to turn down the radio when when working  but has been met with some discontent. I have also tried to see if I could write down notes as they are speaking to help catch up later but they also told me straight up that was not allowed.
    rhe person I work with the most isn’t very understanding and I feel they think I am not as deaf as I truly am.
    I don’t think I would be allowed to use speech to text as it breaks confidentiality rules with patients being in the room.
    I can work on the reception area until my transfer but I am not learning anything . I am stuck between a rock and a hard place and in the meantime it’s damaging my hearing more as I have just discovered this afternoon at a medical appointment .
  • Albus_Scope
    Albus_Scope Posts: 9,784 Scope Online Community Coordinator
    That doesnt sound easy, I'm sorry they're not playing ball.  I'd strongly suggest speaking to your manager again and pointing out that your colleagues are being less than helpful. As currently they're going against the 2010 equality act by not allowing reasonable adjustments whilst waiting for your transfer.
    Access for disabled people is a legal requirement.
  • choccy25
    choccy25 Online Community Member Posts: 3 Listener
    Well I really struggled
    today I as supposed to be on a training course and I couldn’t hear due to a bout of tinnitus from this stressful week.
    so I was nearly made to work with the quiet colleague again but I refused. I have got myself to my gp this afternoon and I crumbled. Didn’t realise just how low I have been feeling and my blood pressure at rest is 170 / 90. Doctor has signed me off as he feels my hearing loss is getting worse hence the tinnitus.

    they are not happy that I am leaving them in the lurch at work but work is making my disability worse . I am hoping my audiologist is going to write me a report stating that my aids are fine and it’s the building I work in that is too fault I am so stressed. 
  • Albus_Scope
    Albus_Scope Posts: 9,784 Scope Online Community Coordinator
    I'm so sorry it's taking such a toll on you @choccy25, but I'm glad the doctor has signed you off as the additional stress wont help you at all, I hope it'll help take some strain off.
      Hopefully the audiologist will be able to get something in writing for you and it will show your work that the problem isn't your aids.  

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