Who we are:
The ARIG is part of the British Society of Audiology (BSA), and provides an opportunity for multi-disciplinary professionals; including clinicians, researchers, educators and policy makers; to engage and work actively together progressing the field of adult aural rehabilitation. We undertake a range of activities consistent with the BSA’s strategic aims and objectives and act as the advisory body for the BSA Council in the area of adult rehabilitation.
Our Aims
- To raise the standards and status of technology and practice relevant to adult rehabilitation and to promote relevant research
- To broaden the base of our interests by communicating and collaborating with other special interest groups, e.g. Cognition and Hearing and Tinnitus and Hyperacusis
- To promote scientific meetings and discussion groups, to encourage the publication of papers and the circulation of information relevant to adult rehabilitation
- To review and promote patient centred rehabilitation interventions and the supporting evidence
- To advise on the holistic application of the evidence based rehabilitation interventions
- To advise on the evaluation of these interventions and the patient journey
Steering Group Members
Shahad Howe (Co-chair)
Clinical Scientist and Consumer Engagement Specialist
Advanced Bionics
Ann-Marie Dickinson (Co-chair)
Principal Clinical Audiologist
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board Audiology
Melina Matthiessen (Secretary)
Senior Audiologist
University Hospitals Sussex
Ian McKendrick
Independent Clinical Audiologist
Scotland
Laura Ann Gaeta
Assistant Professor
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, California State University, Sacramento
Gemma Hopkins
Clinical Scientist
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trusts
Helen Henshaw
Principal Research Fellow
NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre
Crystal Rolfe
Associate Director for Strategy- Health
RNID
David Maidment
Lecturer in Psychology
Loughborough University
Rachel Stevenson
Lead Clinical Scientist
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
Ruth Bannister
Audiologist
Kent NHS Community ENT & Independent Audiologist at Kent Hearing
Kitty Liu
Audiologist
Northwick Park & Central Middlesex Hospitals
Emily McCabe
Hearing Health Policy Officer
National Community Hearing Association
Current projects
ARIG Lightning Updates
ARIG’s Lightning Updates are twice yearly updates on hot rehab topics for which we summarise the current evidence supporting or refuting their efficacy. We hope they will generate discussion, breakdown myths, and raise awareness about new ideas.
If there is a topic you’d like us to address in a future Lightning Update please contact us at: ARIG@thebsa.org.uk
Sound Practice
Sound Practice is an online library of peer shared resources that aims to support provision of adult hearing rehabilitation.
Sound Practice helps hearing service providers and practitioners (i.e., audiologists, speech and language therapists, hearing therapists) explore approaches to service delivery and clinical practice around the themes of efficiency, effectiveness and experience.
Sound Practice is a free and easily accessible forum for sharing of ideas that you may want to consider implementing in your service
Sound Practice encourages submissions from individuals with an interest in adult hearing rehabilitation. We would like to invite submission for anything that has led to an improvement or innovation to your service. Interdisciplinary submissions are encouraged.
Deaf Awareness
Our working group of ENT, Audiologists, Deaf charities, Researchers and Deaf advocates have been working to understand accessibility, communication and Deaf awareness in the NHS through a cross-sectional survey focussing on NHS service users’ experiences of communication and accessibility in healthcare. The results highlight diverse communication barriers faced by People with lived experience of Deafness and/or Hearing Loss accessing health services and are currently being produced for publication. Further work using this dataset will include writing of BSA guidance and consideration of how to engage more widely with key stakeholders within and outside of Audiology, with a view to create a list of core recommendations to help improve both Deaf awareness and effective communication for people with lived experience of Deafness and/or hearing loss within the NHS.
ARIG resources
Other resources
Recommended Procedures & Practice Guidance
Our group are currently working on the following procedures and guidance documents:
- Guiding Principles of Person-Centred Rehabilitation for Adults in Audiology Services
- Assistive Listening Devices (collaborative)
- Holistic hearing aid fitting
- Verification of hearing devices using probe mic measurements
YouTube Channel
The BSA ARIG YouTube channel is a resource of short videos to offer practitioners peer support and intervention of individuals with a hearing loss. It is a free and easily accessible channel containing; insights from inspirational audiologists on adult rehabilitation; patient stories; practical guidance on non-instrumental interventions; and training resources. Content available is designed to inspire practitioners to deliver high quality holistic care to their service users. ARIG will upload and monitor content from both national and international sources. We encourage anyone to review the content and extend an invite to all who has a suggestion of content to ARIG by emailing ARIG@thebsa.org.uk.
Visit our YouTube channel here.
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