Natalya's deaf *needs* sheet - usually used for hospitals.

Natalya D: Communication
NHS number: ########

I am severely deaf in both ears and wear a hearing aid. I hear nothing without my hearing aid. My speech is not indicative of how well I hear.

Hearing and making sense of conversation with people I do not know is very difficult and tiring. I will have a familiar person with me to assist me with communication.

My hearing aid does not give me 'normal’ hearing - it amplifies everything. Background noise (especially conversation) makes understanding speech more difficult.

I rely heavily on lip-reading, facial expression and body language to make sense of the sounds I hear.

I need to be able to see the speaker at more than half a metre away to lip-read effectively. It takes time to switch focus from one speaker to another – it is helpful if new speakers can get my attention before speaking. I can only follow one speaker at a time.

If I mishear something I am likely to give an incorrect or nonsense answer. I often do not realise I have misheard or misunderstood. If you think I have done this, please tell me.

I need extra time to process speech and make sense of what I have heard or to decide if I need to ask for something to be repeated. This is in addition to the time needed to perform an action or answer a question. I may need a longer appointment.

My auditory memory is poor, I need information about the appointment findings and outcomes provided in writing afterwards.