The British Tinnitus Association (BTA), the only charity
solely dedicated to supporting those with tinnitus, is counting down to
Tinnitus Awareness Week which will take place next year from Monday 6th until
Sunday 12th February 2012. The 2012 campaign will aim to encourage better
tinnitus awareness among primary care practitioners, and the BTA is calling on
audiologists and ENT experts to help achieve this goal.
The charity hopes to ensure that primary care practitioners
are able to gain an improved understanding about tinnitus and of the services
available in secondary care, by working closely with tinnitus and ENT experts,
and Audiology Departments across the country. As part of Tinnitus Awareness
Week the charity is encouraging Audiology Departments to host meetings/seminars
for GPs to inform about the services available at their hospital, and to attend
GPs meetings to promote their hospital’s tinnitus service.
A recent study into the practice of care for tinnitus among
General Practitioners1 based in England identified that many GPs have an unmet
need for specific GP training on tinnitus management. The BTA believes this situation
is leading to inconsistent and inadequate advice being given to tinnitus
patients throughout the country, and is resulting in widespread dissatisfaction
and unnecessary distress among many of the 10% of the population who experience
tinnitus.
David Stockdale, CEO of the British Tinnitus Association,
said: “The need for support and training for GPs dealing with tinnitus patients
is becoming ever more apparent, and we are delighted to have the support of many
Audiologists and GPs across the country who recognise the value of our efforts
to increase awareness of tinnitus and of the secondary care services available
in this country.”
The charity is also producing information for the general
public including its ‘Top Ten Tinnitus Tips for GPs’, available to download
from www.tinnitus.org.uk/TAW2012, and is encouraging people to use and share
this with their local practitioners to encourage improved awareness and
understanding of tinnitus.
Private treatment news: 23 December 2011
