Hearing devices and assistive signage supporting hard of hearing patients in the Great Southern
People like front reception clerk and administration officer Betty and volunteer Tom have been part of the project from the beginning.
State-of-the-art hearing devices and assistive signage are improving patient experience in the Great Southern, thanks to the launch of the We Hear You project.
Great Southern Regional Director Geraldine Ennis said the project is part of WA Country Health Service’s (WACHS) commitment to providing an accessible and equitable health service that meets the needs of individual patients.
"This assistive technology enhances the clarity of speech, allowing people with reduced hearing to better communicate and make sure their health needs are met," Geraldine said.
"Investing in this kind of technology allows those with a disability, their families and carers to better access our services, facilities and general health information."
The idea behind the project first came about in 2018 when the Friends of Albany Health Campus – a group of volunteers who raise money through the campus gift shop – funded a small-scale trial of hearing devices across Albany Health Campus. From there, the project grew.
We Hear You was then piloted across the region, when Occupational Therapist Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) Coordinator Julie Elliot received funding to scale up the project via WACHS' Pitch Your Pilot program.
Now, 48 devices have been rolled out across 14 Great Southern sites.
Allied Health Lead Kirsten O'Brien said the hearing devices improve engagement between staff and patients – perhaps best demonstrated by the experience of an elderly gentleman who came to visit the service.
"Reception staff had noted that this gentleman was difficult to engage with due to his poor hearing," she said.
"By using the hearing device, the client was able to tell us exactly how loud he wanted the volume and we didn't have to shout back at him. He was able to engage with our clinicians so that he could have a good understanding of his condition and what changes needed to happen for him to get better."
Patient feedback from the pilot has also been overwhelmingly positive.
"I have more privacy from the man next door now, because staff don't have to raise their voices to talk to me," one patient said.
The official launch of the We Hear You project comes just in time for Disability Awareness Week. Fittingly, this year's celebrations centre around the theme 'Transformative solutions for inclusive development'.