CamTAD - Campaign for Tackling Acquired Deafness

About

About

CamTAD Chairperson – Mrs Hilary Gibbins

CamTAD (Southern Derbyshire) was established in 1985 as a voluntary organisation run by and for hearing impaired people. It became a Registered Charity in April 1986 and offers a free service to people with an acquired hearing loss.

 

CamTAD’s major aims are to ensure that hearing impaired people have the highest possible quality of life and are aware of all the services and strategies available to them to help with hearing aid problems and helping with care of aids. In support of these aims CamTAD has acted as a pressure group, self-help group and engaged in training and public awareness activities, and has access to other support groups.

 

CamTAD has a staff of four and a group of volunteers most of whom are hearing impaired. One member of staff is dedicated to taking the service into the Ethnic communities of Derby.

 

CamTAD’s main Resource Centre is next to Audiology, in the ENT reception. Here we provide a working display of environmental aids. We also offer a loan scheme to enable people to try equipment for the hard of hearing at home, which can provide clearer hearing when using a telephone, TV loop, each of which are hearing aid compatible, and doorbells. All our services are FREE!!

 

Our volunteers provide the service in the following locations:

  • Residential homes
  • Day Care Centres
  • Outreach clinics for cleaning, general maintenance, re-tubing hearing aids
  • Sheltered housing Schemes
  • Home Visits
  • Hospitals

 

Education and awareness are essential ingredients in the long term aims of CamTAD and this area is covered by giving talks, awareness training with schools and customer service programme.

 

Hearing impaired people receive services from a variety of sources:

  • NHS Health Services – hearing aids
  • Social Services – environmental aids
  • Education – lip-reading classes

 

CamTAD aims to maintain up-to-date information on the provision of professional services and help co-ordination between the different services. The role of the Resource Centre is to assist access to services by helping people to make informed choices and advising on pathways to acquiring appropriate services. The centre also enhances the work of professionals in the field providing a reference point for information and access to the service user needs and concerns.