MANY deaf people struggle with GP appointments because of their hearing impairment, it is claimed.

A free audit is now being carried out to assess problems faced by residents in Halton.

Bob Birchall, chief executive of Deafness Support Network, said: “Those who are profoundly deaf face the greatest challenges in accessing day-to-day services that most of us take for granted.

“For example, booking appointments or discussing symptoms and concerns with a healthcare professional over the phone can be frought with difficulty.

“To help improve quality of access for service users and help increase GPs’ awareness of the specific needs and concerns of deaf people, we are undertaking free audits at surgeries.”

There are an estimated 100,000 people across Halton, Warrington and Cheshire with a degree of hearing loss.

Surgery managers who would like to participate or have further details can call DSN on 01606 47831.