The guest speaker at a meeting of the Holsworthy Community Forum at the hospital last Thursday (January 20) was John Rickett of the RNID (Royal National Institute for the Deaf), a retired consultant surgeon who suddenly went deaf.

He said there were nine million people in the UK with a hearing problem, although only 2.5 million of them wore a hearing aid as many didn't like to admit they had a problem. One in ten had some form of tinnitus.

People should be encouraged to see their GP to have a hearing test and if necessary an audiogram at a hospital. Once they had a hearing aid, help was available from Social Services and hospitals which had outreach services.

To read more about a potential visit, see this week's edition of the 'Post'.