Monday 13, April 2026

Kate started the meeting by providing updates about what has happened since our last meeting. 

• Science and Engineering Day 2026 – another successful year. Thank you to our amazing volunteers for running the exhibits with us. 
• From the last meeting, we now have a list of skills that researchers and group members need for effective public involvement and engagement. 
• World hearing day craft activity at Let’s Communicate Hard of Hearing Club where group members were asked to paint or colour something to represent their experience of deafness. 

Kate reminded the group that Bethan is still recruiting people to take part in her research study about hearing loss and anxiety.  

The meeting objectives were to:

1. To hear research project updates from Helen and Isabel and to discuss. 
2. To discuss deaf awareness training in the NHS.  
3. To capture videos for the deaf awareness teaching resource. 

Activity 1 

Professor Helen Cullington from USAIS joined us to talk about the LUCIA trial. ALL_EARS have been consulted about the project over the past few years, while the study was being designed. And several members of the group have been involved. 

Listening with Unilateral versus bilateral Cochlear Implants in Adults (LUCIA): A randomised controlled trial comparing simultaneous bilateral versus unilateral cochlear implantation in adults with post-lingual severe-profound hearing loss.

The group asked some great questions about the study design and shared their insight as to whether they would want one or two implants if they were offered the opportunity. 

Next, Isabel Mcgauley joined us to provide an update about the Unilateral and bilateral CI outcomes in adults: Real-world hearing and user experience work. 

Next, we had a well-deserved coffee and pastry break. 

Activity 2

In the second half of the meeting, we shifted our focus to the topic of deaf awareness. Over the past few months, we have been discussing and building a deaf awareness resource for undergraduate students completing a healthcare related degree. In the last meeting, we asked group members “How has your deafness or hearing loss impacted your life?” We collected quotes from group discussions. We would like to capture some videos to include in the resource too. Kate captured a great video of Sandy discussing how tiring it can be for deaf and hard of hearing people. 

Nuala, an assistant psychologist, who has been working with us, shared with the group her passion to increase deaf awareness in healthcare settings – particularly mental health settings. In small groups, Nuala led a discussion to find out what the group thought about about the current deaf awareness training and resources for healthcare professionals in the NHS. 

At the end of the session, each group summarised their discussions about deaf awareness training in the NHS. Group members were not clear on what training was available and wondered if the training was being complete. A key suggestion from the group was that in-person deaf awareness training should be mandatory for all NHS staff. 

Kate closed the meeting by thanking members for coming.

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