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   Advice from Salford hearing loss charity
With many people beating the January blues by booking ‘staycations’, Action on Hearing Loss is urging Salford holidaymakers with hearing loss to know their rights and check the accessibility of hotels they are considering booking. Under the Equality Act 2010, UK services including hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to be accessible to people with disabilities. This means that accommodation managers must ensure that people who are deaf or hard of hearing can enjoy the same level of service as other guests. However, not all hotels are as accessible as they should be and this can cause frustrating experiences for guests with hearing loss. Action on Hearing Loss is urging people with hearing loss to avoid future disappointment by contacting their accommodation options in advance and checking what steps they will take to meet their individual communication needs. The charity is advising staycationers to ask if the accommodation has: staff trained in basic deaf awareness a hearing loop in reception, and when the last time they checked that it was working rooms with an amplified telephone with an in built hearing loop and a flashing doorbell procedures to alert guests with hearing loss when their fire alarm is activated and an alerting system designed for guests with hearing loss televisions with subtitles already set up in rooms Acting Chief Executive of Action on Hearing Loss, Paul Breckell, says: “With more holidaymakers choosing to stay in the UK, it’s vital that all hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs recognise their legal responsibilities and make simple adjustments to meet the individual needs of guests with hearing loss. We urge Salford residents with hearing loss to check accommodation is suitably accessible before making any reservations and exercise their right to get the same level of service as other guests.” If you have hearing loss and recently stayed in a hotel which was not deaf aware or accessible, email brief details of your experience to campaigns@hearingloss.org.uk Action on Hearing Loss is the new name for RNID. The charity is working for a world where hearing loss doesn't limit or label people, where tinnitus is silenced – and where people value and look after their hearing. For further information about Action on Hearing Loss or to become a member, visit www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk, contact the Action on Hearing Loss Information Line on 0808 808 0123 (freephone) or 0808 808 9000 (textphone) or email: informationline@hearingloss.org.uk. Due to problems with spam only SalfordOnline members can now leave comments. Becoming a member of SalfordOnline only takes a minute, just hit the red Join Us button at the top right hand side of the page to create your Personal account. Got a news story? Need help with publicity for an event in Salford? Send it to newsdesk@salfordonline.com or call the SalfordOnline newsdesk on 0161 789 5377. |
