A proper conversation
Before anything else: where you find listening hardest, and what you would like back.
Hearing care · Audiology
Hearing assessments and private hearing tests.
Hearing assessmentComplimentaryNo charge and no obligation to proceed. Includes video otoscopy and a clear explanation of what was found.
When did conversations start becoming hard work?
It rarely arrives all at once. It is the restaurant where you smile and nod because the noise has swallowed half the table. The television creeping up a few notches. The “sorry, say that again?” you have started to apologise for.
An assessment is a calm, thorough way to understand what is going on, and what, if anything, is worth doing about it.
Worth booking if
- You can hear people talking but cannot always make out the words
- You notice ringing or buzzing in your ears (tinnitus)
- You feel drained after a day of listening and socialising
- You are 55 or over and it has been a couple of years
A check every couple of years is as sensible as an eye test, even when nothing feels wrong.
Two things you can try from home first: the hearing loss simulator, and our online hearing test.
In the room
What happens in the appointment
There is nothing clinical about it, and nothing you need to prepare.
A look inside, on screen
Video otoscopy. You watch the same screen the audiologist does. Most people have never seen their own ear.
Both ears, checked
Wax, the ear canal, the eardrum. We tell you what we can see.
What we found
Explained in plain language, with the picture still on the screen in front of you.
The part most tests stop at
Hearing well is about understanding, not volume.
- What a tone test tells you
- Whether you can detect a sound at a given pitch and volume, in a quiet room.
- What it does not tell you
- Whether you can follow one voice across a busy kitchen. That is usually the first thing to change, and the thing that affects daily life most. So we measure both.
Two things this appointment will not do.
It will not hand you a hearing aid you did not need. If your hearing is fine, that is what we will tell you, and the appointment ends there.
And it does not replace the NHS route. That is arranged through your GP, the aids are provided free of charge, and it is a valid choice. If you are weighing the two, we will talk it through.
What happens after
Nothing needs doing
The most common outcome. You leave with a baseline to measure against in a few years.
It is wax
One earwax removal appointment clears it, and we can usually tell you during the assessment.
Support would help
We explain why, and what modern hearing aids actually do. The decision is yours.
Two ways to start
A hearing check, or a full assessment?
Both are complimentary. The difference is how long you have, and how much you want to understand.
30 minutes
The hearing check
- What it covers
- A look inside both ears, and your hearing across the frequencies that carry speech.
- Best if
- You want peace of mind, or somewhere to start.
90 minutes
The full hearing assessment
- What it covers
- Everything in the check, plus how well you follow speech, how you cope in background noise, and how that fits your day.
- Best if
- You want the detail behind any recommendation.
STOTTS. Membership · Launching later this year
Assessments are complimentary for everyone, member or not. Membership adds priority booking and member-only savings if you ever need hearing aids or ongoing care.
Register your interestWhere to book
Hearing care at all six practices
Every STOTTS. practice offers hearing assessments. Choose your local branch to book.
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Unsworth
Stotts Unsworth
Greater Manchester
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Swinton
Stotts Swinton
Greater Manchester
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Urmston
Stotts Urmston
Greater Manchester
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Chorley
Sutcliffes Opticians
Lancashire
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Burnley
Brown Opticians and Audiologists
Lancashire
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Padiham
Mr Jinkinsons Opticians
Lancashire
Hearing assessment questions, answered.
How much does a hearing assessment cost?
Nothing. Both the 30-minute hearing check and the full hearing assessment are complimentary, with no obligation to proceed.
How do I get a hearing test or hearing aids on the NHS?
NHS hearing tests are arranged through your GP, who can refer you to an NHS audiology service, and NHS hearing aids are then provided free of charge. Waiting times vary by area. STOTTS. is an independent practice, so you are usually seen within days rather than weeks. Both routes are valid, and we are happy to talk through which suits you.
Will I need a hearing aid?
Not necessarily. Many people leave simply reassured, or needing nothing more than earwax removal. If hearing aids would genuinely help, we will explain exactly why — but the decision is always yours.
Should I have a hearing test if I have tinnitus?
Yes. If you notice ringing or buzzing in your ears, a hearing assessment is a sensible first step to understand what is behind it and how we can help.
Who carries out the hearing assessment?
An audiologist registered with the Health & Care Professions Council. Their registration numbers are published further down this page and on our clinicians page, so you can check them on the HCPC public register before you come in.
What happens if my hearing is fine?
We tell you so, and you go home. It is a common outcome and a useful one: it gives you a baseline to measure against in a few years.
Do I need a referral from my GP to see you?
No. You can book a hearing assessment with us directly. If we find something that needs medical attention rather than a hearing aid, we will tell you and write to your GP.
Hearing Care Welcome Offer
Ear wax removal at £45 for both ears, and an included hearing-aid check.
Our welcome offer for new hearing-care patients across STOTTS. Screenings and video otoscopy are complimentary as standard. Terms apply.
The people who will do it.
Every hearing assessment at STOTTS. is carried out by an audiologist registered with the Health & Care Professions Council. Their registration numbers are below, and you can check them on the public register before you come in.
