Specialist team supports over 1,150 people with deafness in Staffordshire

More than 1,150 people living with deafness in Staffordshire have received crucial support to help them remain independent, according to recent figures.

To coincide with Deaf Awareness Week, which runs until 10th May, the Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) has highlighted the services offered by its Countywide Sensory Team.

Referrals come from various sources, including voluntary organisations, Staffordshire County Council, and other MPFT services.

The team volunteers to go to the homes of those referred, where they assess individual support needs and deliver personalised rehabilitation programmes, install necessary sensory equipment, and facilitate contacts with other local or national agencies.

Ali France, Sensory Team Operational Service Delivery Lead, who has been profoundly Deaf since childhood, said: “I’m proud to lead an amazing team of sensory practitioners who are passionate and committed to empowering individuals in all aspects of their daily life and enabling them to stay independent.

Deafness impacts one in five adults in the UK and can affect anyone at any point in their lives.

Among those helped by the team is Sarah Forsyth from Staffordshire Moorlands, who has been Deaf since 2021.

With their help, Sarah has been able to rebuild her life, learn sign language, and continue with her cochlear implant journey.

Reflecting on her experience, Sarah said: “Ali and the team have given me the confidence to live and grow in a deaf world. As such I’ve been able to remain independent, for which I will be eternally grateful.”

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