Click Hearing Joins National Tinnitus Programme

Click Hearing Among First in the UK to Adopt SoundChoice Tinnitus Programme

Click Hearing has become one of the first audiology practices in the UK to sign up to the SoundChoice programme, an initiative developed by Tinnitus UK to improve the standard of tinnitus care nationwide.

By joining as an early adopter, Click Hearing is helping to lead the way in delivering structured, evidence-based tinnitus support—reinforcing its commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centred hearing care.

What SoundChoice Means for Tinnitus Care

SoundChoice is a quality mark designed to help people identify clinics that offer a clear, structured approach to tinnitus management. For many patients, it serves as a much-needed signpost to services where tinnitus is properly assessed and treated using recognised clinical methods.

Too often, tinnitus is dismissed or addressed in a limited way. SoundChoice aims to change that by ensuring patients can access clinicians who understand the condition and provide a defined pathway for managing it effectively.

Raising the Standard of Clinical Care

To deliver SoundChoice services, clinicians must complete dedicated tinnitus training through Tinnitus UK and demonstrate that their clinic follows a structured care pathway.

This includes carrying out comprehensive tinnitus assessments, identifying contributing factors such as hearing loss or sound sensitivity, and providing evidence-based counselling and sound therapy. Where appropriate, patients are also referred to additional services.

At Click Hearing, this approach is further strengthened through the use of Oto CBT-based tinnitus support, allowing cognitive behavioural therapy techniques to be incorporated into treatment when beneficial.

Challenging Outdated Messages Around Tinnitus

Despite advances in understanding tinnitus, many patients are still told that “nothing can be done.” While tinnitus may not always have a medical cure, this does not mean it cannot be effectively managed.

Across healthcare, it is widely accepted that even when a condition cannot be cured, patients should still be supported with strategies that improve their quality of life. Tinnitus is no exception. With the right approach, it is possible to reduce its impact significantly.

Click Hearing’s decision to adopt the SoundChoice programme reflects a clear belief that patients deserve better—access to care that helps them understand their tinnitus and regain control over it.

Reassurance for Patients

For patients, the introduction of SoundChoice at Click Hearing provides confidence that their tinnitus is being managed using modern, evidence-based methods.

For the clinic, it represents an ongoing commitment to delivering thoughtful, structured care that focuses on long-term outcomes and quality of life.

As one clinician explains:

“People with tinnitus are too often told that nothing can be done. While we may not always be able to cure tinnitus, there is a great deal we can do to help people understand it, manage it and reduce the impact it has on their lives.”

What to Expect from a Tinnitus Consultation

A tinnitus consultation at Click Hearing is designed to fully understand both the condition itself and the factors that may be contributing to it.

Appointments include a comprehensive clinical assessment, which may involve video otoscopy to examine the ear canal and eardrum, alongside detailed hearing tests. These can extend beyond conventional ranges, as higher-frequency hearing loss is sometimes linked to tinnitus. Additional tests such as tympanometry assess middle ear function, while otoacoustic emissions evaluate cochlear health.

Patients are also encouraged to discuss how tinnitus affects their daily life. Clinicians explore influencing factors such as hearing loss, sound sensitivity, stress, sleep, and attention.

Following assessment, patients receive a clear explanation of how tinnitus works, along with a personalised management plan. This may include education, sound therapy, hearing devices where appropriate, and structured tinnitus strategies. CBT-based support can also be incorporated through the Oto programme where beneficial.

Who Can Benefit?

This service is particularly suited to people who:

• Have persistent or bothersome tinnitus

• Have recently developed tinnitus and want reassurance

• Experience hearing loss alongside tinnitus

• Find tinnitus is affecting sleep, concentration, or quality of life

• Have previously been told that nothing can be done and want a more structured approach