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The ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) plans to deny support to people with noise damaged hearing if the person's total hearing loss is less than 6%.
This is despite evidence showing total damage of much less than 6% having a serious impact on the professional and social lives of those affected. Noise damage typically attacks the high tone area of our hearing that is critical for deciphering speech, especially in everyday environments.
The changes will remove professional discetion from assessments, and the new law declares that hearing damage below this threshold is not an injury.
The proposed changes to the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Bill united the "hearing sector" in its opposition to the proposed threshold, with the National Foundation for the Deaf, the Hearing Association of New Zealand, the New Zealand Audiological Society, the Human Rights Commission and manufacturers and vendors joining other professionals, including university researchers and groups like Age Concern in protesting via submissions to Parliament's Transport and Industrial Relations Committee in November.
An information paper outlining the key issues the hearing sector raised is available here.
You can support our concerns by writing to the Minister of ACC, Dr Nick Smith, or to the National Foundation for the Deaf, who will pass your concerns on to the Minister.
The ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) plans to deny support to people with noise damaged hearing if the person's total hearing loss is less than 6%.
This is despite evidence showing total damage of much less than 6% having a serious impact on the professional and social lives of those affected. Noise damage typically attacks the high tone area of our hearing that is critical for deciphering speech, especially in everyday environments.
The changes will remove professional discetion from assessments, and the new law declares that hearing damage below this threshold is not an injury.
The proposed changes to the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Bill united the "hearing sector" in its opposition to the proposed threshold, with the National Foundation for the Deaf, the Hearing Association of New Zealand, the New Zealand Audiological Society, the Human Rights Commission and manufacturers and vendors joining other professionals, including university researchers and groups like Age Concern in protesting via submissions to Parliament's Transport and Industrial Relations Committee in November.
An information paper outlining the key issues the hearing sector raised is available here.
You can support our concerns by writing to the Minister of ACC, Dr Nick Smith, or to the National Foundation for the Deaf, who will pass your concerns on to the Minister.
The NFD has received funding from the Ministry of Health to produce an information pack for deaf and hearing impaired people detailing the services and support options provided by Government organisations in New Zealand. The information will also be translated into English, Te Reo Maori, Tongan, Cook Islands Maori, Samoan and Mandarin languages. The pack should be available for distribution by the end of June 2010. Please let us know if you or your organisation would like to receive one or more of these packs.
The RNID (the Royal National Institute for Deaf People) in the UK has developed an on-line hearing check. Click here to start the check.
Hearing matters. Research shows it takes up to 15 years for people to address their hearing loss. Yet we rely on our hearing, whether it is to hear our children laugh, cross the street, or enjoy music. That's why if you have hearing loss, the sooner you know about it, the better.
So, why not take the confidentail hearing check now? It only takes a few minutes and it's free. Do you know anyone who needs to check their hearing? Please forward this link on.
Our new desktop widget checks to see if your headphones are too loud! Download our widget on the right and follow the instructions. If the sound glows green, they are at a good level, if the sound glows red they could be doing irreparable damage!
If you would like to help the NFD support people with hearing impairment and spread awareness of deafness prevention by regular deductions from your pay, please click here
The National Foundation for the Deaf (NFD) has appointed Louise Carroll in the role of General Manager. Read more
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