HOSPITAL bosses in Worcestershire have thrown their support behind a charity raising awareness of tinnitus and supporting those affected by the condition.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which also runs Kidderminster Hospital and Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital, has signed up as a corporate member of the British Tinnitus Association (BTA).

The trust’s audiology services manager Lorna Laird, who herself suffers from tinnitus, said she and her colleagues use resources from the BTA on a daily basis so it made sense to form a formal partnership with the charity.

“We depend on the research the BTA commissions to find treatments and improve services,” she said.

“The more support the BTA gets from us, the more they can help and support our patients, so everybody benefits.”

About one in 10 people in the UK suffer from tinnitus – the sensation of hearing a noise even in the absence of external sound – and ten per cent of these say it severely affects their quality of life.

The charity’s head of fundraising and development Helen Goldsby-West said she was “extremely grateful” to the trust for pledging to support the organisation.

“Last year, the BTA supported over 335,000 people,” she said. “To do this, we are reliant upon the generous donations of our fundraisers and supporters.

“We receive no government support and need to raise over £750,000 this year to continue our much needed work.

“The corporate membership scheme is a great way for organisations to demonstrate their commitment to our work and the wider tinnitus community.”

The audiology department at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust supports people with tinnitus or other hearing problems with a range of clinics throughout the county.

For more information call or visit www.worcsacute.nhs.uk.