TY - JOUR T1 - Communicating with people with hearing loss: COVID-19 and beyond JF - BJGP Open JO - BJGP Open DO - 10.3399/BJGPO.2020.0174 SP - BJGPO.2020.0174 AU - Devina Maru AU - Jack Stancel-Lewis AU - Graham Easton AU - William EJ Leverton Y1 - 2021/01/13 UR - http://bjgpopen.org/content/early/2021/01/11/BJGPO.2020.0174.abstract N2 - Hearing health and effective communication is more important than ever. Since the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in wide scale social distancing in the UK, advice from the government has been to limit contact with others, and for older people and those with underlying health conditions to shield.1 This has dramatically exacerbated social isolation within this population. The widespread use of face coverings has impeded communication by blocking the listener’s view of the lips.2 By forcing the wearing of masks and increasing the use of telemedicine, the COVID-19 pandemic has focused the minds of healthcare professionals on communicating with people with hearing loss.3,4 In this article we offer practical tips and resources for busy GPs, including the new Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Toolkit for Deafness and Hearing Loss.Hearing loss is one of the commonest disabilities seen in primary care. Between 20% and 50% of primary care appointments are related to ear, nose, and throat (ENT) conditions.5 It affects one in six of the UK population; one in two over the age of 70. Hearing loss is associated with poor social interaction, isolation, depression and anxiety, reduced quality of life, and increased risk of dementia. Treating hearing loss may be one of the most cost-effective ways of reducing someone’s risk of dementia.6 The wearing of a face mask may result in unintended consequences such as social isolation and poor mental wellbeing. This may predispose a large section of society to mask misery.7 Acquired, age-related hearing loss occurs gradually. Your patients with deteriorating hearing may have noticed subtle clues such as the gradual fading of birdsong, increasing the volume on the television, muffled speech, or difficulty hearing in … ER -