About this factsheet

This factsheet is part of RNID's South East range. It is written for deaf and hard of hearing people. We use the term deaf people to refer to deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people throughout this factsheet.

This factsheet gives details of organisations in Oxfordshire which provide services for deaf people. A brief description and full contact details are given for every service. The organisations are listed under the following headings:

Audiology

If you think you need a hearing aid, ask your GP (family doctor) to refer you to the audiology department at Radcliffe Infirmary.
 
If you have a problem with an NHS hearing aid, there is an open clinic for minor repairs at the audiology department, Monday-Friday,
9.30am-1pm. Hearing therapy services are available.

Audiology department, Radcliffe Infirmary, Woodstock Road, OX2 6HE.
Telephone: 01865 224585
Fax: 01865 794030

Benefits

There is a range of benefits you may be able to claim as a deaf person. You will need to fill in a claim form for each type of benefit you want to claim. You can get these from the Benefit Enquiry Line or you can download them from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) website (external link, opens new browser window)

Benefit Enquiry Line (BEL)

This is a free advice line run by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Telephone: 0800 882 200
Textphone: 0800 243 355
Monday-Friday, 8.30am-6.30pm, Saturday, 9am-1pm.

The Benefit Enquiry Line can help you fill in your form. They will normally call you back within five days of your request for help to fill in the form.

To claim tax credits, you need a claim form from the tax credits office.

Tax credits helpline

Help and advice about claiming tax credits.

Tax credits office, Inland Revenue, Preston PR1 0SB.
Telephone: 0845 300 3900
Textphone: 0845 300 3909
Open 8am-8pm, seven days a week.
Website: Tax credits helpline (external link, opens new browser window)

British Sign Language classes

Classes are run at several colleges and community education centres. For details, go to the Council for Advancement of Communication with Deaf People (CACDP) website, go to the 'find a course provider' pages, and check the South East of England section.
Website: CACDP website (external link, opens new browser window)

Children and young people

Oxforshire deaf children's society

Secretary: Celia Warde-Aldam, Church Cottage, Oddington, Nr Kidlington OX5 2RA.
Telephone: 01865 331316
Fax: 01865 331316

Hearing Support Service, part of CLASS (Communication, Language, Autism and Sensory Services)

The service operates from three resource bases across the county.
Service manager: Nicky Ereaut, Cherwell School, Hearing Support Service, South Site, Marston Ferry Road, Oxfordshire OX2 7EE.
Telephone: 01865 515966
Fax: 01865 311684
Email: hsupport@cherwell.oxon.sch.uk

Head of Service: Mark Geraghty, The Wheatley Centre, Littleworth Road, Wheatley OX33 1PH.
Telephone: 01865 875165
Fax: 01865 875163
Email: mark.geraghty@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Communication support

If you need communication support, such as a BSL/English interpreter, a lipspeaker or a notetaker for health appointments, working with a social worker, to resolve benefit or housing problems, for a parents’ evening or other school activities, contact Oxfordshire Social and Health Care communication support unit.

Telephone: 01235 549399
Textphone: 01235 549397
Fax: 01235 549398
Videophone: 01235 549396

For communication support for work, at a Jobcentre Plus or while seeing a solicitor, contact one of the following:

Oxford Deaf Centre

Telephone: 01865 722209
Textphone: 01865 722247
Fax: 01865 722209

Lexicon Interpreting Services

Telephone: 01295 758515
Textphone: 01295 758516
Fax: 01295 758517

RNID Central CSU

Telephone: 01296 392294
Textphone: 01296 392295
Fax: 01296 381103
Email: csuaylesbury@rnid.org.uk

Employment

If you are looking for work and would like help and advice, visit your local Jobcentre Plus. You can ask for an appointment to see a disability employment adviser (DEA). The DEA is part of the Disability Service team. They will help you draw up an action plan to find a job or training and tell you about the access to work scheme.

RNID has further information about employment issues. We also have employment advisers across the country.

Equipment

If you want to buy environmental aids such as flashing doorbells or vibrating alarms, contact Huntleigh National Care to make an appointment. Also check the section on Buying equipment later.

Huntleigh National Care, 31 Nuffield Way, Abingdon, OX14 1RL.
Telephone: 0845 600 1864

Legal

There are time limits for bringing complaints under the Disability Discrimination Act. The time limit starts from the date when the discrimination took place. If it is an employment issue, you have three months (minus one day) to bring a complaint to the Employment Tribunal. If it is to do with goods, services or education, you have six months (minus one day) to bring a case to court. If you are considering taking legal action, you should get legal advice immediately.

The following organisations can provide you with legal advice:

Citizens Advice Bureau

Your local CAB will give free advice. See your phonebook for your nearest CAB or search the Citizen's Advice Bureau (external link, opens new browser window) online database.

The Disability Law Service

Telephone: 020 7791 9800
Textphone: 020 7791 9801
Fax: 020 7791 9802
Email: advice@dls.org.uk

Solicitors

You can find a solicitor from the following organisations:

The Law Society

Textphone: 0870 600 1562
Website: Solicitors Online website (external link, opens new browser window)

Community Legal Service

Website: Community Legal Service Direct website (external link, opens new browser window)

Lipreading classes

Many deaf and hard of hearing people benefit from joining a lipreading class. A qualified teacher can show you how to recognise words by their shape on the lips rather than by sound. This can increase your confidence and allow you to participate more fully in conversations, meetings and social situations.

Classes are held at a variety of locations throughout the county. They run for one and half hours. Full details of locations and times are available from the hearing therapy department at the Radcliffe Infirmary.

Audiology department, Radcliffe Infirmary, Woodstock Road, OX2 6HE.
Telephone: 01865 224880
Fax: 01865 794030

Social activites

Oxford Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre

Deaf Sports and Social Club meets on Friday evening, 7.30pm-11pm.

Hard of Hearing Club meets on Wednesday afternoons, 2pm-5pm.

Oxford Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre, St Ebbe’s, Oxford OX1 1RL.
Telephone: 01865 243447
Textphone: 01865 249823

Cinemas

To find out about subtitled screenings of films in Oxfordshire, visit your local cinema (external link, opens new browser window), a website that lists all subtitled films in the UK.

Theatres

To find out about BSL interpreted performances in Oxfordshire, contact:

SPIT (Signed Performances in Theatre), 1 Stobart Avenue, Manchester M25 0AJ.
Telelphone: 0161 773 1715
Textphone: 0161 773 1715
Email: sarah@spit.org.uk  
Website: Signed Performances In Theatre (SPIT) website (external link, opens new browser window)

To find out about captioned performances in Oxfordshire, contact:

STAGETEXT, York House, Empire Way, Wembley, London HA9 0PA.
Telephone: 0208 903 5566
Textphone: 0208 903 5566
Fax: 0208 903 8647
Email: enquiries@stagetext.co.uk  
Website: STAGETEXT website (external link, opens new browser window)

Social and healthcare services

Specialist services for deaf and hard of hearing people

Oxfordshire County Council Social and Health Care

A countywide team of specially trained staff based in Abingdon, offering advice and support to people of all ages. The team offers equipment assessments, advice on deaf issues and information on all aspects of hearing loss. You can make an appointment for someone to visit you at home, or at the office, or to talk to you via telephone, textphone, fax or videophone.

Sensory Impairment Services, The Charter, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3LT.
Telephone: 01235 549399
Textphone: 01235 549397 or 01235 549399.
Fax: 01235 549398
Videophone also available.
Email: hearing.impairment@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Organisations

Birmingham Diocese Pastoral Service for the Deaf

The service covers Oxfordshire.
Chaplaincy: Ozanam House, 40 Gravelly Hill North, Erdington, Birmingham B23 6BA.
Telelphone: 0121 382 5834
Textphone: 0121 382 5834

Chaplain: Rev Gerard Lennon, SS Mary & John, Gravelly Hill North, Erdington, Birmingham B23 6BQ.
Telephone: 0121 373 0263 or 0121 382 5834
Website: The Archdiocese of Birmingham website (external link, opens new browser window)

British Tinnitus Association (BTA)

Helps tinnitus patients, provides information about tinnitus, encourages and finances research and has details of local groups and contacts.
BTA, Ground Floor, Unit 5, Acorn Business Park, Woodseats Close, Sheffield S8 0TB.
Telephone: 0800 018 0527
Textphone: 0114 258 5694
Fax: 0114 250 9933
Email: info@tinnitus.org.uk  
Website: British Tinnitus Association website (external link, opens new browser window)

Hearing Concern

Hearing advisers visit people at home to give advice on all aspects of hearing loss and technical help. This may be basic help with changing batteries and re-tubing aids. It may be supporting first-time aid wearers or people having difficulty coming to terms with hearing loss. For details of hearing advisers, contact the Hearing Concern helpdesk.

Telephone: 020 7440 9871
Fax: 020 7440 9872
Textphone: 020 7440 9873
Hearing Concern website (external link, opens new browser window)

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People

Train dogs to alert severely and profoundly deaf people to important sounds such as the doorbell, smoke alarms and alarm clocks.
Mrs H Shute, 1 The Sands, Milton-under-Wychwood,
Chipping Norton OX7 6EP.
Telephone: 01993 831909
Email: hashute01@aol.com  
Website: Hearing Dogs website (external link, opens new browser window)

The LINK Centre for Deafened People

Link has a network of volunteer outreach workers who provide support and information to deafened people and their families. Contact LINK for details of support available.
LINK, 19 Hartfield Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 2AR.
Telephone: 01323 638230
Textphone: 01323 739998
Fax: 01323 642968
Website: LINK centre website (external link, opens new browser window)

National Association for Deafened People

Information and support for deafened people via helpdesk and publications.
Secretary, PO Box 50, Amersham HP6 6XB.
Telephone: 01494 723613
Fax: 01494 431932
Email: enquiries@nadp.org.uk  
Website: NADP website (external link, opens new browser window)

Oxford Deaf Choir

Provides signed hymns for church services.
Mr M Perfitt, 8 Ock Mill Close, Marcham Road, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 1SP.

Oxford Diocesan Council for the Deaf

The council works with deaf and hard of hearing people to meet their spiritual, social and general needs. The diocese includes Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

The volunteer project offers a pastoral support service. A booklet is available giving details of churches that have services with sign language, and information about other useful organisations. 

Jane Tolson, Administrator, 16 Yarnells Road, North Hinksey, Oxford OX2 0JY.
Telelephone: 01865 241399
Textphone: 01865 241399
Fax: 01865 798379
Email: jane@clocks.abelgratis.co.uk  
Website: Oxford Diocesan Council for the Deaf (external link, opens new browser window)

Sign - National Society for Mental Health and Deafness.

Offers a range of services, including advocacy, outreach and supported living to any deaf person in need of emotional support.
Sign Charity, 5 Baring Road, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire HP9 2NB.
Telephone: 01494 687600
Textphone: 01494 687626
Fax: 01494 687622
Email: information@signcharity.org.uk  
Website: Sign Charity website (external link, opens new browser window)

Further information from RNID

We offer a wide range of information on many aspects of deafness and hearing loss. Contact us for further copies of this factsheet and the full range of our information factsheets and leaflets.

RNID Information Line

RNID Information Line, 19-23 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SL.
Telephone: 0808 808 0123
Textphone: 0808 808 9000
Fax: 020 7296 8199
Email: informationline@rnid.org.uk

Local RNID office

RNID South East and Anglia – Regional Communications
19-23 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SL.
Telephone: 0207 296 8181
Textphone: 0207 296 8294
Fax: 0207 296 8199
Email: information.southeast@rnid.org.uk

Buying equipment

RNID Sound Advantage sells a range of equipment for deaf people. Visit the RNID shop to buy some of the equipment online. Alternatively, send off for a copy of the RNID Sound Advantage Solutions catalogue.

RNID Sound Advantage, 1 Haddonbrook Business Centre,
Orton Southgate, Peterborough PE2 6YX.
Telephone 01733 361199
Textphone 01733 238020
Fax 01733 361161
Email: solutions@rnid.org.uk 

Copyright

This factsheet may be photocopied for information or educational purposes only. It may not be photocopied in part. It may not be photocopied or reproduced if your intention is to sell the factsheets. Factsheets are updated regularly. Any out-of-date editions should be destroyed. You can get the most recent edition from RNID. If you wish to photocopy this factsheet, please contact the RNID Information Line or go to our website to check that you have the most recent edition. If you are a commercial organisation and you need multiple copies of this factsheet, please contact the RNID Information Line to find out how to get the quantity you need.