Receiving the right hearing support has brought a welcome sense of progress for former RAF serviceman Alan Tandy. After living with constant tinnitus and hearing loss in both ears, Mr Tandy was referred for a professional hearing assessment and fitted with Oticon Intent 1 hearing aids. The difference has already been significant, and the appointment also led to further NHS medical investigation. Mr Tandy’s story reflects the long-term effects military noise exposure often leaves behind. After years of service ends there are many veterans who continue to live with hearing problems linked to the environments in which they worked. Through support from the UK Veterans Hearing Foundation and funding from Englefield Charitable Trust, Mr Tandy has now received hearing care suited to his needs.
Years of noise exposure during RAF service
Mr Tandy joined the Royal Air Force in December 1982; throughout his military career, he regularly experienced loud, high-pitched sounds, including air drills, riveting guns, aircraft engines, and rifle fire. These sounds had formed part of his working environment, yet repeated exposure to such high noise levels placed considerable strain on his hearing. Like many former service personnel, the full effect became clearer later, long after Mr Tandy had left the RAF.
A recent hearing test found hearing loss in both ears, more significant in his left ear. Mr Tandy also lives with constant tinnitus, a persistent sound which has stayed with him alongside the decline in his hearing. Hearing loss does not always arrive as one clear moment; the change often develops gradually after years spent around machinery, weapons, engines and other such intense noise for the veterans. By the time support feels necessary, the effect has often become an established part of everyday life.
Seeking veteran hearing loss support
When Mr Tandy approached the UK Veterans Hearing Foundation, he had not previously received hearing support through the NHS and was not wearing hearing aids. His application gave the Foundation a clear picture of his RAF service, the noise he had encountered and the hearing difficulties he was experiencing. Mr Tandy was then referred to an audiologist in Reading for a full assessment. This step allowed his hearing to be properly examined and helped determine which support would suit him and his lifestyle.
The assessment then confirmed he had bilateral hearing loss, which means both ears were affected. The greater loss in Mr Tandy’s left ear also required further attention, showing why a detailed hearing assessment matters. Hearing care is not limited to supplying hearing aids. A professional assessment also helps to identify results or symptoms which need referral to another healthcare professional.
Important referral for further investigation
After Mr Tandy’s assessment, the audiologist contacted his GP and requested an NHS referral for further investigation, including a possible MRI scan. Mr Tandy later received confirmation that the NHS had accepted the referral and was waiting for the next details. This referral formed an important part of Mr Tandy’s care. While his new hearing aid offered him support for his hearing loss, the difference between his ears needed further medical attention.
One appointment started two positive steps for Mr Tandy. He received hearing aids to support him now, alongside an NHS pathway for further support. The process gave him a clearer route forward and reassurance that his hearing needs were receiving proper attention.
Fitted with Oticon Intent 1 hearing aids
Sounds Delightful Ltd fitted Mr Tandy with a pair of Oticon Intent 1 hearing aids. Selected following his hearing assessment, the devices were programmed around his individual hearing levels. Hearing aids work best when chosen and fitted according to the person rather than treated as a standard solution. Alan’s fittings followed a full assessment, giving him hearing support based on the loss present in each ear.
The change has already been meaningful. Mr Tandy described his new hearing aids as making “a huge difference”, a short statement that captures the positive effect of receiving suitable support after living with untreated hearing loss.
After receiving his hearing aids and confirmation of his NHS referral, Mr Tandy shared an update with our team at UK Veterans Hearing Foundation:
“Thank you guys, I have been referred to an audiologist in Reading who has tested my hearing. I have now been given two hearing aids which make a huge difference. The audiologist also contacted my GP, asking that I get an NHS referral and a possible MRI scan, which has this morning been accepted by the NHS, and I’m waiting for details.
So in summary, things are moving forwards in a positive way, and I have you to thank for this.”
Mr Tandy’s words show why such access to veteran hearing loss support matters so much. His journey didn’t end with identifying the hearing loss; the assessment led to a suitable hearing aid, professional guidance, and an onward referral when further investigation was needed.
Support shaped around the veteran
Military hearing loss comes in many forms; some veterans experience reduced hearing, while others live with tinnitus or uneven loss between their ears. Each brings a different service history, set of symptoms, and level of need, which makes individual assessment an essential part of hearing care.
Mr Tandy’s experience also shows the value of veterans feel being heard when they raise concerns about their hearing. His history of exposure to aircraft engines, tools and weapons provided important context, but the assessment focused on his present hearing needs and the right next steps for him.
Through the UK Veterans Hearing Foundation, former service personnel receive support from professionals who understand the relationship between military service and hearing loss. This support has helped turn a long-standing hearing problem into a positive path forward for Mr Tandy.
Thank you to the Englefield Charitable Trust and Sounds Delightful Ltd
The Englefield Charitable Trust funded Mr Tandy’s hearing care and Oticon Intent 1 hearing aids. Their support made this outcome possible and helped another veteran access professional hearing care that suited his needs.
Our thanks also go to Sounds Delightful Ltd for looking after Mr Tandy’s hearing, fitting his new hearing aids and taking the necessary steps to support his wider care through an NHS referral.
More importantly, we thank Mr Alan Tandy also for sharing his experience; his story shows how the right support reaches beyond better hearing. A thorough assessment, suitable technology and the right clinical referral have given him a clear sense of progress.
