The British Tinnitus Association (BTA) is a world leader in providing support and advice about tinnitus. From our base in Sheffield, we help and support the public, professionals and organisations to achieve better tinnitus awareness. We aim to encourage prevention through our educational programme and to seek a cure for permanent head noise through a medical research programme.

Ten per cent of the population experience tinnitus at some point in their lives. As the only UK charity solely dedicated to the tinnitus community, the BTA has a vital role. We provide authoritative information, much of it written by medical professionals or clinical researchers, for those who experience tinnitus. Also, we work closely with hearing professionals and our Professional Advisers' Committee to put forward the case for further clinical research into the causes of tinnitus, and to share the latest insights gained from such research.

A key focus us during 2011/12 is to encourage and promote the provision of sufficiently trained people for the management/treatment of those with tinnitus. To that end we are proactively working with hearing professionals to educate them about tinnitus management techniques and the latest clinical research findings.

Research has highlighted that tinnitus-specific education on audiology courses is limited and the BTA sees a need for plugging that gap in order to ensure that future generations of audiologists in the UK are well-equipped with information and sufficient tools for consulting tinnitus patients to the highest possible standards. We have conducted focus groups with audiologists and student audiologists and are working in conjunction with course leaders on audiology courses across the country. We are also targeting audiology trade media with articles and tinnitus-related content in order to promote best practice.

A further initiative is our new Tackling Tinnitus campaign which sets out to highlight that tinnitus will be ‘tackled’ through the development of a cure.

David Stockdale, CEO of the British Tinnitus Association, said: “Clinical research will help to build on existing knowledge about the condition. The BTA is committed to funding researchers and health professionals working in the tinnitus field and welcomes applications for funding tinnitus research. We are actively supporting several major projects currently and would be keen to hear from anyone who may be interested in getting involved.”

For professionals, the BTA organises internationally-recognised Tinnitus Adviser Training events, an Annual Conference and a Tinnitus: Learning to Cope weekend. It also publishes articles within its in-house magazine, Quiet and has dedicated free information for professionals and students at www.tinnitus.org.uk outlining the latest research updates and tinnitus news. The Marie & Jack Shapiro Prize is also awarded by the BTA each year for the published research paper by a UK based author most likely to result in improved treatment or public awareness of tinnitus.

We are recently recognised for our trustworthy, reliable and evidence-based healthcare information about tinnitus and have achieved the Department of Health’s Information Standard. The use of The Information Standard quality mark and the official recognition gives us further credibility and reassurance for those who use our services.

If you are a health professional who would be interested in working with the BTA please contact David Stockdale, the charity’s CEO on 0114 250 9933 or email david@tinnitus.org.uk.