Why are we doing this?

The need for support and training for GPs dealing with tinnitus patients is becoming ever more apparent. As a national charity, the BTA continues to get many calls where we are told “my GP told me to go away and learn to live with it” or “my GP told me there was nothing that could be done.”

We know that when patients do get to see the right person within a tinnitus clinic at a local hospital, the support and advice they are given can really help. It’s the time in between, when a patient is waiting for a referral, or having to fight to get one, that they usually feel most alone and vulnerable, searching the internet and reading stories which are more likely to harm than do good. We want to change this - we know that GPs are well intentioned, but clearly need support and guidance when dealing with people who have tinnitus as the evidence below shows.

During 2010, researchers conducted a survey¹ within primary care. A nine item postal questionnaire was sent out to 2000 GPs randomly selected throughout the England. The aim was to evaluate how people with tinnitus are assessed and managed in general practice across the 10 strategic health authorities (SHA) in England. 368 responses were received. The results showed the following details:

• 750,000 tinnitus consultations with a GP in England in a year

• 28% GPs said that tinnitus sufficiently impacted their practice to warrant dedicated training

• 76% reported that they did seek information on tinnitus

Conclusions suggest that GP assessment and management of tinnitus varies dramatically. Some GPs highlighted little demand for tinnitus management within their practice, whilst many others expressed an urgent need for specific and concise GP training on tinnitus management.

The Provision of Services for Adults with Tinnitus: A Good Practice Guide (GPG) (2009) states that “There is considerable scope for the greater involvement of primary care in the management of patients with tinnitus, but most GPs and their colleagues in primary care may need a specific programme of updating, education and training”. In the survey above, only 51 (14%) reported referring to the GPG and this was generally by those who had an interest in ENT.

 

¹El-Shunnar SK, Hoare DJ, Smith S, Gander PE, Kang S, Fackrell K, and Hall DA (2011) ‘Primary care for tinnitus: practice and opinion among GPs in England’ Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, May 2011