Annual report 2015-16 Annual report 2015-16 | Page 31

actiononhearingloss.org.uk 31 Finally, we’ll do more to increase people’s awareness of our biomedical research. We’ll capitalise on people’s interest to support our fundraising efforts. We expect to launch a major fundraising appeal and publish more-engaging content on our website. Equality A key highlight this year will be implementing the Accessible Information Standard that, since late summer, has committed the NHS, across the UK, to learn about and accommodate the communication needs of patients. We’ll be working to make sure that people confronting deafness and hearing loss take full advantage of this welcome development. In parallel, we’ll continue our work to empower people, so that they have better access to key areas of life, including employment. We’ll make them aware of their rights – and help them access these rights – and help providers make the changes needed. We’ll also publish groundbreaking academic research into what really works, when you’re encouraging people to take action on their hearing loss. We’ll then design and pilot practical interventions. To achieve these aims, we’ll: • Continue to grow our fundraising, inspire more people to care about hearing loss – and do something about it – and use our new database to improve our relationships with, and service to, supporters. • Provide the highly effective products and services that directly and indirectly improve the lives of people confronting deafness, tinnitus and hearing loss. • Build on improvements to our systems and processes, particularly in Finance and Human Resources, and continue to operate the safe and secure legal, operational and financial infrastructure that’s so essential. • Make sure the organisation is financially healthy and sustainable so that we can deliver what we promise.