Help for Hearing Impairment

**woody123**

Hi all,

I'm looking for information on nhs waiting times for a hearing aid.

I visited the ENT centre earlier and i had wax cleared from my ear, and then a hearing test.

After this, I saw the doctor and he confirmed that I had severe hearing loss in my right ear and would need a hearing aid. The hearing loss is due to my Eustachian tubes not functioning correctly due to having a Cleft Palate.

Surgery was mentioned, something about large grommet like tubes inserted into my ear, but I chose to have a hearing aid for now.

I am currently awaiting an appointment to have a mould taken of my ear. How long after this can I expect my hearing aid to be fitted?

Do I pay anything towards the cost of a hearing aid like glasses on the nhs, or are they completely free?

Thanks

Errata

How long you wait is very much dependant on which Hospital Trust is treating you, so it's pretty much impossible to give you an accurate answer, and YES - the hearing aids are totally free, as are the batteries.

amibovvered

I'd like to listen to music on my laptop (don't have a CD player) but I don't have speakers other than the built-in one which I can't hear. I'd prefer headphones (well, I expect my neighbours would, anyway!)

It's years since I bought any headphones and I seem to recall they weren't really loud enough. Is there any way of gauging what 'strength' of headphones I require based on my most recent audiology chart? And then how do I find out which headphones to buy? I've occasionally seen 'nn dB' on the packaging but not always.

I do want headphones rather than ear phones, hate to have anything in my ears.

I've looked on Action on Hearing Loss website and Connevans, they have headphones for listening to TV that I think would mostly connect to a laptop but they are rather expensive and I still don't know if they'd be loud enough.

TIA

**woody123**

Errata wrote: »

How long you wait is very much dependant on which Hospital Trust is treating you, so it's pretty much impossible to give you an accurate answer, and YES - the hearing aids are totally free, as are the batteries.

Thanks Errata,

It's the Dudley group of hospitals by the way.. after a bit searching I've read it's approx a 3 month wait, but that was written last year..

Savvy_Sue

amibovvered wrote: »

I've looked on Action on Hearing Loss website and Connevans, they have headphones for listening to TV that I think would mostly connect to a laptop but they are rather expensive and I still don't know if they'd be loud enough.

You'll certainly find with AHL and probably Connevans too that if something doesn't 'work' for you, you can return it for a full refund.

Hear-Hear

**woody123** wrote: »

It's the Dudley group of hospitals by the way.. after a bit searching I've read it's approx a 3 month wait, but that was written last year..

You are fortunate if you live in the Dudley CCG area. You have the choice under AQP of where to be fitted with NHS-funded hearing aids. The 'Qualified Providers' for Dudley CCG, from which you may choose, are:-

1) Complete Price Eye Wear
2) David Omrod
3) Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust
4) Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust
5) In Health
6) Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
7) Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Tryst
8) Scrivens
9) South Warwickshire NHS Trust
10) Specsavers
11) Walsall Health Care
12) Worcestershire NHS Trust

Most of these Providers are able to offer waiting times from referral-to-fitting of considerably less than 3 months.

summerof0763

I was at pri yesterday got a completely different person who gave me a hearing test I am profoundly deaf and have lost a bit more hearing so not got much left, she was surprised I was wearing two different makes of hearing aids, I told her one broke in july and that was all they had for me, she going to find out who I saw then as she says I should never have been left with two hearing aids I wasnt hearing properly with.
So she has taken new mould imppresskions and she has ordered new hearing aids that are being trialled and she thinks they will be better for me, she has prioritised the moulds and am back on 19th dec so am hoping I can hear better x

Tigsteroonie

Surprised nobody has posted about disturbing development in Devon:

More NHS cuts means deaf people will only get one hearing aid instead of two

Errata

NHS patients in Devon who are deaf or suffer from hearing loss will only be allowed one hearing aid instead of two because the local NHS group has decided second hearing aids are not cost effective enough.

I suppose what they're trying to say is when both aids cost the same, one may lead to a 60% improvement in overall hearing but the second would only increase that improvement by a further 10%.
But ....... I'd love to read the CCG's methodology supporting the decision.

Savvy_Sue

Any opinions on the Phonak Lyric? I'm going for a (private) assessment with a view to a trial, the cost will probably make me go :eek: but my hearing's only going one way ...