Anybody using NHS hearing aid?

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  • margaretclare
    margaretclare Posts: 10,789 Forumite
    DH gave up on NHS hearing aids after several clinic visits and no improvement. He went to Amplifon https://www.amplifon.com


    He's now much happier with the aids he has.
    [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Æ[/FONT]r ic wisdom funde, [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]æ[/FONT]r wear[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]ð[/FONT] ic eald.
    Before I found wisdom, I became old.
  • pollypenny
    pollypenny Posts: 29,392
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    DH gave up on NHS hearing aids after several clinic visits and no improvement. He went to Amplifon https://www.amplifon.com


    He's now much happier with the aids he has.



    I was thinking about you, MC, as I haven't seen you post for a good while. How are you doing? :)
    Member #14 of SKI-ers club

    Words, words, they're all we have to go by!.

    (Pity they are mangled by this autocorrect!)
  • Hi Polly Penny
    Interested that you have been supplied smaller Nhs hearing aids !
    Can I ask a few questions ?
    1. Are they behind the ear
    2. Are they the same as private hearing aids ie - Micro
    3. Do you have a mould or ear bud ? :)
  • pollypenny
    pollypenny Posts: 29,392
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    Hi Polly Penny
    Interested that you have been supplied smaller Nhs hearing aids !
    Can I ask a few questions ?
    1. Are they behind the ear
    2. Are they the same as private hearing aids ie - Micro
    3. Do you have a mould or ear bud ? :)



    Yes, on top rather than behind the ear. I was wearing it too far back.

    It looks the same size as one worn by a friend who went privately.

    I have a mould.

    I'm in North East Wales, so Betsi Cadwaladr, I had a battle to get the smaller one. My friend who moved to Bangor was given the small one immediately.

    Where are you?
    Member #14 of SKI-ers club

    Words, words, they're all we have to go by!.

    (Pity they are mangled by this autocorrect!)
  • Hi Pollypenny
    I live down in South Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 near Newport (Aneurin Bevan Health Board)
    I have a bte hearing aid with a mold, the mold has gone a dirty orange colour and they wouldn’t change it at my last visit which did upset me as I’m quite conscious of it. I’m struggling to hear in social surroundings so I need to do something about it.
    Looking at the Nhs hearing aids online I notice some have a very thin tube leading to a small bud which are very similar to private ones.
    Think I’ll make an appointment to see what they say (fingers crossed) and get mold changed.
  • pollypenny
    pollypenny Posts: 29,392
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    WL, I had to nag for the smaller one.
    Member #14 of SKI-ers club

    Words, words, they're all we have to go by!.

    (Pity they are mangled by this autocorrect!)
  • Savvy_Sue
    Savvy_Sue Posts: 45,936
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    the mold has gone a dirty orange colour
    See below 're the buds but I've got a sparkly pink mould (other colours are available!) And I'm a great believer in making my aid visible, although no-one ever seems to.
    Looking at the Nhs hearing aids online I notice some have a very thin tube leading to a small bud which are very similar to private ones.
    Think I’ll make an appointment to see what they say (fingers crossed) and get mold changed.

    The buds are not suitable for profound loss, only mild to moderate. But I'd have thought services would be very ready to use them as they must work out cheaper than the moulds.
    Signature removed for peace of mind
  • Hi Savy Sue


    My NHS audiogist in NW Kent has fitted giant eartips which have to be programmed by her to my hearing (she said? ) The theory was this would improve things as I was having trouble with TV/phone, everything.
    They have to be pushed in very hard and I hate them, in fact the right ear won't take it as my ear canal is too small.
    I've tried to get an appointment to get them out but I am only allowed 1 appointment every 6 months
    .
    I was interested to see from this forum that you need to have the correct tube length to fit each person, I believe mine are too long but we don't have the benefit of a local Drop-in Centre.


    I have been looking online at RIC and ITC aids with pros/cons and I may see what named brands my local Specsavers have to offer.
    It seems that Boots hearing is owned by one of the brands so thats out!


    Has anyone found this type of hearing aid successful? Of course they probably cost a small fortune but I have to do something soon.
  • Savvy_Sue
    Savvy_Sue Posts: 45,936
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    cairndog wrote: »
    My NHS audiogist in NW Kent has fitted giant eartips which have to be programmed by her to my hearing (she said? )
    When I had the 'off-the-shelf' tips, I was told that some tweaking might be needed if I changed from the large mushrooms to the smaller ones, although I was also sent away with a couple of different ones to try, so not sure how much it matters, probably more with some kinds of hearing loss than others.
    cairndog wrote: »
    The theory was this would improve things as I was having trouble with TV/phone, everything.
    They have to be pushed in very hard and I hate them, in fact the right ear won't take it as my ear canal is too small.
    I've tried to get an appointment to get them out but I am only allowed 1 appointment every 6 months
    Surely they do a follow up when something new is fitted? (Which reminds me my follow up from last time never arrived ...) I think this is something you might take up with PALS because it does seem very poor.
    cairndog wrote: »
    Has anyone found this type of hearing aid successful? Of course they probably cost a small fortune but I have to do something soon.
    Well, DH has only ever had the 'off-the-shelf' mushroom moulds, and he gets on perfectly well with them!
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  • My mother has been told it’s unlikely she will get on with the smaller ‘anchor’ or ‘umbrella’ hearing aid because she has ‘moderate’ hearing loss. Which hearing aids are available for ‘moderate’ hearing loss?

    My mother had hearing aids (full ear ones) fitted last year at the local hospital which is about half an hour’s drive away - but she was not given an automatic follow up appointment. She absolutely hated them and when I looked at her ears, they were obviously red. She really didn’t want to wear them so left them out. Then I saw in the supermarket that there was going to be a session held by a county-wide hard of hearing organisation for free at the local hospital and I took my Mum to it. There we learnt sooo much and were told privately that the moulds from the factories often are too big and need filing down. We were never told that the hearing aids could be filed down. We were also told you can put a dab of Vaseline on the hearing aids. We’be been back and forth 3 or 4 times and my Mum is now managing to wear them and persevering but it isn’t easy.

    As has been said, hearing aids do often take a bit of getting used to. Our normal hearing is analogue and hearing aids are now digital. Digital should cut out some background noise but it’s not as ‘warm’ a sound as analogue.

    We’ve also learnt the hospital is supposed to take over earwax management. But in a separate appointment from the hearing aid appointment. If patients need more batteries, they either have to go to the hospital (for us half an hour’s drive away) or send a stamped addressed envelope.

    There are no local support groups or pick up points. We are on the outskirts of London.

    We are meeting more and more elderly people or relatives of elderly people who say the hearing aids hurt and are put away in a drawer. It is a known problem but the reasons given for it are not the ones we have encountered. In reality, the hearing aids are often too big and need filing down and need several hospital appointments. This means the person has to know about the filing down and also needs transport. There are no nearby support groups and pick up points for batteries. The ear wax situation was also never explained and patients are expected to go for earwax removal and hearing aid appointments are at different times/days. There are several GP surgeries but they obviously don’t liaise over this. Patients are expected to have transport or a supply of envelopes and stamps and be able to get the envelopes to a post box.

    If this is typical, the NHS is churning out hearing aids which are often not then used. And if relatives are concerned but unable to spend time on their relatives but wanting to help , the neighbourhood service are the hearing aid shops not the NHS - if people pay.
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