Deafness Research UK urges action to avoid NHS hearing aid delays

2 February 2005

With England's roll-out of digital hearing aids on the NHS on track for completion in spring, medical charity Deafness Research UK is urging people to get on the waiting list as soon as possible.

In some areas, waiting times for digital hearing aids are very long, and Deafness Research UK, the UK's medical charity for deaf and hard of hearing people, says people should visit their GP as soon as they become aware that their hearing might be getting worse.

"Hearing loss is extremely isolating because of the communication barriers it creates between the sufferer and the outside world, particularly family and friends," says Deafness Research UK Chief Executive Vivienne Michael.

"It's a fact of life that, for many people, hearing deteriorates as they get older and hearing loss is the most common disability among people over 60.

"Unfortunately, too many people don't want to admit that their hearing is not as good as it once was and put off going see their GP."

To encourage people to get their hearing tested and get the best performance from their hearing aid, Deafness Research UK has a range of free information available, created with input from some of the UK's leading hearing aid researchers and audiologists.

Research has shown that people who get a hearing aid while their hearing loss is still mild adjust better to using one than those who leave it until their hearing has deteriorated significantly.

By following Deafness Research UK' guidelines, patients will get much more from their hearing aid, and will therefore be more inclined to wear it, Ms Michael says.

For free information about hearing aids, or any other aspect of hearing impairment, contact the Deafness Research UK Information Service at email , freephone 0808 808 2222 (Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.30pm) and textphone (020 7915 1412.

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