hearing aids,

[alfred]

Recently during a conversation the subject of the cost of replacement hearing aids came up and n one knew the answer as there are apart from the N.H.S many suppliers of hearing aids , so does any one know what the N.H.S. charge
as the prices shown are for  each  hearing aid and not a pair, 

[klondike]

I thought NHS hearing aids were free. Certainly fancy digital aids bought privately are likely to be 4 figure sums per aid.

I find it handy to be able to cock a deaf 'un at times. 

[-Oy-]

Before the NHS aids were digital I had private ones. The last ones I had, over 10 years ago, were about £3k - each. Now that the NHS are digital - they are free. Alas the maintenance service etc, like a lot of the NHS, has gone down the nick and I'm about 3 years late for new ones.  

[Dayjo]

I wear a pair of h-aids, due to industrial hearing damage.
 Ever since they told me, I would have new ones every 3 years. I have rung the Audiology Dept and made an appointment.
 Never had a problem! 

[klondike]

Those digital aids can be, and I think need, retuning. Do the NHS do that during the 3 year period or is it just a re-evaluation and new aids tuned up for that every 3 years?

I do get difficulty following some film soundtracks but put that down to 7 or more track streams being merged down to stereo and the central audio tracks suffering in the process but as I also get the typical older persons problem of being unable to hold a conversation amidst external noise (the conversation in a crowded bar thing) I wonder if I should not maybe get my hearing checked out.

[Michael Rolls]

Can't hurt. My hearing is poor - have had hearing aids, but despite the clinic's best efforts to tune them, they just don't help, so I have given up on them
Mike

[GrannyMac]

I have NHS digital hearing aids. I'm quite selective about wearing them. Definitely for TV, where I often use subtitles too, and if I'm in any sort of meeting.  They don't help me when there's lots of background noise such as in a busy pub.

Its been more difficult however to contact the dept through, and since lockdown. No direct number, everything goes through one main number,into a queueing system.
I've had my aids adjusted recently, at the audiology department, along with new earmoulds.

[klondike]

I wonder if it's worth taking one of those free Boots or SpecSavers hearing tests. Doubtless they try to flog something but there is  no obligation to buy and if they say there is something out of kilter time to ask for an NHS check.

I was in a church yesterday for a christening and before kick off there was a bit of a hubub and I had trouble holding a conversation just across one row of pews.

[-Oy-]

I'm stone deaf without mine and only have about 60% with them so not much option there. Hereditary otosclerosis plus nerve damage from years of boxing and martial arts. 

It's frustrating at times when someone talking to me turns away so I can't lip read.

It is nice in a noisy coffee shop to be able to turn them off and read my book  

[Alex]

I don't have any trouble with my hearing, but not everybody knows that   

[zoony]

I had a mother who 'suffered' from selective/elective deafness though it never interfered with her ability to stir trouble..

[Scrumpy]

I don't miss anything that I want to hear..

[klondike]

I remembered we that discussed this before so I'm reopening it rather than starting a fresh thread.

As I mentioned I do have some hearing issues and have decided to look at getting my hearing checked. I've tried online hearing tests (Boots/Specsavers seem to be the same test and an RNID test) they all say I need to get a proper check.

Has anybody recently managed to get an NHS hearing test. I'm assuming I need to go through the GP which will certainly test my patience if not my hearing. I see little point taking a Boots or Specsavers test as I assume to get NHS aids I'd need an NHS test anyway. 

On the principlal I paid my taxes for over 40 years and somebody rocking up in a dinghy would get NHS hearing aids free if they were needed I won't pay for mine.

[Countryman]

Free hearing tests are available in many outlets. Here is one:

https://www.hiddenhearing.co.uk/

[klondike]

But only NHS aids come free. You have to pay for commercial aids and they don't come free. If you take one of those teats and it says you need a hearing aid which is what I would fully expect you'd still need an NHS test before you can have NHS aids. I see no point wasting my time on a non NHS test when I have no intention of buying hearing aids at a cost of several thousand an ear when I've paid several hundred thousand in taxes over the years which, amongst other things, is supposed to provide me with a free at point of use health service that currently provides free hearing aids.