Anyone got NHS hearing aids?

Oticon Spirit Synergy is the type issued by the Buckinghamshire NHS Trust. I am far from the first flush of youth and there was no question of being too old for a small type. The picture is not me!

Hi all, I am new to this forum and joined to see what others think of hearing aids. I am 65 years old and been slowly going deaf over a number of years. I finally took the plunge to have a hearing test at the hospital after being nagged by the boss and today took receipt of my NHS hearing aids to fit myself. So far so good, they are small and barely visible, easy to fit, comfortable and at the moment seem to be working well. I am hearing stuff that I haven't heard for years. Can anyone tell me what the program switch is for, it doesn't seem to do anything when pressed apart from give me a short audible bleep. My explanation booklet doesn't indicate any additional programs.

Another fan of NHS hearing aids here. DH and I have recently had them supplied by Specsavers after being given a referral from our GP. Over the last couple of years we've had a free short hearing test at Boots but they only supply aids privately. The Audiologist at Specsavers was excellent, performed a thorough test and fitted the aids there and then. There was no hard sell of private ones, she showed me the list of private aids and prices and said not to consider the cheapest as the NHS ones were as good. She suggested I try the NHS ones first and see how I got on - good advice as they are fine. No cost at all, batteries are free as are new wires and any adjustments that are needed. Two weeks after the aids were fitted we even had phone calls to check how we were getting on with them.
They're very small and being skin coloured are hardly noticeable. In contrast a friend paid £2000 plus for his and doesn't wear them as being shiny, silver metal he feels they're too noticeable. His wife is not impressed with this excuse!

I have been using NHS hearing aids for many years. They have got smaller and smaller. The current ones I have (no flowers painted on) but similar. Nobody knows I am wearing them. They are serviced (new tubes) regularly at my local Audiology Centre. Indeed, it was whilst I was doing this with my last ones, that they told me they needed to provide me with these newer, smaller ones. I get my batteries from a local clinic, Do go through these quite a lot as I need both aids in all day,
Hearing aids do need slow getting used to. When they are first used, everything sounds so very loud, you hear rustling of paper, footsteps, etc so very very loud.
It is important to persevere, by wearing them for an hour or two fir the first few days, then an for 3 or 4 hours for the next few and so on.
Even getting new aids, means that your brain has to sort them out and that can take up to a fortnight.
BUT so worth persevering and being able to be part of normal society again.
Would also say that one of my SiL's has a very bad skin problem and could not wear these 'behind the ear' aids, so the NHS made special 'in-ear' ones for him.
The NHS provides a wonderful, first-class service with audiology, such a pity it is not the same for dental and optical treatment.
If people feel that they need to pay (and can afford to do so) for these), - probably be similar to what NHS offer - then they should do so and leave these free-at-the-point of need service for those of us who really require it.

I went to Boots for a free hearing test which was very thorough and they gave me aids to try just walking around the street. I actually couldn't stand all the people talking on their phones and the annoying piped music! I then found out they did not do NHS and they would have cost about £800 each. I then had to go to Specsavers who had the NHS contract. A less thorough test but the same result. I now have free hearing aids and batteries. However I am very naughty and don't wear them much because I find the noise of the heating, fridge, dripping taps etc unbearable (and especially the sound of DS munching, smacking his lips and rustling crisp packets!!) I have also started to hate the background droning and 2 or 3 note plinking which seems to be on most TV and radio programmes these days. Honestly I tried and tried to overcome this but have failed miserably so I am very glad I could not afford to pay for them!

A cat and hearing aid story. A friend was visiting and very pleased with her new and very expensive blue tooth hearing aids. Unbeknown to us she put them on to charge on an extension plug in the living room. You guessed it. During the night the cat found the little wire to be irresistible. Next day one hearing aid was missing. I was mortified. We searched all over but could not find it. After they left, I gave the living room a good going over. Of course, it was behind the very heavy oak desk that rarely gets moved for cleaning. Still works fine apparently, thank goodness.

I splashed out a few years ago on private ones which were ok but the aftercare service was abysmal -non existant in fact. I now get them from SS on the NHS and they are fine, discreet - and free! Also as others have said, batteries etc are also free and the service is very good.

NHS hearing aids are fantastic. Don't waste your money with private. My friend tried Boots on free trial but sent them back as not as good as NHS. They were asking £2000!

All price and details belows if not try amplifon x

www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/kirkby-hearing

Got my hearing aids from specsavers on the NHS. Could not afford to spend 2000 on the top specification. Ive had them 2 years now no problems with them even free battaries from them just this week, if your ever in liverpool try the kirkby hearing centre. They are fantastic even done my eye test for free. Kirkby Shopping Centre, 21 St Chad's Parade, Liverpool L32 8R

I can remember my wee DD, who wore glasses from age 1, being teased about them. We made a decision that however broke we might be we would always get her the glasses of her choice. She now wears her glasses with pride.

DGS2 is deaf in one ear and has always been given a hearing aid on the NHS. But now he is 11, and at secondary school,he thinks they are too conspicuous and likely to lead to his being taunted by he peers (brats!). He is refusing to wear it and has asked for an invisible aid which will cost a fortune, but his dad is making inquiries. Wonder if private health insurance will be any use!

Our NHS trust uses a private company to provide several services such as hearing, physio, scans, minor surgery etc in local GP clinics or village halls. Certainly very convenient and wait times are usually just a week or two. The physio I am booked for Monday is in a reasonably local medical centre.

Gosh WB that is a very good service I will look into what's available in my area thanks for info

The company our NHS trust uses, has local clinics every month. I can get batteries, tubes, domes etc in the village once a month.

I have often gone back for consultations to the shop and they do a bit of fiddling with my aid but have only got 2 years left before I will no longer be under guarantee, also you have to pay for batteries domes ect quiet costly in the long run ..... maybe I should go back to dr for advice on more update aids on NH

Things have changed a lot in three years, mine never whistle.

LG, if your hair is long enough to cover your ears, no one would know you were wearing the NHS aids.

I was given NH aids 3 Years ago they were so big and I only have small ears so unpleasant to wear also I wear glasses. I went and spent £2000 on high street made ones smaller and less noticeable but still have problems with noise and whistling but I suppose nothing is going to be perfect. Would never pay that much again but I was living in hope of being able to hear and start enjoying social events and not feeling isolated because of deafness

!!!

Hairy nipples ???

Thanks for all the advice - yes I do have a bit more hair - basically nipple length!

My NHS ones have 3 settings, all round mic, forward facing, mic and loop. Oh yes and off, very handy at times

I am a retired audiologist and chose to have an NHS hearing aid.It is quite small and unobtrusive and has a forward facing microphone.I find it very good for everyday life in fact so good I forget I am wearing it.Try the NHS aid if you cannot get on with it you have lost nothing.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201611/medium-94910-ear1.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201611/medium-881337-ear2.jpg

LG These are how my NHS ones look, and I guess you may have a little more hair to hide them than me.