Hearing aids need one!

Not available in our area either, DH had to wait 8 months on NHS, but got them eventually.

I live in Oxfordshire. We have a self referral system.
Free NHS Audiology Service - refer yourself - No GP needed.
I suggest people try the above. Most NHS hearing aids are now synced with Bluetooth the same as private.

There are 24 areas registered as being able to use Specsavers. They have a postcode checker to see if you can have nhs aid supplied by them.

Not all areas are able to use Specsavers unfortunately. It depends on your health authority and mine doesnt support it. The wait to be seen is months if you have an issue - used to be able to pop in to local Infirmary for “tweeking” or new batteries alas no longer.

I only waited 3 weeks from visiting my Dr to my hospital appointment. I then waited a further 5 weeks to have them fitted.
Of course it’ll depend on where you live. I’m in Yorkshire. Specsavers no longer supply NHS hearing aids where I live. I would ring up the dept and ask how long it’s likely to be first. Good luck.

It may depend on why you have been referred to ENT. If further investigations are needed to check on the cause of the hearing loss then these may need to be done before you get to Audiology appointment. Check with your GP what the exact position is.

The NHS aids are very good these days mine are linked to a phone app, so I can vary the volume, pitch and direction of the sound on the phone.
Streets ahead of the old style aids

I use Specsavers all you need is a GP referral if you’re over the age forget private,

Luckygirl3

Ask for referral to Specsavers - they are agents for NHS in most towns and you can get free aids there very quickly. Mine were 10 days from visit to GP to aids in ears.

Gosh.
Someone I know was more like 6 months, with an added appointment to the hospital audiology in between.

I've discussed this before on here. I too have NHS hearing aids and I'm still unsure if private ones are any different as I sometimes think my hearing isn't as good as it could be but unsure if it's the actual aids I have. NHS assure me that going private makes no difference - it's the same aids they offer. Yes you still get 1/3 off ay rail travel for you and a partner.

Just remember that you get discounted rail travel if you have a hearing aid ( at least you used to; assume that hasn’t changed). I was borderline when I had a hearing test but stupidly decided not to bother with one ( I was just going to go with the NHS one) which I regret now.

Sallywally if you ask your GP for a referral letter for Specsavers you can get NHS ones for free including batteries ,cleaning and repair . And they have different ones to choose from and they are nice. Luckily I didn't need them but they give you a thorough test . NHS hearing aids are like private ones but not the whole range but why pay for something you can get for free.

I'm on the cusp of needing hearing aids according to the audiologist who did a test earlier this year. I'll get the best I can afford as good hearing is so important IMO but I understand that the NHS ones are pretty good these days.

Mine I paid for at Specsavers and they were a fiver under £2K about 3 months ago. My friend paid around £5K for hers about 3 years ago. I do not know where but not Specsavers.

At Specsavers, same as NHS, one can get anything changed within 4 years. I have been back at least 10 times within the last 3 months.

DH had NHS ones originally. He had to have moulded ones as his hearing was quite bad, they made his ears hot and sweaty in the summer.

He then had the private ones which were much neater and more comfortable.

Yes, expensive, but we felt it was money well spent. If we couldn’t have afforded them, he would have had to put up with the NHS ones, but we could and I now think about many things, ‘well, you can’t take it with you”.

2000 bit to expensive! I would go nhs but just have not heard from clinic yet and hearing test was ages ago.

Ask for referral to Specsavers - they are agents for NHS in most towns and you can get free aids there very quickly. Mine were 10 days from visit to GP to aids in ears.

What do you consider a ‘reasonable’ price?

DH’s private ones from Specsavers, nearly 2 years ago, were just under £2000 for the pair.

Nhs hearing aids for our family. Dh 2x dd and me.