Hearing aid lists now out to 30 months

31/12/2007

Hearing aid waiting times of up to two and a half years have been revealed by charity RNID in the most comprehensive and up to date survey on the topic.

The charity, which represents the UK's 9 million deaf and hard of hearing people, wrote to every primary care trust (PCT) in England to get the shocking snapshot.
 
In Kingston, new patients can expect to wait 125 weeks after seeing their GP before getting their hearing aid. There are waits of over one year in nine other PCTs - Suffolk (78 weeks), Gloucestershire (72), Tyne and Wear: Washington Health Centre (68), Ealing (67), Havering (64), Tyne & Wear: Sunderland Royal Hospital (62), Shepway (58), Mid Essex (56) and South Tees (54).
 
RNID is calling on the Government to take hearing loss seriously and put pressure on local health bosses to bring waiting times down to 18 weeks, to avoid condemning thousands to isolation, depression and exclusion from work and social activity.
 
The research - obtained using freedom of information requests - also found that 39 per cent of new patients in England wait for more than a year to get their hearing aids.

RNID Director of Communications Brian Lamb said: "If you struggle to pick up every word, hearing aids are a lifeline to work, friends and family.

“Despite Government assurances, an 18 week target is a distant dream for thousands of people waiting over a year for their first hearing aid, who are battling isolation and depression because of their hearing loss.

“RNID wants the Government to do more to end this scandal, by putting pressure on local health chiefs to take hearing health seriously and bring down waiting times.

"If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s hearing, call RNID’s confidential telephone hearing check on 0845 600 5555.”