Anyone who has NHS hearing aids can I ask you some questions please?

[Ecruelworld]

I’ve been told I’ve got mild hearing loss by an audiologist at Specsavers. I was told the same thing two years ago at Boots. The lady today said it’s easier to get used to wearing aids if you start when the loss is mild.

I want to try NHS aids and see if I can get on ok with them rather than going straight for private ones which by the look of their leaflet will be £1,350+ for anything half decent.

If you wear NHS aids are you happy with them? Are they easy to adjust in different settings. Do they filter out unwanted background noise at all? If you have had NHS ones but then gone for private ones is there a big difference in quality? I have to get a referral from my GP for Specsavers to prescribe NHS ones so I thought I’d use the waiting time to do a bit of research. TIA

My father is a long term hearing aid wearer. He had been happy with the NHS ones when his hearing loss was mild but as his hearing deteriorated he ended up going private and found a significant difference in quality. Good luck!

Holly. Thanks for that. My DF only ever wore NHS ones. He had moderate to severe loss and always hated his aids as he said they didn’t filter out background noise. It’s 12 years since he died so I’m guessing technology will have moved on a lot since then.

I have moderate hearing loss. NHS hearing aids from specsavers for 4 years. They have transformed my life. I can socialise now where as before I couldn’t hear in a bar or restaurant. I’m more confident at work.
Specsavers recommended an app for my phone Which helps adjust the volume and fine tune for speech clarity or background noise reduction
My hair covers my ears so no one even knows they are there

I had NHS aids from audiology at hospital. This was for moderate to severe loss in one ear. It was brilliant! I've stopped wearing it now but I'll be going back to the NHS at some point to be reassessed as I really do need it

My Ds wears hearing aids and they really are great on the NHS, however technology is always improving. Try the NHS first they are great, see how you get on. It's all about personal choice but you have the right to use the NHS as it's free, bit obviously if you chose to go private you will get the best, at a price of course. There is nothing wrong with NHS but they are a little behind with updates. Hearing loss is always underestimated so go with what is comfortable for you . If you can afford private you may get the better tech. Good luck xxx

I wear aids. I'm 37. I started to lose my hearing in my late teens but refused to use aids until a few years ago. My hearing is so bad now I need them or I can't hear.

It took awhile getting used to, mine have and do get upgraded frequently to be the most appropriate for my loss.

I’ve had both private and NHS and have severe hearing loss.

I much prefer the private ones as they are tailored to me, my lifestyle, how I might want to use them and more importantly, my hearing loss, and are much more comfortable. I don’t get half as much ear pain with my private aids than I did with NHS ones.

Does anyone have experience of getting aids through insurance?

Can anyone get NHS hearing aids from Specsavers or do you need some kind of referral? Roughly how much do they cost?

Thanks so much everyone. It seems as if there’s a good chance that the NHS ones could be ok so I’ll definitely give them a go first. The main problem I’ve and over the last 5 years is hearing in a busy indoor place like restaurants, stations, shops or where there are a more than a couple of people all talking. It’s not been a problem over lockdown but today was the first time I went into the city centre since the first lockdown and with all the mask wearing I had a really hard time hearing the cashiers and assistants in shops.

Specsavers audiologist here. Specsavers branches are all franchised, and not all offer NHS hearing services. Some will be contracted as an AQP branch by the local CCG. In our branch, you can self refer for NHS aids as long as you’re over 50. Alternatively, your GP can book you in directly. As I said though, not all areas have given the NHS contract to other providers, so you might have to go via a hospital if you’re not in catchment (goes on GP surgery location) of a Specsavers providing NHS hearing services.

WildWest. The audiologist asked me to get a referral from my GP. She said to tell them I’d been diagnosed with mild hearing loss and to tell them I want to try NHS aids and once I have a referral I can make an appointment with Specsavers to be re-tested and fitted for aids. The NHS ones are free. The private ones start at about £400 in Specsavers and go up to around £2,950.

TheOnlyWayIsGerard. Yes the audiologist asked where I lived and which GP practice I go to. Is it correct that it’s easier to get used to aids while the hearing loss is mild?

I had a GP referral. Hearing test at Specsavers . Walked out within the hour with hearing aids at no cost.
I could not believe how much I could hear immediately. I call in for free replacement batteries
I should have got this sorted 20 years sooner

Yes it is. With a mild prescription, the amplification inputted into the aids obviously isn’t as high as with a more severe loss, so the difference when first fitted will not be as stark. It is also likely that those with a more severe loss will need a mould as opposed to a slim tube and dome. The mould blocks up the ear, and allows very little natural sound in. It can be quite difficult for first time users to get used to the ‘occlusion effect’, or the amplified sound of their own voice which is a natural consequence of blocking the ear up completely.

Thanks for explaining that Gerard I’m definitely going to get some. My DF and DGF and one of my DBs had/have moderate hearing loss and it looks as if I’m going the same way. I also had a perforated eardrum in my 30s and loads of bad infections as a kid which probably haven’t helped either. If I can hear in restaurants and busy/echoey places that would be great. I’d stopped going out to eat with groups of friends as I couldn’t hear anyone apart from the person immediately next to me on one side.

Re. Private vs. NHS, the main differences are improved performance in groups and background noise and connectivity. And performance in more complex environments. The tweaks and adjustments that can be done on private aids are much more varied. Frequencies can be adjusted to allow for better music listening. Programmes can be added to reduce reverberation for those who attend museums/churches etc.

As a rough rule of thumb, the NHS aids are about equivalent to the £895 aids, so those above that price point would perform better. For performance in background noise and bigger groups, the 1395 range and above would be recommended. Mobile connectivity is available from 895 (behind the ear/RIC only) and above. It is also now possible to have in-the-ear aids that stream phone calls/music/podcasts from your phone/tablet, but RICs (receiver in canal) are the best performing for streaming. Rechargeable aids are available on some behind the ear and RIC models.

I think you’ll be surprised at the difference they make @Ecruelworld. Has the perforation healed? Many of our patients wish they had got them earlier. Background noise and groups are tricky, even for those with mild losses. Masks make things worse. None of us realise just how much we rely on lip reading and facial clues to gather the gist of conversation if we’re struggling to hear them in busy places. More people are noticing difficulties now. Masks also muffle voices and many people with a mild loss report and issue with clarity more than volume, which obviously isn’t helped by masks. There are also accessories available that work with NHS aids, if you didn’t want to invest fully in private aids. TV connectors, phone connectors and remote mics can help.

That’s so helpful Gerard . Thanks for this. So if my main difficulty is in groups of people is there much point trying the NHS ones ?

I have the slim tube and dome arrangement through the NHS. Apart from driving me a little bit mad with my hair rustling on them they really are a life changer. I never have tried private ones of course. I did have in ear ones to start with thaet worked with an app and had more settings but I never really bothered altering them (bit like never changing all those woofers on a stereo) and actually they kept going wrong - just weren't very reliable so the NHS stopped supplying them. On the upside they didn't rustle. Now they do rustle because they sit just on the top of my ear IYSWIM. Still totally worth it for meetings though and cutting through the hubbub of a party or a restaurant.

Masks have made me realise how much I do rely on lip reading by the way. And as for the double whammy of masks and perspex screens - calamitous!

Anyway my advice is to give them a whirl. Take a bit of getting used to but worth it.

The perforation was about 25 years ago so im assuming it healed up.

friskybivalves“. Glad they’ve been such a help for you. Yes masks and Perspex screens are a nightmare. I’m forever asking people to repeat what they’ve said. I have collarbone length hair which isn’t quite long enough to tie back so if there’s a hair rustling scenario I think I will be experiencing that.

I'm in the same position as you. I went for NHS ones but I'm wondering whether to go for a tryout of better ones now that I'm used to these so will notice the difference IYSWIM.

I've not used private aids but suggest you give the NHS a try first to give you a sense of how it feels, you might need some time and experience to know what you're really looking for, a kind of context I suppose. I absolutely agree you should start as early as possible, it can be really difficult when you have developed deeply embedded strategies to make up for the hearing loss that are not conducive to hearing aids. If you've had fairly normal hearing most of your life I think the settling in period won't take too long and will help tremendously if your hearing deteriorates further as you suspect. Good luck with it.

@Ecruelworld
It’s your decision. If you’re on the fence, my advice to new users tends to be try the NHS first. They’re free and there will be an adaptation period. They are a mechanical aid after all, and try as we might, we cannot fully replicate natural hearing. Things will probably sound quite ‘tinny’ to begin with, but you should get used to this. Especially you are ‘retraining your brain’ to listen through hearing aids. My best advice is wear them as much as possible, including when you’re alone, so you get used to hearing everyday noises (clocks, boilers, etc) and use your volume control. Most hearing aids have that option, and there is no problem with your turning them down a little in the early days whilst you get used to them if things are a little harsh or loud. Actually wearing them can take a bit of getting used to as well. The little domes can cause some irritation if you’re not used to wearing ear plugs or something like that. This should wear off with wear and my tip is to smear a little olive oil at the entrance of the ear canal before putting the dome in. Can reduce the friction and irritation.