Hearing aids - NHS or private?

I have two NHS hearing aids. Had them for about seven years, one has been replaced in that time. A friend used to have private ones but has recently moved to NHS ones and has no regrets.

Come now, Peter, unkind to refer to us poor old pensioners as an underclass. Admittedly we're the largest financial burden the country has to support but I like to think you and I aren't complete wasters!

Dave

A couple of years ago I stumbled on a list of NHS Hearing Aids on the net and the price that industry charged the NHS, the list was endless, I was surprised to find it in the public domain but apparently it was part of an open policy to ensure fairness in dealings with industry. I cannot remember how to get to it now but I do remember that most prices were in fact below £100 the most expensive then was about £120, the same aids were being retailed for £1,000 plus. I understand that there are those who would choose to knock the NHS but the identical aids are being provided through the NHS, the low prices they are supplied under comes about because the NHS buys large volumes through contracts with the suppliers in industry. Dave W

Samsaranda is spot on. Before I retired, I had a professional involvement in the subject.

When I started, hearing aids were simple amplifiers. NHS ones were made under contract and were either the BW series (body worn, i.e. the size of a fag packet with a wire to an earpiece) or BE (behind the ear). The standard offering was BE11, then BE31 was more powerful, etc. Some of them had tone controls so that there was some (i.e. not a lot) scope to tune them.

Nowadays, the NHS buys them from the various manufacturers so you get exactly what is available privately. They are all digital so they are programmed to your audiogram, i.e. the amplification is greatest at the worst thresholds.

I am fortunate: I have very good hearing for my age despite never really bothering about noise exposure. If I live long enough, I may well need aids, but I would be happy with NHS ones. I have the means to pay privately, but I was brought up in Yorkshire.

The only reason that I can see for purchasing hearing aids is that you want the various bells and whistles. You can bluetooth to your 'phone or telly. You can get in-the-ear ones (which I think show more than standard behind-the-ear ones) or even in-the-canal miniature ones if you are particularly vain. You can get a remote volume control (or I imagine, ones which are controlled by an 'app' on your 'phone).

In summary, as far as improving communication is concerned, NHS hearing aids are the same as private ones.

P.S. Would there be the same discussion concerning walking sticks or crutches?

Thanks to all for all responses. To flesh out my original post a bit my last NHS review was in 2021, back in the days of facemasks and general reluctance to stress the NHS. I saw a Scrivens 'audiologist' (outsourced) and to be brutally honest he seemed a bit dim. He equipped me new aids (the new thin tube/dome things) but was unable to explain why these might be preferable (or even equivalent) to the wide tube/earmould system I'd been using. They seemed OK at the time (Ie in the room with him), but were subjectively much worse than the old ones in real life. When I went back for a follow-up consultation he said that maybe I needed different hearing aids, but as they could only supply once per three years I'd have to wait or go back to my GP for a referral and start from square one. Gosh! so I went back to my previous ones, all well until on a routine clean when I mistook the acetone bottle for iso-propanol. One melted. Still nine months until I can go back to the NHS, hence the exploration of private provision. In the meantime, I seem to have lost the Scrivens aids. To be brutally honest I can be a bit dim.

Anyhow, your replies have been very helpful. I can pay (~£250) for replacement NHS aids which will likely be as good as the private offerings.

Robin.

Hi.

I have NHS hearing aids. On a recent visit my ‘major high street’ optician, who is also very proactive in encouraging clients to have their hearing checked by them, I noticed that all the advertisements for hearing aids were the same brand as my NHS supplied ones.

A.

You are comparing apples and oranges.
The cost you pay a private audiologist for "the hearing aids" has to include the costs of initial and on-going consultations and support including facilities. The NHS price is for just the hardware. As you say the NHS will have negotiated a large bulk order price, but that almost certainly does not include any consumer warranty cost from the manufacturer for the items.

Robert.

I am not sure what the current situation is but the system as advised in our (former) clinic was:-

Replacement of lost or damaged NHS hearing aids £100 each.

Might just be worth checking out if it’s possible to apply that your original (melted) hearing aid as a temporary solution.

Edited By V8Eng on 07/07/2023 09:11:54

Edited By V8Eng on 07/07/2023 09:12:49

I am on my second issue of NHS hearing aids as Specsavers tell me they are replaced every five years. Unfortunately they are not Bluetooth enabled which is a pity because I would love Spotify and JazzFM to play through them from my phone but at least they didn't cost me anything, or maybe they did having paid national insurance contributions for 50years. Anyway, it's my own fault, too many loud rock bands in the 1960's and 70's.