Need a hearing aid? Well then let the battle begin: NHS vs Private hearing aids

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by: Bridget Waters
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Word Count: 489
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2011 Time: 11:40 PM
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Hearing aids are becoming more common and are no longer only used by old age pensioners who turn them off to ignore annoying, loud young people! There are now a variety of different types of hearing aids, making them more efficient and comfortable for their users. With this increase in variety also comes an increase in the places to get one too. The two areas that are used are gaining a hearing aid through the NHS or through private care. But have are the positives and negatives of this? And this is the best choice for you?

NHS Hearing Aids

The methods relating to your assessment will be the same whether you choose to go private or with the NHS -you can even have your assessment with the NHS then go private to receive the hearing aid- a free test is given to decide if you need a aid or not first. Once it has been decided you do or don't a mould is taken or your ear and an aid is made.

The NHS is much cheaper, and in fact, all factors are free, the ear mould, batteries, repairs and advice; unless it is suspected that any damages were intentional, you will then have to pay the NHS back. As hearing changes over time, any hearing aid you receive will be on a loan basis and any changes in your hearing will result in the exchange of your previous aid for a more appropriate one.

As with most parts of the NHS, the main down point is the waiting time. You can be in for a long wait, stretching a number of months in some areas and with the introduction of the exchange of analogue hearing aids for digital hearing aids, this wait isn't due to decrease anytime soon.

Private Hearing Aids

The main attraction of any case of Private versus NHS is the reduction in waiting time and this is true of hearing aids too. From the moment of your first assessment with private care to the moment when you receive your hearing aid, it can take as little as a month. This, of course, depends on what part of the country you are in and which private care you go with. The range of aids available and the customer service that is given through private care is generally much better than the NHS as well.

As much as the cost is the positive of the NHS, it is the negative point of private care. The range of price is large, with analogue aids being much cheaper than digital hearing aids (both of which are free on the NHS). The top of the range hearing aids can cost more than £2000 and many people have gone abroad in the hopes of finding deals cheaper. Although the initial cost is lower, any follow repairs or adjustments mean that in the long run, staying in Britain is probably better economically.

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If you are still undecided between a Private hearing aid or a hearing aid from the NHS then you will need to attain more Hearing aid information to be sure in your actions.