Local Hearing Clinic Offers Free Hearing Assessment in Light of NHS Denying Hearing Aids to People Suffering with Mild Hearing Loss

NHS Leaflet reported to advise lip reading to overcome hearing problems

Following the recent news that the NHS have begun denying people hearing aids, Help in Hearing have introduced a free service which will allow people to have a full hearing check at no cost, at one of the firm's hearing clinics in Farnham Common and Marlow.

People with mild hearing loss in the North Staffordshire area are no longer eligible for free hearing aids. Freedom of information requests submitted by the charity, Action on Hearing Loss, shows that 22 other NHS Trusts and Commissioning Groups, including Brent (north London), Trafford (Manchester), Gateshead and South Tyneside are looking into "decommissioning" some audiology services. In addition, some other NHS trusts have limited hearing aids to one per person (even though they have two ears), for some patients, in areas such as Sheffield, Kent and Gloucestershire.

Selma Becker, MD at Help in Hearing, said, "I just can't believe that the NHS could deny people hearing aids. Would you stop them having glasses when their sight deteriorates? Or just supply one contact lens? Hearing loss affects all age groups and we have to help people in our locality to lead ordinary lives."

The Daily Mail reports that it has seen a leaflet, distributed to patients, that advises people with hearing loss "You can't have a hearing aid - just lip read instead."* Health charities have said they are in a state of "utter disbelief" at the advice and that removing free hearing aids would force people into isolation and would lead to a worsening of the symptoms of depression and dementia, conditions which are often helped by the wearing of hearing aids.

Anyone living in the Buckinghamshire and East Berkshire areas can contact Help in Hearing for a free hearing check-up by telephoning the clinic on 0845 222 0579 or by visiting the website at http://www.helpinhearing.co.uk/Request-a-free-hearing-check-up/.

To find out more about the campaign to stop the cuts to NHS hearing aid services, please visit the Action on Hearing Loss website at http://www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/get-involved/campaign/hearing-aid-cuts.aspx.

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About Help in Hearing

Help in Hearing is one of 12 UK accredited Hearing Consultant Approved Sites. The company has two audiology clinics in Farnham Common and Marlow with specialists that are Registered Hearing Aid Dispenser (RHAD) and Fellows of the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists (FSHAA). Both clinics are located in discreet locations for private appointments and utilise the latest technology for hearing assessment. Help in Hearing is one of the UK's leading audiologists recently chosen by Phonak to become an approved partner for Lyric, the world's first and only 100% invisible hearing aid and the Phonak Audéo V the most digitally advanced hearing aid supplied. Help in Hearing is fully independent of manufacturers and provides a wide range of hearing solutions from all leading providers including Phonak, Oticon, Resound, Siemens, Widex and Starkey. More information can be found on the help in Hearing website: www.helpinhearing.co.uk

For more information:

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* Daily Mail Online article:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3256901/NHS-chiefs-t-hearing-aid-just-lip-read-instead.html