rulefan
Tour Winner
Has any any experience of these? eg Boots, Specsavers, small standalone shops, independent opticians who now seem to do them.
Do they ever recommend NHS?
Do they ever recommend NHS?
Hearing Tests
- Thread starter rulefan
- Start date
Boots, and I suspect the others, want you to buy the hearing aids through them. Understandable as it's their business. They will not point you to the NHS, that loses them business.
The NHS offers pretty much the same aids for free.
My mum has been on digital aids through the NHS for years. My FiL recently went through the process. First off went to Boots because he is impatient. They quoted £4k for aids so he decided to wait in the NHS queue
.
The Boots test and advice was not bad, it just ultimately would have involved a lot of money.
The NHS offers pretty much the same aids for free.
My mum has been on digital aids through the NHS for years. My FiL recently went through the process. First off went to Boots because he is impatient. They quoted £4k for aids so he decided to wait in the NHS queue
.The Boots test and advice was not bad, it just ultimately would have involved a lot of money.
upsidedown
Tour Winner
Visited Dr's 2 weeks ago to get on the waiting list for hearing aids. Will be free on NHS, mate has them and loves them, Bluetooth and batteries galore
Neilds
Assistant Pro
Used to have to do annual test in the RAF. They always seemed to put the test booths in the noisiest part of the Med centre so you just ended up guessing most of the time. Also didn't help being an engine technician and I usually ended up doing an engine run just before the test so ears were usually buzzing anyway
pendodave
Tour Rookie
I have them through work. Can't believe I pass them every year.
Hoping to get them to pay for some before I retire...
Given that testing is pretty quick, is there any particular reason why there's a wait for NHS ones? Do they wait for old ones to be returned or something??
Hoping to get them to pay for some before I retire...
Given that testing is pretty quick, is there any particular reason why there's a wait for NHS ones? Do they wait for old ones to be returned or something??
rulefan
Tour Winner
How do you get on the NHS list? Do you just contact your GP practice?
RichA
Well-known member
I took Dad to Specsavers as a private patient / customer. Couldn't fault them.
The delay is not for the aids, it is to get tested.
upsidedown
Tour Winner
Yes went to the Dr's and talked about my hearing loss and tinnitus . he did say it could be up to 6 months
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
What?
Maninblack4612
Tour Winner
I was on the NHS waiting list for about 4 months without hearing anything (!) Went back to the GP & asked to be referred to Specsavers. He said "Can't do that", I said "Yes you can". He referred me. I had an appointment within 10 days & walked out with free hearing aids. Have been getting replacements every three years & they just get better & better. Latest ones can be controlled via my phone & music sounds brilliant. Can't believe £3,000 ones could be much better.
rulefan
Tour Winner
Very interesting
srixon 1
Journeyman Pro
That was the same as in the RN. One time I did one in the afternoon after I had spent all morning in the dunker doing underwater escape training. My ears were full of water, and like you said, the booth was located in the noisiest place in the sickbay. I didn’t stand a chance and just randomly pressed the button on the machine if I thought I heard a noise in the headphones. The headphones barely covered your ears either. No idea how anyone ever passed.Used to have to do annual test in the RAF. They always seemed to put the test booths in the noisiest part of the Med centre so you just ended up guessing most of the time. Also didn't help being an engine technician and I usually ended up doing an engine run just before the test so ears were usually buzzing anyway
Red devil
Well-known member
I have the same as you. Had my last one in November. Could have sworn I'd failed.
"Right,that looks all good " was the cheery reply
Voyager EMH
Slipper Wearing Plucker of Pheasants
Mrs V told me that I have "selective deafness".
Well, she knows best so I didn't disagree.
Well, she knows best so I didn't disagree.
trevor
Head Pro
I used to have NHS aids years ago so they might be better now but I hated them and went private. The ones they used to give out were basic bottom of the range aids and used to amplify all sounds, not selective sounds like the more expensive ones. If out walking I remember all I could hear was traffic noise and birds tweeting but nothing from the person I was walking with. My sister last year got the NHS ones and also got rid and went to Boots. Obviously the more you pay the better the sound.
chrisd
Major Champion
I've had NHS one's for a number of years now but I hardly ever wear them. I had to be referred by my GP to the hospital and about 6 months ago I got called back for a recheck and they gave me a new, a more up to date pair.
In truth, I hardly ever wear them as I was told they've only been prescribed because my high pitch levels are not as good as they could be, the other levels of my hearing levels are fine so, particularly on the golf course there are lots of sounds that are distracting to me on occasions that I've worn them
In truth, I hardly ever wear them as I was told they've only been prescribed because my high pitch levels are not as good as they could be, the other levels of my hearing levels are fine so, particularly on the golf course there are lots of sounds that are distracting to me on occasions that I've worn them
