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Buying a hearing aid? Introduction
This factsheet is part of RNID's hearing aids
range. It is aimed at people who need a hearing aid. In the UK you can
buy a hearing aid from a private hearing aid dispenser or you can get
them free on the NHS. This factsheet tells you what you need to consider
if you are thinking about buying your hearing aid privately. To find
out more about getting a hearing aid on the NHS, see RNID's factsheet,
The NHS Hearing Aid Service, and ask your GP (family doctor)
to refer you.
Why go private?
Some people choose to buy a hearing aid rather
than get a free NHS one. Their reasons are often to do with speed, more
choice and convenience:
· If you buy a hearing aid, you can usually get it within two weeks.
Getting NHS hearing aids can take months in some areas.
· The NHS has a standard range of hearing aids. You may prefer a hearing
aid that is not available as part of their range. For example, you
may want a very small model that fits completely in your ear canal.
· You can get private hearing aids from a hearing aid dispenser on the
high street. You may prefer the convenience of the high street rather
than having to go to a hospital for your NHS hearing aid.
Hearing aids cannot restore perfect hearing in the way that spectacles
can restore perfect sight. They make sound louder so that you can hear
it, but will not necessarily make everything clear. Hearing aids are
of great benefit to many people, but any hearing aid dispenser or company
that promises to give you perfect hearing is raising unrealistic expectations.
Finding a hearing aid dispenser
The Hearing Aid Council (HAC) was set up in 1968
by an Act of Parliament to regulate the conduct of hearing aid dispensers.
By law, all hearing aid dispensers, whether fully qualified or in training,
must be registered with the HAC and follow its code of practice (see
below). HAC regulations also state that a hearing aid should be sold
to you only by a qualified dispenser or by a trainee who is being supervised
by a qualified dispenser. Qualified hearing aid dispensers have the
letters 'RHAD' after their name. RHAD stands for 'Registered Hearing
Aid Dispenser'. Full members of the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists
(BSHAA) use the letters 'MSHAA' and Fellows of the Society, who have
passed a further examination, may use the letters 'FSHAA'. However,
it is not compulsory for hearing aid dispensers to join the BSHAA. Some
dispensers, who are members of the Royal Society of Health, use the
letters MRSH in addition to the letters RHAD. Some NHS hospitals now
allow private dispensers to sell hearing aids from within the hospital,
though they must be registered with the HAC.
Code of practice
The HAC's code of practice says that the dispenser
must advise you to see a doctor, if you have not already done so, for
example, if:
· You have been exposed to loud noise
· You suddenly became deaf, your deafness suddenly got worse or your
hearing seems to vary
· Your hearing is much worse on one side than on the other
· You have medical problems such as excessive wax or a discharge in
your ears, giddiness, tinnitus, signs of injury or disease
in your ear.
A copy of the HAC's code of practice must be given to you if you ask
for it. The HAC cannot recommend either individual dispensers or particular
hearing aids. This means you need to pick your dispenser carefully.
If you think you have hearing loss, it is a good idea to see your GP
first anyway. He or she will check your ears to see if you need medical
investigation or treatment. If you have already decided to buy a hearing
aid tell your GP as they may be able to tell you about hearing aid dispensers
in your area. Alternatively, if someone you know has bought a hearing
aid from a local dispenser, ask them if they would recommend that dispenser.
Do remember that the type of hearing aid they have may not necessarily
be suitable for you.
A dispenser usually has premises on a high street. Many are willing
to see you in your own home. However, you may prefer to visit the dispenser
so that you can leave when you want, rather than inviting one to visit
you in your home. No dispenser or employer of dispensers may visit you
at home unless you have asked for a visit. If a dispenser contacts you
to suggest a visit, he or she must send you written notice before the
visit, so you can cancel the appointment if you choose to. You may want
to arrange to have someone with you for support when the dispenser visits.
If you are thinking of buying from a dispenser who is visiting your
area, check that the dispenser will be in the area regularly and that
you can contact them easily. You will need to be able to see them if
you have a problem with your hearing aid and need to get it adjusted.
If in doubt, contact the HAC and find out where the dispenser is based,
or use a local dispenser instead.
What happens when the hearing aid dispenser sees you?
The hearing aid dispenser will first test your
hearing. The range of tests carried out varies, but they must include:
An 'air conduction' hearing test. In this test you listen to tones (bleeps)
through headphones and tell the dispenser which you can hear. A 'bone
conduction' hearing test. In this test you will be asked to wear a special
headband that conducts sound through the bones of your skull. When the
results are compared with what you heard through headphones in the above
test, they show whether you have a problem with your eardrum or middle
ear. The results will be presented to you as an 'audiogram', which is
a graph showing how well you hear low, middle and high tones.
A typical charge for private hearing tests is about £25. Some dispensers
do not charge for tests. However, you may not be given a copy of your
audiogram if the test is free. It is useful to have a copy so you can
shop around and compare prices for hearing aids from other hearing aid
dispensers. Once you have had your hearing tested, the dispenser will
discuss with you which kind of hearing aid will be best for you. Many
people benefit from wearing a hearing aid in each ear, rather than just
one. However, remember that this will mean paying out almost twice as
much. The dispenser will then take an impression of your ear, and send
it to a laboratory for the earmould or the casing, if it is a hearing
aid that goes all in the ear to be made. When this is ready, the dispenser
will adjust or program the hearing aid to suit your hearing loss and
explain how to use it. He or she will advise you to wear your hearing
aid for about an hour in a quiet place to begin with such as indoors,
and to build up the length of time you use it gradually, in various
situations. The last stage in this process is wearing your aid outside
or somewhere noisy such as a pub. The dispenser should arrange an after-care
appointment about six weeks after fitting your hearing aid. This is
important as the hearing aid may need adjustment or fine-tuning for
you to get the best results from it.
How much will a hearing aid cost?
A private hearing aid costs between £300 and
£2,500, depending on its style and technical sophistication. Make sure
you are getting the hearing aid you want at a price you can afford.
Medical insurance may cover its cost, but ask your insurer before you
buy a hearing aid privately. You may want to take a friend with you
for moral support or if you are worried about mishearing something.
Check if the price the dispenser quotes includes the cost of hearing
tests, the dispenser's time, follow-up appointments, the earmould, tubing
if you need it and batteries. Hearing aids last five years or more,
but you will have to pay when they need replacing. Smaller hearing aids
may not last as long.
Get a guarantee
You will have to pay for repairs after the guarantee
on the hearing aid runs out. The cost of these can mount up. Guarantee
periods range between one and four years. Find out what the guarantee
period is for the hearing aid you are being offered. You can usually
insure your hearing aid against loss or damage through your house insurance,
but you need to check this.
It takes a while to get used to a new hearing aid and you will need
to try it out in various situations to be sure it is right for you.
Dispensers should allow you a 28-day trial period or a money-back guarantee
so that you can return the hearing aid if you are not happy with it.
If the dispenser is not prepared to offer this and suggests a guarantee
for repair only instead of giving you the option of a refund, go elsewhere.
You are unlikely to get a full refund because the price you pay usually
includes the hearing tests and fitting. So it is very important to get
a written note of the terms under which you can cancel buying your hearing
aids.
Caution - listening devices
Avoid advertisements offering 'listening devices'
for as little as £10. Though they are cheap, they do not provide the
benefits of a hearing aid chosen and adjusted to suit your particular
needs. In addition, the HAC has authority only over companies selling
'hearing aids'. Companies that use the phrase 'listening devices' are
therefore not bound by the HAC's code of practice.
Deciding which hearing aid to buy
You can buy from a range of hearing aids. Remember
that the type of hearing aid someone else has will not necessarily suit
you.
Digital hearing aids
Many modern hearing aids are 'digital', but not
all digital aids are equally sophisticated. With the more advanced digital
aids it is possible to tailor sound very precisely to suit you. They
also stop feedback whistling automatically and reduce background noise
so that listening is more comfortable. Some also have directional microphones
that make it easier for you to hear in noisy places. However, sophisticated
digital hearing aids are currently much more expensive than analogue
aids. If you are thinking of buying one, remember that no hearing aid
can give you perfect hearing. Do not be pressured into buying an expensive
digital hearing aid unless you can try it first in everyday situations
to make sure it is easy to use and that it really helps you.
Disposable hearing aids
Some branches of the high street chemist, Boots,
now dispense disposable hearing aids, which you throw away when the
battery runs out, usually after six weeks. These fit entirely in the
ear, but they may not be comfortable for everyone. Although they have
different kinds of amplification for different hearing needs and good
sound quality, they are suitable only for people with mild to moderate
hearing loss.
If you are wondering whether a hearing aid may
help you, you may wish to try disposable ones first. The initial cost
for disposable hearing aids is at least £85. This includes £25 for the
hearing test and £60 for a three-month supply for one ear or £120 for
the first three months if you want a hearing aid for each ear. After
that, it is £22 for each ear every month.
What size hearing aid?
Both analogue and digital aids come in a range
of styles, for example behind-the-ear, in-the-ear, or even smaller aids
that fit completely in your ear canal. The very small styles, though
less noticeable, may have some disadvantages. They tend to break down
more often, you may not be able to use them with a loop and you may
find them fiddly.
Hearing aids and loop systems
Not all private hearing aids such as very small
hearing aids, can be used with loop systems though many can be adapted
on request.
If using a loop is important to you, make sure that it is possible to
do so with the model you are buying.
Buying abroad
The media has given a lot of coverage to buying
hearing aids abroad at cheaper prices, particularly in Germany and Denmark.
RNID cannot recommend any particular hearing aid models, manufacturers
or services and would advise you to think carefully before buying a
hearing aid abroad. The initial cost of a hearing aid may be less than
in the UK, but you may need to see the dispenser for adjustments sometimes
several times, which could be expensive and inconvenient. It is important
to check beforehand what will happen if you need more help or if your
hearing aid breaks down once you are back home again.
If you have a problem
Most people are happy with the hearing aid they
buy and with the service they get from their private hearing aid dispenser,
but some people run into difficulties because:
· The aid does not match up to their own expectations.
· The aid does not match up to the dispenser's assurances.
· The dispenser pressurised them to buy a hearing aid.
· The aid gives repeated trouble - for example, it may whistle or be
uncomfortable, and the dispenser cannot put this right.
If you have any problem at all with a hearing aid you have bought, the
first thing you should do is ask the dispenser who sold it to you for
help and advice. Make a note of the problems you experience over a period
of a few days so that you can explain what is wrong and help the dispenser
to sort it out. |
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