Local MP Challenges Health Minister on Long Waiting Times For Digital Hearing Aids

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 7th Dec 2004

MP for Mid Dorset Annette Brooke today challenged the Minister for Health directly on the length of waiting lists for audiology services, and the provision of digital hearing aids in Dorset.

Speaking in Oral Questions to the Minister, Annette Brooke asked what the government was doing to reduce the length of waiting lists in Bournemouth Primary Care Trust, which has individuals waiting up to two years from GP referral to final hearing aid fitting.

She said: "The quality of service is very inequitable with differing lengths of waiting times across the country. I want to know how the government intends to help Bournemouth PCT where there is particularly high demand for such audiology services. Even the RNID acknowledges that waiting times are among the worst in the country."

Only three years ago, the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) initiated a hugely successful campaign to get digital hearing aids made available on the National Health. Hundreds of RNID supporters from Mid Dorset contacted Annette Brooke directly, and with the help of persistent pressure from MPs, the government finally committed to provide digital hearing aids on the NHS. Previously, anyone wanting a digital hearing aid, as opposed analogue available on the NHS, had to pay up to £2,500 for a private audiology services.

The Minister acknowledged that Bournemouth PCT was facing particular difficulties given the high demand for digital hearing aids and the lack of capacity available locally. He said that the new policy was now a 'victim of its own success' and promised that digital hearing aids would be available to all those who needed one but ultimately only over the length of the four year program.

Bournemouth Primary Care Trust has received a central health funding for 1200 patients and the PCT has funded an additional 2000 extra patients. Nationally, over 250,000 people have benefited from the government's policy.