A guide to Audiology Services and Hearing Aid provision in the City of London
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Healthwatch City of London have produced a guide to Audiology Services and hearing aid provision in the City of London. The guide clarifies to the public that anyone who has hearing loss and lives in the UK can access NHS hearing aids free of charge - even the spare batteries are free. People can also access hearing aids via private providers, which can be smaller and have more advanced features.
If people want to buy hearing aids privately, and not have NHS-funded ones, they can directly go to any local audiology provider. The report provides a list of private local providers and their contact details. The report also explains that should people want to access the aids via NHS, they should visit their GP first. There are details of four providers who have a contract with the City & Hackney Clinical Commissioning Group authorising them to supply NHS hearing aids at no cost if people have been referred by a GP.
There are three case studies which highlight how patients access hearing aids and their experience of using them.