Deaf News: NHS audiology services “being cut”

Posted on October 24, 2012 by



According to research by Action on Hearing Loss, around 40% of NHS audiology services are facing cuts in funding.

There are also indications that waiting times are getting longer and there is less follow-up care. Most worryingly of all, in some cases, patients are only being given one hearing aid.

The BBC reports:

Using the Freedom of Information Act, Action on Hearing Loss asked all 135 hospitals with audiology units whether they were having to scale back services.

In total 128 replied, with 43% reporting some kind of cut.

The most common problems were rises in waiting times, reductions in follow-up appointments – considered vital to helping people adapt to their hearing aids – and a lack of specialist staff to deal with complex cases.

But the report also found evidence of trusts starting to provide only one hearing aid when two had been judged to be clinically necessary.

The seven health boards in Wales were also asked about cuts, but only two responded, with one saying waiting times were increasing.

Read the full BBC report here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20034646

The Limping Chicken is supported by Deaf media company Remark!, provider of sign language services Deaf Umbrella, the Deaf training and consultancy Deafworks, and the RAD Deaf Law Centre.


Enjoying our eggs? Support The Limping Chicken:



The Limping Chicken is the world's most popular Deaf blog, and is edited by Deaf  journalist,  screenwriter and director Charlie Swinbourne.

Our posts represent the opinions of blog authors, they do not represent the site's views or those of the site's editor. Posting a blog does not imply agreement with a blog's content. Read our disclaimer here and read our privacy policy here.

Find out how to write for us by clicking here, and how to follow us by clicking here.

The site exists thanks to our supporters. Check them out below:

Posted in: deaf news