Hearing Aid Prices

[Padders]

2 hours ago, crookesey said:

The solution to my dilemma is picking itself. I have noticed a couple of mini rechargeable aids on-line that look identical to the expensive ones that I was shown. They carry only a 30 days money back or exchange guarantee, but are at their price mainly due to not having expensive High Street occupancy and staffing costs, so am tempted at say £170.00 as against many thousands of pounds. If they only lasted for 12 months that’s less than 50 pence a day, so not that much of a risk, I’ll give the NHS a chance to offer a solution, but won’t hold my breath.

I've also been looking online, some really cheap ones ranging from as low as £49.

The reviews are excellent, but I think they write their own.

I've been on trust pilot checking their reviews, very negative, Useless, Scam, Don't buy these, Don't work, Can't get money back, on the other hand NHS gets rave reviews.

Easylife everyday solutions have some on offer "Hear with perfect digital clarity"  £129-99.

Anyway I'm having em checked tomorrow at the Docs, if, as you say it's a 18 month wait for the NHS, I might give Easylife ones a try.

Won't be the end of the world if their useless..

[crookesey]

23 minutes ago, Padders said:

I've also been looking online, some really cheap ones ranging from as low as £49.

The reviews are excellent, but I think they write their own.

I've been on trust pilot checking their reviews, very negative, Useless, Scam, Don't buy these, Don't work, Can't get money back, on the other hand NHS gets rave reviews.

Easylife everyday solutions have some on offer "Hear with perfect digital clarity"  £129-99.

Anyway I'm having em checked tomorrow at the Docs, if, as you say it's a 18 month wait for the NHS, I might give Easylife ones a try.

Won't be the end of the world if their useless..

Thanks, not easy is it? 

[crookesey]

36 minutes ago, Padders said:

I've also been looking online, some really cheap ones ranging from as low as £49.

The reviews are excellent, but I think they write their own.

I've been on trust pilot checking their reviews, very negative, Useless, Scam, Don't buy these, Don't work, Can't get money back, on the other hand NHS gets rave reviews.

Easylife everyday solutions have some on offer "Hear with perfect digital clarity"  £129-99.

Anyway I'm having em checked tomorrow at the Docs, if, as you say it's a 18 month wait for the NHS, I might give Easylife ones a try.

Won't be the end of the world if their useless..

I might just give the £14.99 one a go, I only really need help with the TV, Radio and Phone, what do you think?

[Anna B]

Just be careful with the cheap online ones and the sort advertised in the papers. 

 

My partner tried them (small buds) but he couldn't get them out of his ears. After 2 trips to hospital to get them removed he gave up and put his name down for NHS ones.

 

I'm not saying they're all like that, I wouldn't know, just one person's experience.

 

Get your names on the NHS waiting list unless you have an urgent need. Subtitles on the telly help while you're waiting.

[crookesey]

1 hour ago, Anna B said:

Just be careful with the cheap online ones and the sort advertised in the papers. 

 

My partner tried them (small buds) but he couldn't get them out of his ears. After 2 trips to hospital to get them removed he gave up and put his name down for NHS ones.

 

I'm not saying they're all like that, I wouldn't know, just one person's experience.

 

Get your names on the NHS waiting list unless you have an urgent need. Subtitles on the telly help while you're waiting.

Yes I know what you mean, I reckon that I’ll test the water with a cheap one as my GP has now placed me on the NHS waiting list.

[Padders]

1 hour ago, crookesey said:

I might just give the £14.99 one a go, I only really need help with the TV, Radio and Phone, what do you think?

You get what you pay for.

Might be worth a try at that price though.

I've just paid my AA over the phone, got there in the end.

50 years of tongue lashing's from my Daughters is taking it's toll.

I keep telling them to shout more quietly.

[RJRB]

1 hour ago, crookesey said:

I might just give the £14.99 one a go, I only really need help with the TV, Radio and Phone, what do you think?

If it’s mainly TV and radio there are some transmitters that fit into  the audio socket which connects to cordless head phones.

Many types available on Amazon and I think Argos in a price range of about £50/£100 a set.Some operate on Bluetooth.

A relative found these great as they excluded any other sounds (such as his wife telling him to mend the washing machine and do other jobs around the house).

 

[pfifes]

I just googled it and you can buy one for £21 from Argos https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7392560?clickSR=slp:term:hearing aid:1:205:2

There is similar even cheaper off EBay for about £14.

 

You can buy them second hand too https://online-hearingaids.com/second-hand-hearing-aids/

 

I saw some for sale for 50p in a junk shop from house clearances too if you want a real bargain.

 
No need to spend £5k!

[peak4]

As someone fitted with NHS hearing aids last year, it strikes me that there is a big difference between a personal service, and mail order/over-the-counter.
I've had two NHS appointments in the last 8 years or so; the first one my hearing was borderline, so I deferred for a while, but for the second I was certainly ready for a set.
I don't wear them all the time, but now wouldn't be without for TV, cinema, theatre, face to face conversations especially with doctors) etc

I find them too intrusive in noisy pubs, or out on a windy day; yes I can turn the volume right down, but then it feels like walking around with foam PPE earplugs; which is equally disconcerting when crossing the road.

 

Fortunately I retired from Crookes to Derbyshire , so I could get a referral to either Specsavers, or my local hearing hub in Macclesfield; my first formal test was at The Hallamshire.

When I was fitted for my current NHS digital ones, I had a full hearing test and examination. 

The test is essentially a pair of headphones, and push button to press when you start to hear the sound; all done in a sound insulated room with the audiologist on a PC  in a separate office.
Ears are tested together, and individually, and at a range of different frequencies.
A personal profile is then plotted, showing which frequencies are most poorly heard, and in which ear. They may well be different for each side.
Each hearing aid is then programmed to your personal hearing profile, for best performance; the two hearing aids are also programmed to communicate with each other, so adjusting mode or volume on one, works for both.
You will miss out on much of that, with over the counter, or mail order aids, unless someone can generate a personal hearing profile for you.

 

[crookesey]

9 hours ago, peak4 said:

As someone fitted with NHS hearing aids last year, it strikes me that there is a big difference between a personal service, and mail order/over-the-counter.
I've had two NHS appointments in the last 8 years or so; the first one my hearing was borderline, so I deferred for a while, but for the second I was certainly ready for a set.
I don't wear them all the time, but now wouldn't be without for TV, cinema, theatre, face to face conversations especially with doctors) etc

I find them too intrusive in noisy pubs, or out on a windy day; yes I can turn the volume right down, but then it feels like walking around with foam PPE earplugs; which is equally disconcerting when crossing the road.

 

Fortunately I retired from Crookes to Derbyshire , so I could get a referral to either Specsavers, or my local hearing hub in Macclesfield; my first formal test was at The Hallamshire.

When I was fitted for my current NHS digital ones, I had a full hearing test and examination. 

The test is essentially a pair of headphones, and push button to press when you start to hear the sound; all done in a sound insulated room with the audiologist on a PC  in a separate office.
Ears are tested together, and individually, and at a range of different frequencies.
A personal profile is then plotted, showing which frequencies are most poorly heard, and in which ear. They may well be different for each side.
Each hearing aid is then programmed to your personal hearing profile, for best performance; the two hearing aids are also programmed to communicate with each other, so adjusting mode or volume on one, works for both.
You will miss out on much of that, with over the counter, or mail order aids, unless someone can generate a personal hearing profile for you.

 

I’ve got a copy of the Hidden Hearing report and suggestions following their  test, that matches yours to the letter.