Oral Question Hearing Aids

Speech delivered on Tue 7th Dec 2004

Mrs. Annette L. Brooke (Mid-Dorset and North Poole) (LD): if he will make a statement on waiting times for digital hearing aids.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Dr. Stephen Ladyman): The modernising hearing aid services programme was developed with the Royal National Institute for Deaf People to respond to audiology issues, and so far 250,000 people have received digital hearing aids. Awareness is now so widespread that some people have to wait, but I expect primary care trusts to do all that they can to meet the increased demand.

Mrs. Brooke: I welcome the progress that has been made in the provision of digital hearing aids. However, does the Minister share my concerns about the quality of life of one of my constituents, who was recently told in a letter from Bournemouth primary care trust that it was currently seeing patients who went on the waiting list in July 2003? That prompts the question of how long it took to get on the waiting list. What action will he take to ensure an improved service for my constituents? The current situation is highly inequitable, given the differing lengths of waiting lists around the country.

Dr. Ladyman: I share the hon. Lady's concerns. I point out to her, though, that this is a four-year programme to extend the availability of digital hearing aids across the entire country. As different parts of the country joined the scheme at different stages, some areas are experiencing particular problems; Bournemouth is one such area. That is why we provided central funding for a further 1,200 people to receive digital hearing aids in Bournemouth. The local PCT has provided funding for a further 2,000 people on top of that; it has also decided to join the public-private partnership, which means that audiology services can be made available from the private sector. Those three factors should lead to some dramatic improvements in the Bournemouth area.