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UK: How much benefit from private firms vs. NHS?

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How many people have gone private and found enough benefit for it to be worth it. I’ve got NHS engage and feel like I could get so much more private private aids. I’ve never had or anything so there’s no knowing my hearing aids are actually properly fitted. Does anywhere in the uk do REM with NHS aids? I’m starting to struggle at the greatly at the moment but I’m rural and not convenient to get to my nearest hospital for a hearing test to see if my progressive loss has gotten worse? How convenient is self programming?

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Roughly where are you?

Get a demo; modern aids (multiprocessor with especially) will make hearing with that kind of loss much easier.

If you need a recommendation of a good professional in your area, I might know someone who’d help.

Never had before all my NHS hearing tests n stuff have only been 10 minutes. When I first got my aids like a year n a half ago she just hooked them into a computer put ‘em in my ears and I was out in 5.

I went to Boots for mine. I considered trying the NHS, but atm, even getting a GP appointment is so difficult and I haven’t managed to get any support for a serious medical condition that I decided to just go private. I don’t think I would have qualified for NHS aids anyway. I was very happy with the service I got. The audiologist is easy to get on with and the testing seemed thorough. The only limiting factor would be that they only sell Phonak, Starkey, Coselgi and Audio Nova. I did my research before I went and chose Phonak Slim 90s. I had intended to get the 50s or the 70s, but the 90s were in the sale and ended up being cheaper. They also have a 4 year warranty. If you choose from their “essentials” range, the warranty is 2 years. All future hearing tests and appointments are included in the cost. They do hearing aid insurance, but it is very expensive, I just added mine to our house insurance.

In reply to @Phoebe

@Phoebe

Are you aware of Ear Gear that can help protect hearing aids from sweat?

Ear Gear Hearing Aid Protectors - HAB Hearing4

Ear Gear Cordless Hearing Aid Protectors – £22.95 Ear Gear is a unique product, it protects your BTE hearing instruments from loss, dust, moisture and sweat. It helps reduce wind noise on the microphones of your hearing aids. It also look pretty...

I have NHS Aids and Brand New Aids I have bought off eBay in the past and self program. I also self program my NHS Aids as well in the past, although not recently as I’m happy with programming.

In reply to @Phoebe

Your ears really don’t suit a in the ear options due to occlusion, but you might find they can be made to work for you.

There are with good performance in sweat/wet environments; plus you can get the ear gear covers.

Depending on where you are: Andrew Bird Hearing or Steve Neal aren’t that far away.

I do have ear gear but they rustle in time to my running steps which when I’m running for 3 hours+ drives me mad.

In reply to @Phoebe

I have had phonak audeo paradise for almost 2 years. Besides sweat I even walk in the rain. Never an issue. I’m bald, btw, so there sometimes isn’t much cover over them. I wouldn’t go swimming with them on, or intentionally shower with them, but they seem pretty hardy as far as humidity and moisture. The receivers are to weak point. If your ear canal is getting soaked, I’m afraid nothing much is going to work.

WH

beads of sweats go through the vent in my moulds into my ear canal which is why I will never get rics because they literally would not last a day.

I was on NHS Phonak Nathos until 2021 when I lost one, including the mould. Took some time to get a replacement and I was struggling. I went private via Costco having also visited Boots for Test and consultation. I was almost at the point of buying the aids recommended by Boots (P90) when I discovered this site and that the KS10 was…a very close cousin.

I got a lot of benefit from my KS10s, not least because the first guy I saw was a former Phonak employee and used their HAs himself. He is also superb at maximising potential from the HAs.

Even in the NHS appointments I’ve had, the audios don’t have limitless time for questions but my sessions usually lasted about 45 minutes to an hour.

Perhaps I’m just unlucky in the postcode lottery I’ve never had an audiology appointment last more than 15 minutes. I always have the same audiologist she just does a new hearing test hooks the hearing aids to the computer gives them back and ushers me out :joy:. I’ve just finished high school and moving on to big things so I’m obviously desperate to make sure I’m hearing at my best.

In reply to @Um_bongo

My experience would agree.

My NHS ‘Opn rebadge’ vs the private More 1 is chalk and cheese anywhere challenging. The More was a game changer. I have both the world back and also much better understanding too. The reduction in listening and processing fatigue is immense.

I think you should speak to the manager and ask for rem, that is assuming it is aNHS clinic.
It’s part of the standard fitting.

Thread closed at the request of the OP.

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