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Hearing support under fire

07/02/2008

Some patients with hearing and balance disorders can wait years to be seen by an appropriate specialist, a new report has warned.

The working party study from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) says patients often remain undiagnosed and inadequately managed.

The RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People) said the report's findings come as "no surprise" as it is aware of areas where the waiting time for hearing aids is up to two and a half years.

According to the RCP, dedicated and specialised audiological/vestibular service is only available in a few specialist centres.

It also claims there is a severe shortage of state-of-the-art audiology, tinnitus or vestibular clinics and limited access to an integrated multidisciplinary team with the appropriate specialists.

The RCP report recommends three proposals: a reorganised, multidisciplinary service model with improved medical support; an increase in the number of audiovestibular physicians and paediatricians; and a greater emphasis on the speciality in medical training.

"Patients [with hearing disorders and symptoms of imbalance] report severely impaired quality of life, but do not tend to suffer from life threatening conditions, such that medical care has not been deemed a priority," said Professor Linda Luxon, chair of the working party and professor of audiological medicine at the University of London.

"Recent government and third-sector initiatives have significantly improved the provision of hearing aids especially for the elderly, but adequate medical and scientific resources for accurate diagnosis and optimal management of patients with complex hearing conditions and, particularly, balance disorders remain woefully inadequate throughout most of the UK."

RNID chief executive Jackie Ballard commented: "Patients with hearing loss can suffer from depression, isolation and can find it hard to get by in work and social situations.

"Local primary care trusts hold the key. They must follow government guidance to provide people with prompt access to these services, and in particular hearing aids within 18 weeks for all those who need them."