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Care Opinion

Begging for a hearing aid that suits me

Posted By Unilug

"Begging for a hearing aid that suits me"

About: Crosshouse Hospital / Ear, Nose & Throat

(as the patient),

I have to beg for a hearing aid suitable for Profound Unilateral Hearing Loss instead of being dragooned into accepting surgery and a B. A. H. A. (Bone Induction Hearing Aid) which would do me no good whatsoever.

Please see my website for more info on PUHL http://deaf.headplug.com - sorry in advance for not updating it more often but I am continually distracted through defending myself against unsuitable equipment being foisted upon me which makes me feel like giving up.

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Responses

Response from Craig White, Assistant Director, Nurse Directorate, NHS Ayrshire and Arran 10 years ago
Craig White
Assistant Director, Nurse Directorate,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Submitted on 07/05/2013 at 06:47
Published on Care Opinion at 11:03

picture of Craig White

I was sorry to hear of your experiences and would like to put you in touch with our Head of Audiology to see if there is anything further that can be done to assist you with this. Please contact me at craig.white@aapct.scot.nhs.uk so that this can be arranged.

Best wishes

Craig

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Update posted by Unilug (the patient)

This is a well trodden path that has never worked for me before but I am grateful for your suggestion so I have contacted you in the way you suggest..

Response from Craig White, Assistant Director, Nurse Directorate, NHS Ayrshire and Arran 10 years ago
Craig White
Assistant Director, Nurse Directorate,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Submitted on 20/05/2013 at 21:41
Published on Care Opinion on 27/05/2013 at 15:43

picture of Craig White

Dear Unilug

As you have mentioned in your response on the 07th of May, I understand that you have been in touch with our Head of Audiology over several months. We are sorry to hear about how you continue to feel about things and I was concerned to read that you feel like giving up. Please do speak with your GP about this if this is something that you are noticing about your feelings in general.

The TransEar hearing aid system is currently not available within NHS Scotland. I have been advised that we have asked the supplier for detailed technical and clinical information to support the use of this device. If this was available, this would mean that the device could be considered though the processes established within NHS Scotland to support purchases for clinically 'tried and tested' equipment. We have also not been able to identify any clinical staff with expertise or experience in relation this device in Scotland or the wider UK.

I suspect that you will be disappointed to have this confirmed again, particularly as you have expressed your concerns through several other routes and communication channels previously. However, I hope that you might be able in time to consider the alternatives that are available - having been approved through the appropriate channels.

I fear that this might not be the response that you were hoping for and am sorry that your experience has led to you feeling the way that you do. You may be already aware of the services offered by Hearing Link http://www.hearinglink.org/news/scotland. I wondered whether there might be others with similar experiences who have been able to identify solutions.

You might also want to encourage the company who produce this hearing aid to submit this information so that it can be considered through the same process that the others have been through? I am sure that if they have evidence to support the claims of benefit that this will be carefully looked at.

Respectfully yours,

Craig A White

Assistant Director

NHS Ayrshire and Arran

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Update posted by Unilug (the patient)

So it was all my fault, right? What you "understand" is no more than what I already told you. That is what the phrase "a well worn path means" My "giving up" was an allusion to the lack of a meaningful response from NHS over the years but as one rational person to another, let me thank your for your concern.

I offer the same advice to you if you ever start to feel overloaded with life 's travails. I'm afraid your arguments are circular and unconvincing "Confirmed again" [sic]? When was the last time?

No, I am not disappointed it was predictable but I did give you a chance to prove me wrong but, alas, you did not take it. All the other "routes" you refer to were dead ends and I had already said as much implicitly which you would have noticed if you read my words carefully. But I suppose it it reads better from your point of view to place the blame on me. You say "respectfully yours" but you did not reply to my email so I just don't understand you young folk because you might just have got all the proof of benefit you need if you had went into a dialogue with me.

In closing let me express my regret for this missed opportunity.

Please do take care of yourself now, won't you.

Response from Craig White, Assistant Director, Nurse Directorate, NHS Ayrshire and Arran 10 years ago
Craig White
Assistant Director, Nurse Directorate,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Submitted on 31/05/2013 at 14:14
Published on Care Opinion at 14:22

picture of Craig White

Thank you for your response.

I am sorry that I did not reply to your email and used this site instead. Upon reflection, after I received your email I was too focused on ensuring that I could then get your details to the relevant staff to provide a response to your concern.

I think that email or conversation would be preferable to support ongoing discussions and I have today made contact with you to offer independent review by staff from another NHS Board and from NHS National Services Scotland.

I appreciate you taking the time to provide further feedback and in doing so demonstrating the benefits of Patient Opinion in providing a means to raise dissatisfaction of the sort you have outlined.

I hope you will accept my offer of independent review.

Craig White

Assistant Director

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Update posted by Unilug (the patient)

Thank you very much indeed, I appreciate that very much.

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