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Care Opinion

Hearing aids

Posted By Label629

"Hearing aids"

About: New Victoria Hospital / Audiology

(as the patient),

Hearing aid batteries: these are only lasting ONE WEEK instead of a month – a QUARTER of the time. As a taxpayer why is this happening.

Give additional journeys to ITS, extra work for staff & increasing costs by 400%.

Action please.

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Responses

Response from Lorna Fairlie, Patient Experience, Public Involvement Project Manager, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 9 years ago
Lorna Fairlie
Patient Experience, Public Involvement Project Manager,
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

I work in a small team in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde which seeks to involve patients and carers in the work of the NHS. The biggest part of my role is in managing feedback projects across the Board area, one of which is Patient Opinion. It is my job to give our patients and carers the opportunity to give us feedback, and to make sure that this is passed to the right people to help us improve the services we provide.

Submitted on 10/03/2015 at 07:57
Published on Care Opinion on 11/03/2015 at 09:30

Dear Label629,

Thank you for getting in touch with regards to the battery life on your hearing aid. We would expect hearing aid batteries to last for 7-10 days, based on the high intensity of the battery and the fact that they are usually on 24/7. The mildest power type of aid (Oticon) states life expectancy of 220 hours (or 15 days based on a 14 hour day). Many aids are much stronger/higher drain than this so the life expectancy shortens accordingly.

I have been advised that previously quite a while ago, with basic amplification and mercury batteries, aids lasted 4 or more weeks on a single cell. Now with automatic adaptation and zinc batteries the life of a battery is much more in the 1-2 week range (depending on the power of the aid and it's self regulating features).

I will ensure that all staff are much clearer about the expected battery life of aids when talking with patients, but would also encourage any patient who notices a change in battery life to come to the clinic to get their aids checked.

Yours Sincerely,

Ann Traquair Smith,

Clinical Services Manager,

Ear, Nose & Throat

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