As someone who suffers from hearing loss and wears hearing aids, I’m keen to do all that I can to help those in a similar position – it’s one of my top priorities.
Sadly, hearing loss has a massive impact on cognitive decline, and leads to significant risk of social isolation, loneliness, dementia, and mental health issues. It also has an impact on a child’s early development.
Frustratingly, the NHS in Wales only contracts private opticians, dentists, doctors, and pharmacists to offer free NHS services, and refuses to do for audiologists. This has led to long waiting lists just for people to have a hearing test, let alone be fitted for hearing aids, and I am actively challenging this.