Lost Hearing Aid

Lost Hearing Aid

Information for patients, relatives and carers

NHS hearing aids are issued to patients on a long-term basis by the NHS.  At no time do NHS hearing aids become your property.

Hearing aids that are subsequently lost, or damaged beyond repair due to negligence, will incur a charge of £120 per hearing aid.  This fee is an administrative cost and does not cover the entire cost of replacing the aid. 

The charge is reviewed on a regular basis and at no point does the Trust make any profit from lost hearing aid charges.  You will only receive the replacement aid once full payment has been received.  Payment can be made via Cash/ Credit/Debit card.

Your hearing aid is a valuable and delicate instrument.  We understand that hearing aids can break down through no fault of your own.  If this happens, the aid will be repaired or replaced free of charge. 

What is negligence?

• Damage from home appliances such as washing machines, oven or microwaves.
• Poor or inappropriate cleaning that has caused irreparable damage.
• Exposure to excessive moisture from showers, baths or swimming.
• Poor storage leading to rust, melted casing, dirt, or other physical damage.
• Damage due to pets e.g. teeth marks, this includes accidental damage.
• Hearing Aids coming into to contact with hair products e.g. hairspray, oil etc
• Tampering (gluing the aid together, inserting battery incorrectly, permanent marking by pen or varnish)

Please remember to have your hearing aids serviced every 6 months to keep them in good working order. 

Are there any exemptions to the lost aid charge?

There are a few specific exemptions for the lost hearing aid fee, see below: 

• You are under 18 years of age.
• Hearing aid considered obsolete and due for replacement.
• Victims of burglary, car theft or mugging on provision of a crime number.
• People with documented dementia or other documented memory issues on provision of a letter from their GP.
• War pensioners irrespective of the reason for the war pension on provision of the letter received from Veterans UK for the current year.
• Patients with a terminal illness.
• Loss due to neglect within the Trust.  An initial payment and claim form may be required.
• You hold a current HC2 or HC3 certificate on provision of this certificate.
• You are registered blind or partially sighted on provision of evidence. Provision of a certificate of visual impairment (CVI) which would have been issued via Ophthalmology.

Persistent losses through neglect and/or damage may still result in a charge, even if you fulfil one of the exemption criteria.

Please note, it is your responsibility to contact the department if you feel that your Earmould or Thin tube is loose and ill fitting.

How can I contact the Audiology Department?

If your hearing aid cannot be found after a thorough search or is in need of repair, please contact the Audiology Department in the following ways:

Text Only:

Worcester 0778 633 4306

Redditch 0743 603 5394

Kidderminster 0780 802 4894

Email: [email protected]

Telephone:

Worcester      01905 760 171

Evesham        01386 502 578

Redditch         01527 505 741

Kidderminster 01562 826 324/ 01562 826 323

If your symptoms or condition worsens, or if you are concerned about anything, please call your GP, 111, or 999.

Patient Experience

We know that being admitted to hospital can be a difficult and unsettling time for you and your loved ones. If you have any questions or concerns, please do speak with a member of staff on the ward or in the relevant department who will do their best to answer your questions and reassure you. 

Feedback

Feedback is really important and useful to us – it can tell us where we are working well and where improvements can be made. There are lots of ways you can share your experience with us including completing our Friends and Family Test – cards are available and can be posted on all wards, departments and clinics at our hospitals. We value your comments and feedback and thank you for taking the time to share this with us.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

If you have any concerns or questions about your care, we advise you to talk with the nurse in charge or the department manager in the first instance as they are best placed to answer any questions or resolve concerns quickly. If the relevant member of staff is unable to help resolve your concern, you can contact the PALS Team. We offer informal help, advice or support about any aspect of hospital services & experiences.

Our PALS team will liaise with the various departments in our hospitals on your behalf, if you feel unable to do so, to resolve your problems and where appropriate refer to outside help.

If you are still unhappy you can contact the Complaints Department, who can investigate your concerns. You can make a complaint orally, electronically or in writing and we can advise and guide you through the complaints procedure.

How to contact PALS:

Telephone Patient Services: 0300 123 1732 or via email at: [email protected]

Opening times:

The PALS telephone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.00pm. Please be aware that you may need to leave a voicemail message, but we aim to return your call within one working day.

If you are unable to understand this leaflet, please communicate with a member of staff.  

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