§ Nick HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how long the average wait has been to receive an NHS hearing aid in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement; [48573]
(2)how old the average recipient of an NHS hearing aid has been in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement; [48574]
(3)how many people have been on a waiting list to receive an NHS hearing aid in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [48572]
§ Jacqui SmithThe information requested is not available centrally. However according to the Institute of Hearing Research, the mean age of adults supplied with hearing aids as part of the modernising hearing aid services project is 71 (with a median age of 74). The Department is working in partnership with the Royal National Institute for Deaf People to modernise hearing aid services. The project includes provision of digital hearing aids as part of a modernised service designed to meet the needs of people with hearing impairments. Over £30 million has been invested to support the modernisation project.