HSE-private plan could cut hearing aid wait list, says Cork-based audiologist

An audiologist working in Cork and Kerry has suggested that the HSE engage with the private sector to help reduce the waiting list of more than two years for those waiting for a hearing test before they get fitted for hearing aids.

Francis Lennox, who has a practice in Cork city but also runs clinics in Kerry, was speaking to The Echo after this newspaper brought to light that the waiting list for medical card holders was 117 weeks and, according to figures provided by Cork Kerry Community Healthcare (CKCH), there were 2,619 on that list at present.

Approximately 57% of that number have been waiting 12 months or more for a hearing test which is a requirement before a hearing aid can be approved and fitted.

CKCH said there are currently 14.2 audiologists working in Cork and Kerry primary care, with one unfilled post.

“I know that the audiologists who work in the HSE are up to their eyeballs in this work,” said Mr Lennox.

“They’re doing their very best.”

“My suggestion would be that the HSE would outsource it to the private sector, those of the private sector that wanted to participate, they would come to an agreement, there would be a nominal payment for this. Then you have two options — of those who are entitled to the PPS grant, they could be fitted by the private sector with that, they’d be fitted within a week. That’s one option for those who are eligible for the PPS grant — most would be.

“For those who are not, we would be sending back a report to the HSE anyway of all of them, so they would be able to get the report, the audiology test done, and then they could proceed to fit them with hearing aids.”

Cork advocate for the elderly Paddy O’Brien told The Echo that the lengthy delay in getting hearing tests to get a hearing aid fitted meant senior citizens were feeling excluded from conversations and felt they were losing friends because they couldn’t hear what was being said.

One person told him that they had stopped going to mass as they felt they couldn’t participate in conversations afterwards.

A CKCH spokesperson said earlier this week: “We deeply regret that anyone in need of our services is facing longer-than-expected wait times.

“We apologise sincerely, this is not the standard of service we strive to provide and we want to assure people affected that we are working hard to address these issues and improve access to the audiology service.”