Hearing Aid Upgrades

Severely deaf children and adults are to receive automatic hearing aid upgrades every five years.

It follows a £3.2 million investment from the Scottish Government.

From next year, the cash will fund a national rollout to help those with cochlear implants.

The surgically implanted electronic device, in combination with a sound processor, provides a sense of sound, and an understanding of speech, to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. 

It allows profoundly deaf children, with specialist teaching and speech and language support, to integrate into mainstream schooling. For older adults with hearing loss it reduces the experience of social isolation.

Currently sound processors are replaced if they no longer work and cannot be repaired, or if the patient is judged to not receive sufficient clinical benefit from the device.

Health Secretary, Shona Robison said: 

"This is a substantial investment in a small, specialised service which will make a real difference to those children and adults who rely on cochlear implants for a better quality of life.

"Hearing is a sense most of us take for granted, but in the UK around one in every 1000 children is severely or profoundly deaf at 3 years old. For children, especially young children, cochlear implants can give an understanding of sound that will help them develop speech and language skills that allow them to integrate into mainstream society.

"The technology in this area is developing all the time, with newer, better processors becoming available that can improve sound quality and the functionality of the device. 

"It is only right that we give patients access to this life-changing technology and I’m extremely pleased to be able to announce the funding that will deliver a roll-out of this national five-year upgrade programme."

Heather Gray, Director of NDCS Scotland said:

"This investment signals real commitment from the Scottish Government to ensuring the best possible outcomes for deaf children. Hundreds of children across the country rely on this specialist technology for access to sound which is fundamental to their learning and wellbeing. Ensuring this technology is working to its optimal capacity is critical. 

"With the right support, we know that deaf children can achieve as much as their hearing peers. But the persisting education attainment gap for deaf children shows we still have much to do to ensure we are getting it right for this small, often overlooked group of children. This investment is a step towards closing the gap and is very welcomed."

Catherine and Andrew Lothian, whose two year-old daughter Alice has a cochlear implant, welcomed the announcement.

They said: "We are delighted with this decision.

"It will make a big difference to Alice, 2½, as she will now be offered an upgrade every five years, which is the guaranteed lifespan of a Cochlear Implant processor. 
“We now know that she will continue to receive the best available quality and clarity of sound, and will always have access to up-to-date technology as time goes on. That will have a positive impact for her in learning, hearing and socialising in a mainstream school. 

"Alice's confidence has increased since she has been 'switched on' and she loves listening to stories and dancing and singing. We're delighted to know that she will be able to continue to enjoy these activities in the same way. "