Four year wait in silent misery

Express & Star ^ | September 29, 2005 | Sarah Jackson

[Parmenio]

Sep 29, 2005 Hard of hearing borough residents could be facing a FOUR-YEAR wait to be fitted with a hearing aid, shock figures have revealed.

National guidelines state the wait should be just 12 weeks.

A shortage of full-time audiologists means Dudley South Primary Care Trust's waiting list could grow by a staggering 59 weeks during the next 12 months - forcing the wait up to a total of 226 weeks.

The average current wait in the south of the borough stands at 2.2 years.

A report being presented to the PCT's board today claims staffing levels within the department are not adequate.

Councillor Ken Turner, who sits on Dudley Council's select committee on good health, said the wait was totally unacceptable.

"People who have an impairment in sight or hearing have their quality of life greatly reduced as a consequence. We need to take action. To see such an increase in waiting times is totally unacceptable and should be immediately addressed by Dudley South PCT and the Government."

Problems within the department have got so bad that the tinnitus counselling and rehabilitation service is only taking urgent referrals.

Dudley South PCT spokeswoman Janice Cunningham said: "The 226 weeks is a worse-case scenario if we don't take anyone else on the list and if we were to remain at current staffing levels. We are investing £80,000 this year to employ four more staff.

She added: "We are also carrying out additional evening clinics to help bring down the numbers."

In the north of the borough, Dudley Beacon and Castle PCT is also trying to tackle audiology waiting lists by ploughing £140,000 into the department.

Director of communications Rob Checketts said: "The problem is not just borough-wide, it's national and is a concern to us.

"We hope this project we're investing in will help significantly and speed up the treatment we can offer. We are looking to provide an additional 500 digital hearing aids for patients by the end of March 2006.

"We have worked hard to find additional resources."

[Parmenio]

The joys of single-payer (ie. tax-payer) financed health care.

[Owl558]

Here in the States, my wait to be fitted for hearing aids was only limited by how fast I wanted to get off my butt and schedule the appointment.

The joy of evil, American HMO health care [/s].

[Iris7]

What you are seeing is Chicken Little "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" "Fund my budget (Buy me what I want!) or disaster will strike and it will be all your fault!"

This is how all those dependent on "government" money try to get more "resources", to get more bucks. The "the sky is falling" crowd definitely includes the "global warming" bunch, those wanting more "federal" money for "public" schools (It's for the Children! It's for the Children!), as well as any other subgroup in our crowded "public sector".

I have seen it many, many times. Like baby birds cheeping, mouth gaping and held up high, each chick insisting it be the one that gets the worm.

[hosepipe]

If you think health care is expensive now, just wait until it's 'free'- PJ O'Rourke