Accessories for NHS Hearing Aids?

[Swarf, Mostly!Participant @swarfmostly]

I have, today, taken delivery of my latest NHS hearing aids. (For readers outside the UK, such appliances are 'free at the point of need'. )

I got a book of driving instructions this time. Inside the back cover there is a list of accessories for which one has to pay.

The accessory that most takes my fancy is a device that (wirelessly? ) routes the audio from one's television receiver to one's hearing aids. Neither my wife nor I watch any television these days but I do spend a lot of time in front of the computer wearing headphones. Yes, YouTube.

Does anyone here use one of these devices? Is the interfacing procedure complicated? Would it work with the computer (sound bar) rather than the television receiver?

Needless to say, this device is the most expensive accessory on the list!

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

[Swarf, Mostly!Participant @swarfmostly]

[Les Jones 1Participant @lesjones1]

I suspect the device creates an induction loop. This is just a loop of wire driven from a low impedance audio amplifier. The loop could be round the perimeter of the room or just a loop close to the hearing aids. It could also be some kind of RF link.I did try making an induction loop that I hung around my neck. It worked but i found it better just to use wireless headphones. (I would avoid Bluetooth wireless headphones as they give a slight delay on the sound.)

Les.

[Boiler BriParticipant @boilerbri]

My national health hearing aids are Bluetooth.

They will connect to my telephone -apple.

I do not have an iPad so I can not try it on there.

They will not connect to my PC or TV

Bri

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

Swarf

I think the device to which you are referring is called a Compilot and is made by Phonak. I have one, and with mine there is a small transmitter which is connected to a sound outlet on my tv, the unit is also connected to the mains as it doubles as the charging unit for the body worn unit. The body worn unit is quite small and is worn around the neck, suspended on a very thin cable which doubles as a loop system. The neck unit connects via Bluetooth to Bluetooth enabled hearing aids. When you listen via the Compilot all you hear is the sound from the tv, radio or whatever is connected, you do not hear all the extraneous sounds around you which make listening difficult if you have a serious hearing loss, I can only speak for how I find the system and it is marvellous and makes listening so much more relaxed as I don’t have to strain to hear, which in turn means that I don’t get anywhere near so tired. Setting up the system is relatively easy but you need to check before you buy that the device will support your brand and model of hearing aids, your audiologist can advise you, my hearing aids are Phonak same as the Compilot and my aids also connect via Bluetooth to my IPhone. Dave W

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

Swarf

Forgot to mention my hearing aids are NHS supplied. Dave W

[Anonymous]

Posted by Swarf, Mostly! on 18/10/2022 19:34:36:

(For readers outside the UK, such appliances are 'free at the point of need'. )

Just curious (and perhaps a bit thick) … what does that actually mean?

[Bill PhinnParticipant @billphinn90025]

Posted by Peter Greene 🇨🇦 on 24/10/2022 21:36:18:

Posted by Swarf, Mostly! on 18/10/2022 19:34:36:

(For readers outside the UK, such appliances are 'free at the point of need'. )

Just curious (and perhaps a bit thick) … what does that actually mean?

It means the cost is paid for by taxpayers, not the individual using the service, though the individual may also be a taxpayer, in which case he or she will contribute to the cost indirectly, i.e. through tax payments and not at the point of need/use.

[StueeeeParticipant @stueeee]

Posted by Peter Greene 🇨🇦 on 24/10/2022 21:36:18:

Posted by Swarf, Mostly! on 18/10/2022 19:34:36:

(For readers outside the UK, such appliances are 'free at the point of need'. )

Just curious (and perhaps a bit thick) … what does that actually mean?

Maybe its meant to mean that NHS services are free to the user, and that services provided to the user are based on clinical need rather than ability to pay.

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

I have a device that runs from the TV to my armchair via a small cable below the skirting board, there is a small pad that goes under my seat cushion, then using the NHS hearing aids telecoil I can hear the TV and adjust the volume on the device itself which is at the side of my chair. I could also run a wire round the entire room to create a loop and hear the TV anywhere in the room but have not felt the need to do that.

Edited By vic newey on 24/10/2022 22:29:09

[Andrew EntwistleParticipant @andrewentwistle]

I set up an Oticon Streamer 3.0 today to connect my mother's TV to her new NHS supplied Oticon Bluetooth compatible hearing aids. Just a matter of power cycling the hearing aids when the streamer box is first powered up to pair them, then connecting an audio signal to the streamer. In this case it was an optical TosLink cable to the TV, but analogue RCA phono connection is also supported. A phone app is used to select the streamer channel on the hearing aids, but this should also be possible from the hearing aid buttons.

[Anonymous]

Posted by Bill Phinn on 24/10/2022 22:06:49:

Posted by Peter Greene 🇨🇦 on 24/10/2022 21:36:18:

Posted by Swarf, Mostly! on 18/10/2022 19:34:36:

(For readers outside the UK, such appliances are 'free at the point of need'. )

Just curious (and perhaps a bit thick) … what does that actually mean?

It means the cost is paid for by taxpayers, not the individual using the service, though the individual may also be a taxpayer, in which case he or she will contribute to the cost indirectly, i.e. through tax payments and not at the point of need/use.

It's the "point of need" in this context that I'm confused about (not the "free" )

[Bill PhinnParticipant @billphinn90025]

Posted by Peter Greene 🇨🇦 on 25/10/2022 01:38:54:

It's the "point of need" in this context that I'm confused about (not the "free" )

The patient has a need for a health provider's intervention, in this case the NHS'. The patient gets that intervention at the point in time and space where his need for it arises, in theory if not always in practice, unless it's a trip to casualty.

I'm not personally familiar with the phrase "free at the point of need". I know it as "free at the point of use".

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Searching for the phrase “free at the point of” will find variations-on-the-theme

but this one is reasonably informative: **LINK**

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2432113/

MichaelG.

.

Edit: __ If you want to hum along with the tune, or wave your baton … the words & music are here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-constitution-for-england/the-nhs-constitution-for-england

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 25/10/2022 07:37:20

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

"Free at point of need" would usually mean the NHS gives you a hearing test and if that test determines your hearing is poor enough to, by their standards, "need" hearing aids, they are free. If the test shows you have some hearing loss but not enough to "need" hearing aids, you either pay for them yourself or go without until your "need" is established in a future test as your hearing declines.

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

They don't actually give you the hearing aids, they only are on loan, if you lose one you may well be asked to pay a replacement fee. In fact at our audiology clinic a sign tells you to add the aid to your house and holiday insurance as you may be charged for a new one if you lose it.

Since Covid made us wear masks I found it all too easy for the elastic loops to tangle and pull off an aid when removing the mask, after several near misses with mine inc one in a restaurant where the waiter found it under a table. I also have distorted hearing and in noisy places like shops or a cafe I turn the volume right down so i can sit in peace.

I started wearing a bandana instead of a mask which also is far more comfortable to breathe

[Martin King 2Participant @martinking2]

FAO Andrew Entwistle

Hi Andrew,

I have a set of private hearing aids form SpecSavers. The artery I opened to buy them has yet to heal!

They are rechargeable and at night sit in a small charger which also has a drying function.

I bought an extra gizmo which uses the optical audio out from my SKY Q box to stream the TV audio to my aids via an app on my iPhone(11) and iPad Pro.

This works well for the most part but does have issues connecting at times.

The only irritation is that if my wife is also watching TV with me her "volume" via the SKY remote is very slightly delayed and I get double volume at times. she keeps hers as low as possible (she has EXCELLENT hearing).

I believe that this might be an inherent issue with BlueTooth and wonder if anything can fix this?

The other issue is that with the gizmo on I can barely hear my wife speaking to me at all so she communicate by aiming various soft articles at me! One does wonder whether this is a good or a bad thing at times…..

Let us know how your item works out in action please.

Cheers, Martin

[HowiParticipant @howi]

What you might or might not get from the NHS depends on where you live, I live in South Yorkshire and am ONLY entitled to ONE hearing aid even though I may need two, across the border in NE Derbyshire you get TWO hearing aids if you need them.

When I went to my GP to have my hearing problem looked at, their first question was "why haven't I been to a high street audiologist", with the presumption that I should pay for hearing aids.

So, I was eventually refered to the NHS and got my ONE hearing aid which worked well fort a while but me hearing deteriated to the point I needed two hearing aids, so bit the bullet and purchased new ones.

The difference is amazing, the Bluetooth connectivity is great.

The device everyone seems to be talking about is for those that do not have Bluetooth conectivity in their TV, my Samsung TV has blue tooth audio but I do not use it as I do not watch TV, I connect to my computer via blue tooth and watch what I need on that.

As an aside, forum members may not have seen an article (can't remember where I read it) recently that has linked common chemotherepy medication for certain types of cancer to hearing loss.

The hearing loss seems to kick in at or around the 5 year mark after receiving chemo treatment.

As I read the article everything seemed to drop into place as pointing to the chemo as the cause, I may be wrong of course but my hearing loss started being noticable in 2019/20, I started my Chemo in 2014.

Of course it could just be old age.

Ahhhh! it gets us all in the end

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

Posted by Martin King 2 on 25/10/2022 09:57:32:

The other issue is that with the gizmo on I can barely hear my wife speaking to me at all so she communicate by aiming various soft articles at me! One does wonder whether this is a good or a bad thing at times…..

Let us know how your item works out in action please.

Cheers, Martin

———————————————

Are you sure your hearing aid has been set properly at the clinic?

On my old NHS hearing aids I have a setting where the telecoil is on and everything else is off or I press the button for three beeps and it's then telecoil and other sounds as well. Then I can hear the TV and anyone speaking in the room etc.

It took 12 years before a new audiologist at our local hospital told me that was an option I could have had set right from the start.

[Swarf, Mostly!Participant @swarfmostly]

Good morning, all,

Thank you, everyone who has replied/contributed to this thread.

I hadn't realised that there were so many different brands of hearing aid approved and supplied by the NHS. Mine are Danalogic GN, via Scrivens Opticians.

The TV accessory mentioned in my instruction book is called the 'TV Streamer 2' and its described says it 'wirelessly connects your hearing aids to your television'. I am awaiting a reply from Scrivens to my request for more detailed information on this device. I assume that it is connected to the TV (or computer sound bar? ) via cable and to the hearing aids via Bluetooth. My audiologist said that if I required induction loop functionality, I was to 'come back and we'll programme it in'.

Regarding the given vs loaned aspect, my audiologist left my old hearing aids with me 'as spares'.  I do remember mention on a previous occasion of a £100 fee to replace a lost or damaged aid.  My house contents insurers refused to cover that fee as part of the accidental damage section of the policy.

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

Edited By Swarf, Mostly! on 25/10/2022 11:39:33

[Swarf, Mostly!Participant @swarfmostly]

Oops!!!

For 'described', please read 'description'.

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

[Anonymous]

Posted by Howi on 25/10/2022 09:58:15:

As an aside, forum members may not have seen an article (can't remember where I read it) recently that has linked common chemotherepy medication for certain types of cancer to hearing loss.

I'd be interested to hear which chemo medication is referred to.

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Posted by Peter Greene 🇨🇦 on 25/10/2022 18:03:42:

Posted by Howi on 25/10/2022 09:58:15:

As an aside, forum members may not have seen an article (can't remember where I read it) recently that has linked common chemotherepy medication for certain types of cancer to hearing loss.

I'd be interested to hear which chemo medication is referred to.

I’d guess from This that it's several
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7328195/

[Anonymous]

Hmm … that doesn't seem to relate to chemotherapy to me pp. Specifically it says this:

"Medications selected for this study and defined as “ototoxic medications” here were those that have been identified as ototoxic in the literature reviewed (1,9). These included loop diuretics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antibiotics, chemotherapeutic agents, quinine, and acetaminophen. Concomitant ototoxic medications were considered if a participant was taking more than one ototoxic medication. "

[Anonymous]

One thing to be at least aware of with bluetooth transmitters connected to TVs or even direct bluetooth TV output:

If other family members are using the TV's regular speaker output, it is possible that the bluetooth output might be slightly phase-shifted from that which can give an annoying echo effect.

I've never tried bluetooth with the TV but I do use rf-headphones (with and without the hearing aid) and I do get a very slight phase displacement with my current TV. (One of the audio outputs on my previous TV was really 'orrible in this respect).

Just something to consider.

[Author]

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