Budget limits issuing of hearing aids to medical card holders, says lobby

THE ISSUING of hearing aids to medical card holders in the south-east has been curtailed as the region's Health Service Executive's audiology budget for 2008 is exhausted, one of the largest lobby groups for deaf people in the State has said.

Maureen Whittle, spokeswoman for Deafhear.ie (formerly the National Association of Deaf People), said hundreds of hearing-impaired people in the Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Waterford areas were being left without an adequate audiology service.

"The annual HSE budget for audiology services in the southeast has run out mid-year and there is no more funding forthcoming for the remainder of 2008," she said.

She said reassurances had been given that frontline services would be maintained at 2007 levels to the end of the year, but no additional funding has been forthcoming.

"Audiology services have taken on no new clients since June," she said, "and this seems set to continue unless the badly needed extra funding becomes available.

"Prior to this latest blow, the service in the region was already operating well below par with only two audiologists covering the four community care areas in the south-east.

"Realistically, to provide an efficient service, there needs to be one audiologist allocated for each community care area."

She said the non-issuing of hearing aids to medical-card holders was a particular hardship which left people isolated.

"They don't want to go out because they get embarrassed and frustrated when they can't hear people properly. They don't want to go to family or social gatherings because they feel stupid and to be honest people treat you like an imbecile when they think you can't understand them."

A spokesman for the HSE south-east confirmed there were currently delays "as regards patients on the routine waiting lists for hearing aids.

"The HSE is working to address this issue within its resources. However, in the case of urgent or emergency referrals, hearing aids are being provided," he said.

"In an effort to address waiting lists, in 2007 the HSE South East employed an additional audiologist and is currently recruiting for an additional audiological scientist. The interviews have taken place for this position and we now await sanction to appoint this person."