Sunday, July 29, 2007

Heard the one about...

Not if you're in Britain and need a hearing aid:

A 108-year-old woman has been told by the NHS she must wait until she is 110 to get a new hearing aid.

Olive Beal, one of the oldest women in Britain, is wheelchair bound and is losing her eyesight but has still been placed on an 18-month waiting list for a digital hearing aid.

....The Royal National Institute for the Deaf says unfortunately Olive case is not unique.

Spokeswoman Donna Tipping said: "I am afraid this is a common problem. In some parts of the country there are over two year waiting lists, which is shocking.

"It is particularly bad with a 108-year-old that she should have to wait so long when we have new digital hearing aids available on the NHS which can really transform people's lives.

"There are more than half a million people waiting for hearing aids in this country and we think the government needs to bring in 18-week target guidelines.

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