It may sound odd as a private independent retailer of hearing aids that we love our NHS. We love them so much that we have campaigned on their behalf via the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists to make sure that during these terrible times of government austerity that the audiology department hasn't had to cut its services by too much.

However, some hospitals have had no choice but to take measures to meet demands. These include cutting patient/ audiologist time or appointments completely, outsourcing to the private sector but paying peanuts, only fitting patients when their hearing is 'bad enough', only fitting one hearing aid where two are necessary and fitting cheaper hearing aids that are way behind modern technology. Let it be said though that there are some magnificent audiology departments, audiologists and hearing care assistants in hospitals and on the high street doing some sterling work.

Two of our audiologists have both worked in NHS audiology departments in the past and comment that there are good and bad departments, but the quality of the technology available to them on the private side is vastly superior. Here are just some of the differences: