In many areas of the country, free NHS aids are available through Specsavers....so you don't have to go to hospital at all. But, you do need to see your GP first. Further information here:
Specsavers can only provide NHS hearing aids for age related hearing loss. Also the range of appointments isn't as large as your GP or Specsavers would have you believe.
Not only can you geta hearing aid on the NHS (see posts above for how to get one) but your hearing will be rechecked regularly and your aid recalibrated to your hearing. NHS also supplies the batteries.
Bear in mind that the aids now given out by the NHS are tiny digital aids .
I have always found the audiology department that I use absolutely brilliant.
Spoke to my GP and was referred directly to audiology department after having my ears syringed (yes they were a bit blocked). Great service and now wear a hearing aid which nobody seems to notice. Free batteries when I need them and repairs too.
Bloke goes into a bar with a lemon in his ear & the barman asks why do you have a lemon in your ear & the bloke replies I've mislaid my hearing aid, this is a lemonaid. Yes I know it's a joke I thought it might amuse a few.
Around here they also send you for a head scan in case there is any physical cause for your hearing problem,In my case I'm waiting for the results of my second scan as they suspect I have an accoustic neuroma a benign growth that can block up the ear tube.
paddywack.....you make a good point, however the deafness of the ageing (presbycusus ) affects both ears symmetrically, whereas an acoustic neuroma causes deafness only in one ear. It is slow growing and may not even be worth removing.
All patients with a one sided nerve deafness should have an MRI scan.