Page 24 - Primary Care Audiology

Technology and

innovation

“Loss of hearing, which is often under-appreciated, can have a
substantial effect on quality of life including social interaction […]
Hearing loss is generally slowly progressive. [….]. There is strong
evidence that hearing technology, including hearing aids and (more
rarely) cochlear implants, enables most people with hearing loss to
stay socially active, reduce the risk of depression, and may reduce
the risk of dementia.”
Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report
2023: Health in an Ageing Society. 50

Life-changing tech

Hearing aids are the primary intervention for most permanent hearing
loss. Their clinical effectiveness has been demonstrated by both a
Cochrane systematic review and independent analysis by NICE.
51
NICE has also shown that early diagnosis of hearing loss, timely
provision of hearing aids and ongoing support helps improve quality
of life and is very cost-effective for the NHS. 52
Emerging evidence also shows that hearing aids might protect
against the risk of developing dementia. 53
In addition, hearing aid technology continues to advance rapidly, with
modern digital hearing aids providing high-tech noise management
and the ability to seamlessly adapt to different environments, helping
further reduce the impact that hearing loss has on daily life.

24 NCHA Primary care audiology – accessible ear and hearing care for all 25