Audiology services in the UK are chronically under-resourced and under increasing demand according to research published by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID).

RNID's report, Audiology in Crisis - Still Waiting to Hear, highlights an overall increase of thirty per cent in waiting times.
In some areas people are waiting longer than a year to have their hearing tested and two years before they receive a hearing aid.

The longest wait for a hearing aid has increased by five months - from 19 months to 24 months - in the last two years.

The report cites lack of staff, crumbling infrastructure and inadequate funding as reasons for the falling levels of service.

?We are extremely short of staff and find it very difficult to get staff?, says Tekie Russom of St Mary?s NHS Trust, Paddington, ?Our waiting lists have greatly lengthened and people have to wait three to four months for hearing aid fitters.?

The report calls for NHS Executives to ?urgently address the allocation of funds, staff, accommodation and facilities to ensure that service modernisation is fully supported.?