North-east patients are waiting as long as two years for hearing aids in a region where audiologists deal with thousands more people than other parts of Scotland.
Recruitment problems are common all over the country – but it has been felt “more acutely” in NHS Grampian.
The health board says it takes an average of “roughly one year” for a patient to get their first assessment.
But a number of people have been raising concerns with a local MSP claiming they have waited up to two years for hearing aids at Aberdeen’s Woodend Hospital.
‘Underfunded’
NHS Grampian interim chief executive Adam Coldwells said its audiology department is “underfunded” compared to others across Scotland.
This is despite NHS Grampian having an older demographic than other parts of the country with audiology patients typically elderly.
Putting the pressures in context, he explained each audiologist in Grampian is responsible for roughly 8,000 more patients than colleagues elsewhere.
There is no dedicated university audiology degree course available in Scotland, meaning training options a more limited.
Health boards must usually attract candidates from elsewhere in the UK or overseas.
In a letter setting out the reality for the under-pressure health board, Mr Coldwells, apologised for the waits.
He said: “The above factors contribute to an average wait for first assessment by audiology within NHS Grampian of roughly one year.
“This does vary across different areas within the region but not significantly.”
He added: “Most boards report waits for first assessment in excess of 35 weeks.”
‘Breaking point’
North East MSP Liam Kerr had initially raised the concerns about local patients with NHS Grampian. He claimed staffing struggles “have clearly reached breaking point”.
Mr Kerr said: “The health board should be commended for frankly revealing the scale of the challenge and doing the best they can within the budget constraints inflicted upon them by the SNP.
“At the Scottish Parliament, I will continue to pressure ministers to give NHS Grampian its fair share of funding to help address the challenges facing audiology.”
NHS Grampian is currently grappling with a budget hole of more than £77 million and has warned it faces an “unprecedented challenge”.
It follows well-documented pressures on Aberdeen Royal Infirmary which has seen more than a dozen ambulances seen queuing outside on multiple occasions.
On Monday, First Minister Humza Yousaf said he wants to see “significant improvement” at the hospital “very soon”.
Asked about the funding for NHS Grampian, a Scottish Government spokesman said: “We remain committed to driving down waiting times and we are working closely with NHS Boards, including NHS Grampian, to set out how we will reduce waiting times and deliver on the commitments in our £1 billion NHS Recovery Plan.
“We will continue to target resources to reduce waiting times, particularly for those waiting longest for treatment.”
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