Thousands of people with hearing loss will have access to groundbreaking new hearing aid devices
Fresh guidance has been published by the UK Government to give businesses around the world the green light to sell certain pioneering hearing aids in the UK.
This includes earphones with both hearing test and hearing aid software functionalities. These innovative products allow someone to take a hearing test at home using their earphones and an app on their phone. If the test indicates mild to moderate hearing loss, the person can then switch on the hearing aid function on the same earphones.
This will make it easier and more convenient for patients to manage their own health, according to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said: “Britain can be a powerhouse for medical technology, but only if we rip out pointless regulation that suffocates innovation.
“Groundbreaking new hearing aid devices have the potential to help tens of thousands of people with hearing loss, helping them to live their life to the full. The action we’re taking will give businesses the green light to start selling these products to patients across the UK.
“This is part of the work this government is undertaking in partnership with leading technology companies, to harness the revolution in medical technology, bring our analogue healthcare into the digital age and make life more convenient for patients.”
According to the DHSC, there has previously been uncertainty about whether patients are able to buy hearing aids directly, including as part of testing their hearing at home. The new guidance aims to put an end to this confusion, speeding up patient access to the devices while making the UK an attractive place to manufacture innovative and wearable medical technology.
Patient safety will be paramount, and the government says that it will ensure that all manufacturers comply with the relevant legislation. People will also still be encouraged to seek clinical advice through their GP if they are having problems with their hearing.
This latest guidance supports two of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan’s key goals, which were reaffirmed in the Autumn Budget 2024: moving care from hospital to the community and shifting the health service from analogue to digital.
The move will help establish the UK as a global leader for innovative treatments and technologies, supporting sustained economic growth, good jobs, and increased productivity across the country, while ensuring patients have greater control of their own healthcare, the government underlines.