All UK Hearing Aid Dispensers need to be registered with the Healthcare Professionals Council (HCPC). To retain that Registration they need to enroll on a program of Continuous Professional Development (CPD).
They will be required to follow a code of practice, both in the way the hearing aid is sold and in the way it is fitted. The Dispenser is often more familiar with one or two of manufacturers and will be best able to fit those hearing aid products.
The hearing aid is programmed using the manufacturers recommended settings. These are based on your specific hearing loss. It is the responsibility of the Dispenser to modify these settings to make it suitable for an individual and their particular life-style. The success of the hearing aid fitting is therefore most reliant on the ability of the Dispenser.
In the UK the number of independent hearing aid dispensers is dropping due to fierce competition from national High Street providers. Independent dispensers are better at fitting hearing aids because they build up a personal relationship with you. As said before, the success of the fitting is largely based on the dispenser understanding your needs. National High Street hearing aid shops rarely enable you to see the same dispenser however they are generally cheaper. This is often due to bulk buying of aids from a manufacturer who no longer sells to Independent Dispensers, possibly as the technology is out-dated.
Hearing Aid Dispensers can also apply to be Members of professional organisations:-
BSHAA – British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists
BAA – British Academy of Audiology
AIHHP – Association of Independent Hearing Healthcare Practitioners
You can call Dr Graham Day for a free hearing aid consultaion on 07957 191 896