Increased demand has impacted on audiology services provided to people with hearing loss by some of Scotland's health boards over the last two years, according to a new report.
Five areas reported an increase in waiting times while only six boards said they provide after care hearing aid support at home, and just four said they provide the service for people living in care homes.
The findings are contained in the report Under Pressure published today by Action on Hearing Loss Scotland.
The charity used freedom of information laws which revealed nine health boards in Scotland said increased demand had impacted on their audiology services in the last two years.
Four boards said they have experienced increases in times for reassessments of patients, and three had reduced follow-up appointments which are vital for people who initially struggle with their hearing aids, the charity said.
It said its volunteers provide community-based outreach support - including in people's homes - to more than 5,000 people each year across NHS Tayside, NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Borders areas.
But the charity said its Hear to Help services - which re-tube, clean or maintain NHS hearing aids and provide hearing batteries - are facing closure at the end of March due to a lack of funding.
Action on Hearing Loss Scotland said it fears audiology departments will struggle to cope with the extra patients.
Delia Henry, director of the charity, said: "It is important that patients do not suffer a reduced quality of service due to increases in demand on audiology departments but the closure of community-based services delivered by third sector volunteers, like our Hear to Help projects, will impact greatly on the numbers of patients with hearing loss seeking appointments at hospital for very basic hearing aid support.
"Reducing the availability of easily accessible hearing aid services in their communities will not only produce massive barriers for many older people with hearing loss who are housebound or have mobility difficulties to continue getting the support that they need, but is also a false economy that will only lead to higher NHS and social care costs in the long run."
Research was gathered by the charity between September and December last year. The Western Isles was the only health board in Scotland which did not reply.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "We expect all boards to see patients as quickly as possible. This includes audiology services. Our priority is high quality care in the right place at the right time provided by the right staff. We expect Boards to ensure their audiology services are keeping pace with demand."
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