I bought hearing aids from SpecSavers about 5 years ago. They have never given me good speech hearing. They want me to buy new ones. I have decided to try NHS, I have a hearing test booked for tomorrow. However, I am not opposed to paying for aids if they can give me better hearing. How do I find an Independent Hearing Specialist. I live in Shepton Mallet, Somerset. Do any Independents visit your home?
Many thanks for any advice.
Hi Bobbie, Specsavers have a tendency to offer all brands, then switch to there own brand because they are less cost to them, and there softwear is Encrypted to all there aids so you are tied into them and can't go elsewhere for help on their aids, to get a better choice on aids you need to seek an independent dispenser who is not tied into a Brand and can only offer a limited service... it's a minefield, but there are some very good ones about, I've never made it a point to advertise my services on these type of pages, only to give advice where needed to the best of my ability, I'm not in you area, I'm on the East Coast, but there is a service that covers your area where you will get the best prices and a choice of hearing aids to cover your needs, they cover nationwide, a quick google will find them, I'm sure you must have passed them on a search, if you have put in Hearing Aid Prices, there is a lady who will guide you through the process... hope I've helped
Many thanks for your interesting reply.
By the way, what what is the name of their own brand? I bought siemens from them.
Hi Bobbie, as has been said it is a minefield out there when it comes to hearing aids and unfortunately as in many walks of life a lot of advice you might get can be tinged with someone needing to sell something, this is the same whether it is an independent or a chain you are dealing with, anyone who tells you otherwise is not being entirely honest with you as how else do they make a living?
I have been in industry for 18 years and a partner with Specsavers 15 yrs. Yes Specsavers promote their own brand products, these are lower cost as any own brand is for exactly the same reasons as any other product. They are made and supplied by Siemens (rexton), Phonak (unitron) and Widex. Your issues around speech intelligibility when wearing your aids is as much dependant on your hearing loss as it is the hearing aid technology, all hearing aid manufacturers make some very bold claims about how their products can help you, however ultimately a hearing aid can only work with what residual natural hearing you have left. My advice would be to speak several different audiologists and consider not only price/technology but service levels such as how many days a week are clinics available, average waiting times for appts etc as be able to access support is just as important as technology. On average lifespan of hearing for most people is around 4 to 5 yrs, most manufacturers remove product support from their technology at around the 5 yr point again this is regardless of whether it is a Specsavers product or a branded version. It is also worth noting that all Specsavers can access the manufacturers branded range (if they are on our supplier list) so if you get quotes for a certain range ask them for a price also.
Hope that helps to balance the discussion and good luck in whatever you decide to do.
David
The Specsavers Guy is right...Siemens..Rexton..Rexton is an independent Company owned by Siemens....Siemens today don’t exist they have been bought out by a family called Sivantos about couple or so years ago, and the branding has changed, and yes Specsavers sold Rexton, but called them Siemens as the brand is the 10th largest brand in the world..like Mc Donald’s or Coca Cola, Shell, BP big trusted brands, Rexton is a European Business with only Specsavers as there sole seller in the UK, if you look on the back of the aid you will see the brand on the shell, UK Specsavers own brand is the Advance with 3 bands of pricing or maybe 4, I never worked for Specsavers or wish to, but I know they are encouraged to sell there own brand as the price point is more profitable, but Siemens sound a more trusted brand than Rexton, and a switch to there own branded aids, because they are less cost than the branded ones, although the technology may not be the same, but the price is more affordable, but like everything else in Hearing Aids..in Boots you will get a Phonak...Hidden Hearing a Oticon...Bloom a Widex, but they all call themselves independent, it sounds better, so like I said a minefield.
Many thanks to you both for taking the time to give me very detailed information. I have never seen the name on my aids. My husband has just got out a very powerful magnifier - the print is extremely small, but he can see "advanced". I am assuming that I have been sold Specsavers own aids.
I have recently been to NHS for a hearing test. I believe that what you get depends on what your trust supplies. I was surprised to find that Bath are still using moulds. Not the big ones they used to supply, which I really hated, this is much smaller. It doesn't have Bluetooth but you can use an Oticion? wifi streamer. I will have to see if the ear fitting is comfortable and if I really can get clear speech. Of course, it all takes time!! If they are not comfortable I will go back to getting new private aids.
Now with more information, I hope I will get it right next time. If only you could try aids before you buy. I know you can have 60 days to return them but how many times do you have to go back for adjustments before they really will refund your money?
You’ve seen yourself now the Tic Tacs Specsavers Do, told you, you had a Siemens, because the Brand say quality, but switched to there own brand, I’ve seen it loads, I have a Specsavers near me, and people have been in to see me, because I’m a registered Siemens fitter, saying can I help because they can’t get a satisfied fitting, I’ve looked at their aids and said theses are not Siemens, there Rexton or Advanced, people have argued with me, but I’ve shown them, but in any case I can’t help because There software is encrypted and no one else apart Specsavers can do anything, in any case you should alway get a trial, 30 or 60 days are norm for trying aids, you should know in a short time if you like them..
And unfortunately this is exactly why I stopped replying to posts on this forum as it is being used by people trying promote their own agendas pretending they are not...... trial period..... so what is a 90 day money back guarantee..... Sivantos/Siemens and being a registered 'Siemens Fitter'? There is no such thing..... Siemens globally have sold their retail business and it has been renamed Sivantos..... Siemens only continue to manufacture the products and the brand is changing to Signia globally. All Specsavers products are supplied to them by the brand manufacturers as listed, there is no smoke and mirrors as is being implied. The Advance product is an own brand made exclusively for Specsavers by these brands, as most major global brands they have separate businesses around the world and Rexton is part of the sivantos/Siemens group, it is also being implied this is therefore somehow misleading, you have been fitted with hearing aids that are supplied to Specsavers by Sivantos (Siemens) the advance product as any other own brand product offers the customer a lower price point for similar technology, which means the savings are also being passed onto the customer not just meaning more profit for the retailer, this should have been explained when you were discussing your hearing aid purchase but sounds like it wasn't or not clearly at least...... it is also correct that the software is exclusive to Specsavers however again do not be mislead here as I have yet to find many Hearing aid dispensers either independent or chain that will happily look after a hearing aid you have purchased elsewhere. Most will simply tell you to either go back where you got it from or try and convince you that it is not worth repairing and try to sell you something.
As I said previously your best bet is to do as much looking around as you can, speak to different businesses and as soon as they start slating their competitors I would suggest you need to be wary as this is classic selling tactics which are not particularly professional or helpful to you in anyway.
Regarding NHS hearing aids, I have been fitting NHS aids for over 8 yrs and in that time where I am based we have over 16,000 NHS patients that get in really well with them, I personally would absolutely recommend you revisit your NHS option as you may well find it does everything you need. It is also worth noting that if you are not desperate to do this right now and can wait a while longer the NHS have retendered their recommended hearing aid technology list and probably around the summer time (possibly a bit earlier) all NHS providers will be moving to these newer higher tech products. In general terms what you get from the NHS is good solid mid range technology so unless you are planning on purchasing aids at the high end of the technology scale I would really try with the NHS aids again.
Sorry this has been a long post and as previously said good luck and hopefully you get sorted with something that will provide the benefit you are looking for.
Kind regards David
Thank you David, no need to apologise for a long reply. I find it all very interesting. I have certainly learned more from this forum than I have on annual visits to our nearest high street audiologist. No, I was not told at the time of purchase that I would be buying own brand aids or that they were more cost effective. How much I was willing to pay was not discussed. At annual check-up I didn't feel I was being listened too. More attention was paid at my last appointment when I was told I should buy new Widex aids.
I am not knocking SpecSavers, they have built up a very good business. I remember when they were new to the market. You could have an eye test and go back in a couple of hours and collect your specs - amazing! They had their own lab on site. We don't live near a big SpecSaver now so I don't know if they do that anymore.
As a new member of this forum, I am sorry to learn that you have given up replying to posts. You obviously have a lot to offer - please reconsider.
Best wishes Bobbie
I hope you are still reading David. I have just had my new NHS hearing aids fitted. They are made by Phonak. The sound is much better than my Specsaver aids. Unfortunately, they have ear moulds which are much bigger than I expected and already my sensitive ears are feeling sore. The audiologist said my hearing was moderate to severe. I think she said that RIC would not be suitable for my hearing loss. I see Phonak do have RIC aids that they say are for severe loss. Did I misunderstand the audiologist? Kind regards, Beryl
NHS have been brilliant for me and I won’t go anywhere else. I use bi cross hearing aids and moulds are no longer used in the northwest.
It is great to hear how good NHS is for aids. I have an appointment in a couple of weeks to collect my new aids. They do have a mould but not like the big ones they used to have. I will post and let you know what I think of them. It would be great if they can give me clear speech - something my private ones have never managed.
Aids that help you to hear the spoken word
Well that's not what I would have expected
Hello 
New Hearing aids 
Decisions Decisions?????