Waiting times for hearing aids has been dramatically cut from 88 weeks to just eight weeks for NHS patients in the Canterbury area.

The queues have been slashed as the direct result of a partnership formed between the public and private sectors 10 months ago.

More than 2,000 patients have benefitted already from the link forged last September between the Eastern and Coastal Primary Care Trust and Hearbase Ltd, a private audiology company.

The original NHS target for patients to be seen by a consultant within 18 weeks and fitted with a hearing aid three weeks later has been blitzed by the success of the scheme.

The hard of hearing are now fitted with a hearing aid eight weeks after being referred to their doctor.

As a result, the public-private arrangement has been extended from the original six-month contract to an agreement running until March, 2011.

The contract also provides aftercare for NHS patients, such as hearing tests, hearing aid servicing and battery replacement.

The new system of aftercare has been delivered from a city centre location at the Old Brewery Business Centre in Stour Street to relieve pressure on Kent and Canterbury Hospital.

Hearbase managing director Mark Scutchings said: “While NHS patients in many parts of the country are still waiting more than a year for a digital hearing aid, that is not the case in Canterbury, or in Dover, Ashford and Folkestone.

“We have set the aftercare so that patients do not need to travel to a main hospital but can visit a facility within their area.

“This makes aftercare more accessible to those who find travelling far more difficult.”

Hearbase also run clinics at Chaucer Hospital, Canterbury, the QEQM hospital, Margate, and in Herne Bay.

NHS patients wishing to discover more about the scheme should telephone 01303 256995 or visit website www.hearbase.com