EVERY day, we hear from people who have been waiting up to three years to get a digital hearing aid free from the NHS. We estimate that up to half a million people in England are in this appalling situation.

As the national charity for deaf and hard of hearing people, RNID is calling on the government to shorten waiting times for hearing aids. Until then, huge numbers of people will be facing totally unnecessary exclusion and isolation.

Have you been waiting too long for a digital hearing aid?If so, please write to your local MP urging them to support our call for waiting times to be reduced. For more information please visit www.rnid.org.uk/audiologycs.

DR JOHN LOW, RNID chief executive