Hearing test problems for 90-year-old

Frustrated Molly Lewis, from Broadwater, said: "I'm 90 years old in October - I might not be here in 13 months."

Mrs Lewis was given a digital NHS aid two years ago but her hearing has deteriorated so much she needs to go back to Worthing Hospital's audiology department for another test before a new one can be issued.

She was shocked to receive a letter which told her she had to wait 13 months just days after hospital bosses announced they were on target to meet the lowest waiting times in two decades.

"It really angers me," she said.

"You read all about how waiting lists are coming down and supposed to be the lowest for years, but 13 months is a long time to wait.

"I rang the hospital up and asked them if they could do anything for me but they told me they had too many patients and not enough staff."

Mrs Lewis paid a private company almost 1,500 for a state of the art hearing aid several years ago but she has refused to pay the 100 fee they are demanding to clean it. She is now banking on a new NHS hearing aid.

"My family are a bit fed up because they have to keep shouting at me. Some people's voices carry better than others but if you are in a group you can't hear very well at all," she said.

"My daughter had a birthday party last week and said to me 'you've been very quiet'. I told her that was because I couldn't hear what anyone was saying."

East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton, who is also shadow health minister for the Conservatives, said: "Having put great pressure on the government to roll out digital hearing aids nationwide after dragging their feet for too many years it is particularly galling that many of my constituents are still missing out while thousands of other people in other parts of the country have long since been fitted with digital hearing aids. I am especially concerned that somebody of Molly Lewis's seniority is having to wait so long when the technology is in place and the digital hearing aids are in plentiful supply and I will be taking this up with the health minister as a matter of urgency."

Pam Lelliott, communications manager at Worthing and Southlands Hospitals, said: "The audiology department work very hard to keep waiting times down to a minimum and provide a rapid repair service for patients whose hearing aids have broken.

"Our waiting lists are longer than we would like but we do everything possible to see patients as quickly as we can.

"Our records show that we repaired Mrs Lewis's existing hearing aid in March and as it is one of the current models it should be functioning satisfactorily. If it is not, she needs to contact us again and we will review the situation."