To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost of providing a digital hearing aid on the NHS is in the Province including (a) assessment, (b) fitting, (c) follow-up and (d) purchase of the aid (i) to the NHS and (ii) to the patient. (77239)

The answers to (a), (b) and (c) cannot be provided because the information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The cost of purchasing a digital hearing aid (DHA) varies depending on the specification. The majority of DHAs provided cost between £56 and £270. There is no cost to the patient.