Audiology Backlogs in NHS Highland - Patients Waiting Nearly Two Years In Caithness

19th January 2026

Patients across NHS Highland, including those living in Caithness, are experiencing extremely long waits for hearing assessments and hearing aid services, highlighting a growing problem in Scotland's audiology services.

According to a report in the Inverness Courier, some patients have been waiting nearly two years for a hearing test or hearing aid fitting — delays that leave individuals struggling with hearing loss and its impact on daily life.

Rising Demand and System Pressures

Scotland's aging population means that demand for audiology services continues to grow. Age-related hearing loss is common, and more people are being referred for specialist assessments than the system can handle. NHS Highland, which covers a large, sparsely populated area, faces particular challenges in delivering audiology care efficiently. Patients often have to travel long distances for appointments, and staffing levels are insufficient to meet the increasing need.

The situation is compounded by workforce shortages. There are not enough trained audiologists and supporting staff to run the volume of clinics required. This under-resourcing is a common problem across NHS Scotland but is particularly pronounced in rural and remote areas such as Caithness. As a result, waiting lists continue to grow, and many patients remain without essential hearing care for months or even years.

System-Wide Backlogs

Data from Public Health Scotland shows that NHS Scotland faces large outpatient backlogs, with hundreds of thousands of patients waiting for specialist appointments. Across all boards, only about 60% of new outpatients are seen within the national 12-week target, and over 44,000 people had waited more than 52 weeks for their first appointment by late 2025. While audiology-specific figures are not published, the long outpatient delays explain why patients in Highland are experiencing waits approaching two years.

The backlog reflects multiple pressures: long-term underfunding, increasing referrals, the impact of COVID-related service disruption, and the logistical challenges of delivering care in remote areas. Aftercare — including hearing aid fitting, adjustments, and maintenance — is also delayed, compounding the impact on patients’ quality of life.

Impact on Patients

For residents of Caithness and other parts of NHS Highland, these delays can have profound consequences. Untreated hearing loss is linked to social isolation, reduced employment opportunities, and even cognitive decline. The Inverness Courier report highlights the frustration and distress of patients who are referred for audiology services but must wait months or years for assessment and treatment.

The audiology backlog in NHS Highland, including Caithness, underscores the broader challenges facing Scotland’s health system. Long waiting times for hearing tests and hearing aids are symptomatic of under-resourced rural services, rising demand, and large outpatient backlogs. Addressing this issue will require targeted investment in audiology staffing, expanded clinic capacity, and more efficient care pathways to ensure patients no longer have to wait nearly two years for essential hearing care.

Source: Inverness Courier, "Highland patients left waiting nearly two years for hearing," 2026. - 16 January 2026 - https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/highland-patients-left-waiting-nearly-two-years-for-hearing-424500/