I recently had an audiology test at our local NHS audiology unit, and gather I've got poor reception at high-frequencies, so they measured me up for a hearing aid. I asked about digital, and was told that they didn't supply them.

But afterwards I did my homework, and discovered that in fact there's now what they call "a rolling programme" for all NHS audiology units to supply them (Modernising Hearing Aid Services (MHAS) website) - and that the unit I'd gone to was the only one in Essex that isn't on this year, though it will be next year. (And here is the RNID website, which is also useful.)

So I've written back to them and told them I'd sooner wait until next year, so as to make sure I can be prescribed what suits me best, rather than having them limited to analogy hearing aids only. (The NHS lend out the hearing aids, but once they let you have one they won't replace it for three years unless your hearing has significantly deteriorated.)

The hearing loss doesn't seem to affect me much with music - it just means I can't pick up some of the dialogue in movies and TV.