- Opera singer Janine Roebuck, 72, who concealed her deafness for over three decades, has described double cochlear implant surgery as "life-changing".
- Current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) guidelines typically restrict deaf adults to a single cochlear implant due to cost-effectiveness and perceived lack of evidence.
- A new government-funded study, backed by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), is now trialling double implants for adults across 14 hospitals with over 250 participants.
- Ms Roebuck, who paid for her second implant after receiving one on the NHS, highlighted significantly improved sound quality, better spatial awareness and reduced isolation with bilateral implants.
- Researchers and charities hope the trial will provide the necessary evidence for Nice to revise its guidelines, potentially transforming care for thousands of NHS patients with severe hearing loss.
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