About Local Hearing Aid Specialists
Our Personalised Approach
At Local Hearing Aid Specialists, we pride ourselves on exceptional before and after sales care. We are an independent supplier of hearing devices, which allows us to give our customers unbiased hearing solutions. People come to us for our product range, our customer care, and our experience.
With over 25 years in the hearing industry, Local Hearing Aid Specialists are proud to be a locally owned and operated Newcastle business. Located at Wallsend, we are close to public transport, with free parking and disabled access. We are fully accredited with the Office of Hearing Services and 100% independent.
Learn more about our team, accreditations and funding options available to you or call us on (02) 4023 2055.
Trish
Kim
Ellie
Karlie
Alison
Trish
Owner & Senior Audiometrist
In 2012, after working in the Newcastle hearing industry for 20 years, Trish Humphrys saw the increasing need for high quality, client focused hearing care. Her belief in helping customers find the right hearing device for their individual needs led her to opening Local Hearing Aid Specialists in Wallsend.
An accredited Senior Audiometrist, Trish regularly attends hearing industry professional development programs and is a member of the Australian College of Audiology. Trish is well known for her kind and compassionate customer care and her drive to find the right hearing solutions for her clients.
She supports community and sporting groups including Rotary’s Men Shed and the Wallsend Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Veterans Association. Local Hearing Aid Specialists are a member of the Wallsend Business Association.
Kim
Audiometrist and Industrial Deafness Specialist
Kim is an experienced Audiometrist and industrial deafness specialist. With over 10 years hearing industry experience, she has worked across a range of clinical settings. Kim is known across the Hunter for her award-winning client support and expertise.
Ellie
Practice Manager
Ellie has worked at Local Hearing Aid Specialists since 2017. She has a Cert 3 in Business Administration and has annual training in hearing device repairs. Ellie is currently enrolled in a Diploma in Audiometry. As Practice Manager, Ellie implements policies and procedures as well as managing human resources, finance, and relationships with suppliers. Her key focus is providing high quality customer service to our clients.
Karlie
Receptionist
Karlie is an experienced administrator who has exceptional customer service skills which provide a positive experience for our clients.
Alison
Receptionist
Alison is an experienced member of our reception team and brings a positive, customer focussed approach to her work.
Funding & Payment Options
Australian Government Hearing Services Program
We are fully accredited to provide eligible patients with free/subsidised services under the Federal Governments Hearing Services Program (HSP).
To be eligible you must fit the following requirements.
- Be a Pensioner Concession Card Holder
- Receive Sickness Allowance from Centrelink
- Be a holder of a Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Gold Card issued for all conditions
- Be a holder of a DVA White Card issued for specific conditions that include hearing loss
- Be a dependent of a person in one of the above categories
- A member of the Australian Defence Force or
- Australian Government NDIS participant
Pensioners with an HSP voucher will receive a hearing assessment, consultation, hearing aids (if applicable) and ongoing rehabilitation services without further unknown expenses.
- Be a Pensioner Concession Card Holder
Self-Funded (Private Clients)
Clients with private health insurance may be eligible to receive a rebate from their health fund. Please discuss your entitlements with your health fund before purchasing hearing devices.
NSW Workers Compensation/Industrial Deafness
If you have experienced hearing loss resulting from a workplace related incident you may be eligible to receive compensation under the NSW Workers Compensation Claim (iCare).
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
The NDIS funds hearing support for NDIS participants aged 26 and over who are not eligible for the HSP. The NDIS also funds additional reasonable and necessary hearing supports for participants if they are not available through the HSP. This includes people under 26.
Afterpay
Afterpay is an Australian financial service which allows the purchase of a product and to pay for it over time with four equal repayments.
If you use the Afterpay service, you will pay your first instalment at the time of purchase, and the remainder every two weeks. The repayments are interest-free, but if they are not paid every 2 weeks as required, late fees are accrued.
Information for Doctors
Who should you refer to us?
Hearing loss can occur at any age.
Signs that your patient needs to see a hearing specialist:
- Sudden hearing loss
- Having difficulty in understanding conversations, asking people to repeat themselves
- Avoiding social settings because they find it hard to hear a conversation
- Turning up the volume on devices, TV, radio etc
- Tinnitus symptoms
- A reduction in hearing levels from working in construction, manufacturing, music or hospitality industries
- A reduction in hearing levels from wearing headphones for extended periods of device use such as gaming, listening to music etc
- It has been more than 12 months since the patient had a hearing check
We assess and test a range of clients:
- Hearing Services Program (part and full pension)
- Icare and Workcover industrial deafness claims
- Private patients
- NDIS
- Pre employment tests
- Children over the age of 5
- Ear wax removal
