AN AUDIOLOGIST saw a business opportunity when delays for GP appointments during lockdown were leading more people to turn to private companies for help.

Jess Kyei-Yamoah pitched her idea to husband Sam and the Hearing Place was born, providing hearing care services to people in and around York.

The husband and wife team offer ear wax removal, hearing tests and hearing aids, including a repair service, and custom-made ear protection.

They operate a domiciliary service, visiting clients in their home.

Jess said she recognised a gap in the market during the first lockdown when more people were turning to private firms to get their ear wax removed as they couldn’t get an appointment at their GP practice.

People were having to wait weeks, and even months for an appointment, she said.

Jess who conducts the full diagnostic hearing assessments and any hearing aid fittings is an audiologist, who has worked for high street hearing care providers since qualifying more than 14 years ago.

Sam is a clinical ear specialist who has worked in health care environments for the past 10 years.

They are both fully trained in ear wax removal.

To help launch the business, they provided their first customer with a pair of top level rechargeable hearing aids for free.

Joan Armitage, from near York, had contacted The Hearing Place when she realized she was having increasing difficulty hearing clearly.

York Press:

"My late husband Ernie suffered with profound hearing loss and Jess used to look after his hearing needs and was always so kind and professional. The Hearing Place seemed the obvious choice now I need help with my hearing. I’m chuffed to bits!”

She said she was able to hear more clearly and could now confidently call people and chat on the phone. She is looking forward to being able to test her hearing aids out in groups of people and at meetings when it is safe.

The Hearing Place aims to offer an appointment for wax removal within seven days and is offering a loyalty scheme.

Jess said: "Giving the highest level of customer care is at the heart of what we do. Being able to offer appointments to anyone in need is really important to us, so home visits and evenings and weekend availability had to be part of what we offered. I can’t wait to help more people hear better, whether it be ear wax, hearing loss or a broken hearing aid that is the problem."