Audiology: Offering space and time

How best to integrate audiology services within optical practice has been a question the industry has been grappling with for several years.

Recent arrival to UK optical retail, Acuitis, did not have that problem. Founded in 2010, the company, which now has 55 practices around Europe, has always offered hearing and eye care services in tandem. Father and son founders, Daniel and Jonathan Abittan, wanted to create a model that helped people with both of their two man senses and saw the synergies between the two specialisms.

Opening practices in the UK has created a number of opportunities within audiology. ‘In France patients have to go through a medical route to get either an optical prescription or an audiogram. People will come in to the store having already been diagnosed and are looking to purchase. In the UK, we’re very fortunate that we can do the diagnostic part onsite, which makes hearing care much more accessible for customers,’ says Diane Newman, managing director of Acuitis UK.