Concierge audiology and ENT · London
Hearing loss assessment, audiology-led workup with tympanometry, acoustic reflex and consultant ENT.
A structured hearing-loss assessment: full audiometry, tympanometry, acoustic reflex threshold, otoscopy and consultant ENT review. Investigates sensorineural, conductive and mixed hearing loss — with fast-track hearing-aid and cochlear-implant referral where indicated.
Key facts
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Definition
Comprehensive audiology and ENT hearing-loss assessment.
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Same-day tests
Audiometry, tympanometry and acoustic reflex threshold.
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ENT review
Consultant ENT review, same visit where indicated.
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Imaging
MRI IAM for asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss.
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Onward pathway
Hearing-aid fitting or cochlear-implant assessment.
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Integrated
Combined with vestibular assessment when needed.
Why patients choose us
- 01
The right hands
A consultant ENT surgeon and audiologist together — with a full audiology battery in one visit.
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Often answers same-day
Audiometry, tympanometry and ART on the day, with an ENT plan you can act on before you leave.
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Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What a private hearing loss assessment costs in London.
Indicative ranges across our partner clinics. Send the details and we quote firm figures across two or three options.
In short
A standard hearing loss assessment in our network: £180–£320, with findings the same day.
| Assessment type | Indicative range | Typical duration | Report turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard hearing-loss assessment (audiology only) | £180–£320 | 60 min | Same-day |
| Audiology + consultant ENT review | £350–£600 | 75 min | Same-day |
| Sudden SNHL urgent slot (ENT + audiology) | £450–£800 | 90 min | Same-day |
| Hearing loss + vestibular assessment | £550–£950 | 120 min | Same-day |
| MRI IAM (asymmetric SNHL work-up) | £450–£800 | 30 min | 24–48 h |
| Cochlear-implant candidacy assessment | £600–£1,200 | Half-day | Same-week |
Prices vary by clinic, whether a consultant ENT review is included, and whether a vestibular battery or MRI IAM is added. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
The problem
A hearing loss assessment is only as good as the person putting it together.
The audiogram is the answer — and how it is interpreted alongside tympanometry, acoustic reflexes and the ENT examination decides the plan. We route you to a consultant ENT surgeon and a full audiology battery in one visit.
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Sudden drop in hearing?
We arrange a same-day ENT slot within the 72-hour steroid window.
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Asymmetric or one-sided loss?
We add tympanometry, ART and MRI IAM to exclude vestibular schwannoma.
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Time for a hearing aid?
A structured audiology assessment, real-ear-measurement fitting and a trial.
The journey
From enquiry to report — what happens, in order.
One team from first message to report — often within days.
Phase 1 · Before your visit
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · On the day
~60–90 minutes at the clinic
Phase 3 · After
Concierge, back on
- 01
Before
You tell us what’s going on
A short, confidential form. Symptoms, noise exposure, ototoxic drugs, family history, insurer if you have one.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: whether a full hearing-loss assessment is right, which clinic, indicative price. If a simpler test is enough, we say so.
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Before
We arrange the appointment
Often same or next day, including evenings and Saturdays. Insurer pre-authorisation handled.
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On the day
ENT consultation and otoscopy
History, ear examination and Weber/Rinne tuning-fork tests before the audiology battery.
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On the day
Audiometry, tympanometry, ART
Pure-tone audiometry, tympanometry, acoustic reflex threshold and speech-in-noise — around 45–60 minutes in the booth.
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On the day
Straight home
No recovery, no restrictions. Drive, eat and work as normal.
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After
Report and next steps
A written report with hearing-aid fitting, MRI IAM, cochlear-implant referral or ENT follow-up as indicated.
Typical end-to-end: 3–7 days. Urgent cases: same day.
Preparation and diagnosis
The steps of a full hearing loss assessment.
Each test answers a specific question — together they separate cochlear from retrocochlear, and conductive from sensorineural.
- 01
Step
ENT consultation
History and examination by a consultant ENT surgeon — noise, ototoxic drugs, family history, red flags.
- 02
Step
Otoscopy
Direct visualisation of the canal and tympanic membrane — wax, effusion, perforation, cholesteatoma.
- 03
Step
Pure-tone audiometry
Air and bone conduction across 250 Hz–8 kHz to characterise sensorineural, conductive or mixed loss.
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Step
Tympanometry
Middle-ear pressure and compliance — flat tracings in effusion, high peaks in ossicular disruption.
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Step
Acoustic reflex threshold
Stapedial reflex testing — an objective cross-check that separates cochlear from retrocochlear disease.
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Step
Speech-in-noise test
Real-world discrimination score — often more revealing than the pure-tone graph in early presbycusis.
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Step
Written report and plan
A structured report with hearing-aid, MRI IAM, cochlear-implant or ENT surgical pathway as indicated.
What it shows
When a hearing loss assessment is the right test.
The assessment answers a specific set of questions — the type, severity and side of hearing loss, and whether imaging is needed. These are the presentations we see most.
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Sensorineural hearing loss
Age-related, noise-induced or genetic — the audiogram characterises pattern and severity.
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Conductive hearing loss
Otosclerosis, middle-ear effusion, ossicular disruption — bone–air gap on audiometry.
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Mixed hearing loss
A sensorineural component with an added conductive gap — both compartments involved.
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Asymmetric SNHL
One-sided loss raises a retrocochlear differential — MRI IAM to exclude vestibular schwannoma.
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Sudden SNHL
A sudden drop in hearing is an ENT emergency — steroids within 72 hours materially change outcome.
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Noise-induced dips
The classic 4 kHz notch after occupational or recreational noise exposure.
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Age-related presbycusis
Bilateral high-frequency loss with speech-in-noise difficulty — the commonest adult pattern.
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Red flag: asymmetric SNHL — MRI IAM to exclude vestibular schwannoma
One-sided sensorineural loss always earns cross-sectional imaging.
Treatment and next steps
What happens after the assessment.
The audiogram is a starting point. This is the range of onward pathways your report can point to.
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Hearing-aid trial and fitting
Real-ear-measurement fitting by an audiologist, with a structured trial period.
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Cochlear implant assessment
Candidacy work-up when hearing aids no longer give adequate speech discrimination.
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Middle-ear surgery
Grommet insertion, tympanoplasty or ossiculoplasty for conductive loss where indicated.
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Stapedectomy for otosclerosis
Consultant otology referral for surgical management of otosclerotic conductive loss.
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Steroids for sudden SNHL
Oral or intratympanic steroids within the 72-hour window for sudden sensorineural loss.
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MRI IAM for asymmetric loss
Dedicated internal auditory meatus MRI to exclude vestibular schwannoma.
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Tinnitus management
Sound therapy, hearing-aid masking and CBT-based tinnitus retraining where relevant.
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Structured ENT follow-up
Serial audiometry and consultant review to track progression and adjust the plan.
Our vetted London network
A small panel of clinics, we picked them.
Partners across central, north, west and south London. Not listed publicly — introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every clinic in our network.
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Consultant ENT surgeons and HCPC-registered audiologists in one visit
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Full audiology battery in-house — audiometry, tympanometry, ART, speech-in-noise
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Same-day report, with images and audiograms available for onward review
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Onward MRI IAM, hearing-aid fitting or cochlear-implant pathway where indicated
Safety and eligibility
One of the safest assessments in medicine.
A hearing loss assessment is exceptionally safe — the practical points are when a private slot is right, when A&E is right, and where the assessment’s limits are.
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Painless, radiation-free
Audiometry, tympanometry and ART use sound and air pressure — no needles, no radiation.
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Sound-treated booth
Testing is done in a calibrated audiology booth — the standard of care for pure-tone thresholds.
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No preparation
No fasting, no drug-hold. Take medication as normal and bring any hearing aids you use.
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Sudden SNHL is time-critical
A sudden drop in hearing is a same-week ENT case — steroids within 72 hours matter.
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Tinnitus caveat
Tinnitus without hearing loss rarely needs urgent imaging, but always earns an audiogram.
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A normal audiogram is not a full clear
Hidden hearing loss and central auditory processing disorders can sit behind normal thresholds.
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MRI IAM sometimes follow-on
Asymmetric SNHL or unilateral tinnitus with hearing loss earns dedicated MRI of the internal auditory meatus.
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Bring prior audiograms
Comparison against previous audiograms sharpens the pattern and rate-of-change assessment.
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Vestibular schwannoma is uncommon
Rare, but consistent asymmetric SNHL is the presentation — imaging is a reassurance step, not a scare.
Red flags — investigate promptly
- Asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss
- Sudden sensorineural hearing loss
- Bilateral rapidly progressive sensorineural loss
- Ototoxic drug exposure (e.g. cisplatin, aminoglycosides)
- Post-meningitis hearing loss
- Autoimmune inner-ear disease
- Post-radiotherapy hearing loss
- Suspected vestibular schwannoma
- Congenital or childhood-onset hearing loss
Reading your report
An audiology report can look intimidating. It isn’t.
Whatever the finding, the report keeps to the same four parts.
A quiet reminder
The report is written for your doctor, not for you — and that’s normal.
If you would like us to talk you through it before your follow-up, just ask.
- 01 Header
Indication and risk factors
Your details, the reason for the assessment, and the exposures that shape interpretation.
- 02 Technique
Tests performed and calibration
Audiometry, tympanometry, ART and speech-in-noise — with the equipment and standards used.
- 03 Findings
Audiogram pattern, tympanogram, ART
Threshold-by-threshold description, tympanogram type, reflex results and discrimination scores.
- 04 Impression
The conclusion: read this first
The type and severity of loss, and the concrete next step — hearing aid, MRI IAM, ENT surgery or follow-up.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover depends on your policy and clinic; we confirm with your insurer before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about hearing loss assessments.
Quick answers on cost, referrals, sudden SNHL, when an MRI IAM is needed, and what happens next.
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What does a hearing loss assessment show?
The type and severity of your hearing loss — sensorineural, conductive or mixed — along with middle-ear function, acoustic reflexes and how well you discriminate speech in noise. It is the structured workup that turns "I can’t hear" into a specific diagnosis and a plan.
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How long does a hearing loss assessment take?
A standard audiology-only assessment is around 60 minutes. Audiology plus a consultant ENT review is around 75–90 minutes. A combined hearing-and-balance assessment is a half-day.
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Do I need a referral?
Most clinics accept self-referral for a hearing loss assessment. We can arrange a fast-track private GP if a formal referral is needed for insurance or onward pathway.
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When is an MRI needed?
Asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss, unilateral tinnitus with hearing loss, or a discrepancy between the audiogram and acoustic reflexes earns an MRI of the internal auditory meatus to exclude vestibular schwannoma.
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I had a sudden drop in hearing — is this urgent?
Yes. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is an ENT emergency. Oral or intratympanic steroids within 72 hours materially change the recovery odds. Call us same day, or attend A&E if we cannot slot you within the window.
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When should I see a GP urgently instead?
Sudden hearing loss with vertigo, facial weakness or neurological symptoms is a 999 call. Sudden hearing loss alone is a same-day ENT case. Gradual loss is a booked assessment.
Sources
Guidelines this page draws on.
- British Society of Audiology. Recommended procedures for pure-tone audiometry, tympanometry and acoustic reflex measurement.
- NICE. Hearing loss in adults: assessment and management (NG98).
- ENT UK. Professional guidance on adult hearing loss and sudden SNHL.
- American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. Clinical practice guidelines on sudden hearing loss.
Reviewed by Pulse Atlas Editorial Board, . Published 2026-07-30. Next review 2027-07-30. Reading time ~6 min.
Related tests
Looking for a different test?
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Hearing and balance testing
Combined audiology and vestibular assessment.
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Acoustic reflex threshold
Objective stapedial reflex testing to separate cochlear from retrocochlear disease.
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Tympanometry
Middle-ear pressure and compliance measurement.
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All tests
Browse every test and procedure we arrange.
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Tinnitus
Related condition guide.
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Chronic Sinusitis
Related condition guide.
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Cochlear Implants
Related treatment option.
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Cholesteatoma Surgery
Related treatment option.
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In practice, in London
Getting hearing loss assessment sorted in London, without the guesswork
With hearing loss assessment, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it — not whether the scan is available. Public provision for hearing loss assessment is competent but constrained by capacity. Private London clinics tend to have shorter diaries and longer appointment slots, so you get the same specialists with more time. For people who’ve been going round in circles with primary care, that first proper conversation is often what shifts things.
A private hearing loss assessment pathway in London usually looks like this: an initial consultation, any diagnostics booked at a nearby facility (most within Zone 1 or 2), and a written report sent to you and your GP within a few days. The consultants we work with hold NHS posts alongside their private lists, which keeps the standards consistent across both settings. For hearing loss assessment specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.
Honesty about expectations is part of the job. A private hearing loss assessment appointment in London won’t change the underlying medicine — the guidelines, the consultants, and the equipment are largely the same as on the NHS. What it changes is speed, continuity, and the amount of time you get to actually talk through the findings. Everyone we route to is GMC-registered and works within CQC-regulated facilities.