YOUNGSTERS in Bromsgrove suffering from hearing problems should be assessed for digital aids to give them parity with children living over the border in Birmingham, the town's MP Julie Kirkbride claimed this week.

The Conservative MP has written to Bromsgrove and Redditch Primary Care Trust demanding they too should be issued with the smaller and more efficient digital hearing aids.

Miss Kirkbride said she was concerned to learn that in the Birmingham area all deaf youngsters are being given access to the devices, whereas in Bromsgrove this is not the case.

She said: "Deaf children have a hard enough time as it is and should be given access to the best possible digital hearing aids to minimise the impact of their disability.

"If it is good enough for the children of Birmingham it should be good enough for the children of Bromsgrove.

"Also, given that the Chancellor has now set out how we are being taxed to spend more money on the health service, I demand that we should receive parity of treatment.

"I am looking forward to the response from our local Primary Care Trust on this matter and I expect it to be positive!"

The Advertiser/Messenger asked the Trust for a comment on Miss Kirkbride's demand, but it had not responded by the time we went to press.