Harrogate patients urged to return faulty hearing aids over explosion fears

A batch of faulty hearing aid batteries which may have been issued to patients in Harrogate have been recalled over fears they may explode when used.
Stock hospital shotStock hospital shot
Stock hospital shot

ZeniPower are recalling their mercury-free hearing aid batteries after warning that a manufacturing fault has resulted in a 'low risk' of the batteries exploding.

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust say they have been given out these batteries from October 2015 onwards at either Harrogate and District Hospital or Ripon Community Hospital.

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The trust also supplies hearing aid batteries to local GP practices so Harrogate district patients who receive their batteries in this manner are also at risk.

Patients who have received hearing batteries after this date are now being urged to check them but the hospital confirmed they were also contacting them individually.

Currently, no adverse incidents resulting in an injury have been reported and the manufacturers say the warning has been issued as a 'precautionary measure'.

And Dr Kat Johnson, Clinical Director for Elective Care, added it would not affect the majority of their audiology patients as they have different brands or battery types.

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She said: "This is a precautionary measure instigated by the manufacturer, ZeniPower. We ask that patients who have a hearing aid and have received new batteries as specified from us since October 2015 stop using them and return them to us."

Batteries with the product code A13 MF and a best before date of either ‘08-2018’ or ‘09-2018’ are subject to a manufacturing fault and should be returned.

Patients can return their batteries to the Audiology departments at Harrogate District Hospital or Ripon Community Hospital or to GP receptions.

The practices that the trust supplies with hearing aid batteries are:

Leeds Road Practice, 49-51 Leeds Road, Harrogate

Leeds Road Practice, 37 Station Road, Harrogate

The Surgery, 54 Church Avenue, Harrogate

Eastgate Medical Group, 80 Knaresborough Road, Harrogate

Beech House Surgery, 1 Ash Tree Road, Knaresborough

Eastgate Medical Surgery, 31b York Place, Knaresborough

Dr Bannatyne and Partners, High Street, Hampsthwaite

Spring Gables Surgery, Clint Bank, Birswirth

The Grange Medical Centre, Dacre Banks, Harrogate

Church Lane Surgery, Church Lane, Boroughbridge

Feastfield Medical Centre, King Street, Pateley Bridge

Age Concern Centre, Cliffe House, Knaresborough

Wetherby Health Centre, Hallfield Lane, Wetherby

Knaresborough Road Health Centre, Harrogate

Dr Akester and Partners, Ashfield House, Kirkby Malzeard

Masham Surgery, 9 Market Place, Masham

Mowbray Square, Harrogate.