The Hearing People

The need The Hearing People addresses is one of the most pressing in the UK’s healthcare system. NHS waiting lists for audiology services have reached record levels, leaving millions of people waiting months, sometimes years, for assessments and treatment that could transform their quality of life. The Hearing People addresses that need directly, working in partnership with nine NHS Integrated Care Boards to deliver community-based hearing care that removes pressure from hospital services and gets patients seen faster, closer to home.

YFM backed the management buyout of The Hearing People in February 2025, bringing in experienced healthcare leadership alongside incumbent Managing Director Deep Patel, including Jon Lowe, former CEO of Connect Health, as non-executive chair. The combination of strong clinical expertise, deep NHS relationships and an experienced management team gives the business the foundations to expand significantly from its current footprint.

The macro case is straightforward: an ageing population, record NHS waiting times, and a government under sustained pressure to deliver community-based alternatives to hospital services. The Hearing People is operating in the right place, at the right time, with the right model.

“YFM are helping us to lay the foundations for the next phase of our growth journey. Their financial support is complemented by leading strategic insight, which will ensure we’re perfectly positioned to achieve our scale-up ambitions.”

Deep Patel, Managing Director at The Hearing People