I am sorry to hear about your experience with NHS aids. I urge you to go back to your audiology clinic and tell them what you said above. They have a wide range of aids and after determining the level of hearing loss in each ear, they should provide you with suitable aids. I would urge you also not to go private. The aids are expensive and you have to pay for every single battery and repair. During my time as a volunteer for AOHL we had many patients trying to pass off their private aid as a NHS aid in order to get free batteries and repairs.
If you do go decide to go private, again make you your ears are tested and try your aids outdoors as well as indoors, listen to the tv to make sure there is no distortion. It is hard to recommend a make as each make specialises in different levels of loss. Well know makes are: Siemens, Oticon and Phonak. Good luck.