Routine Ear Syringing Ended Posted or Updated on 31 Oct 2024

Dear patients,

As you may be aware, we have been providing ear “syringing” to our registered patients outside of our NHS GP contract, as we recognise the problems that wax build up can cause.  It is with sadness and regret that we can no longer continue this service, for the following reasons: 

1. The workload in Primary Care is at an all-time high and with the new GP contract coming to place from the April that has increased focus on access for patients to core contractual services, we need to focus our staff resources and funding on the same; as mentioned above ear syringing does not form part of that.
2. Ear syringing has the potential to cause harm to patients and there are other safer ways of removing wax, such as a procedure called “microsuction”.  
   

As your GP surgery we will continue to consult about ear problems and will continue to diagnose and advise over such issues, but we will not be able to offer routine ear syringing.

There are many local private services which provide ear hygiene procedures, but as these are not NHS providers we will not be able to offer referral recommendations.  

Advice and guidance on ear wax can be found here: www.nhs.uk/conditions/earwax-build-up