As you may be aware, we are passionate about ear care here at Mirage Health Group – we know the effects that non removal of ear wax can have. ( https://miragehealthgroup.com/ear-care-for-all/ ) Ear wax may be a simple problem but it can cause debilitating problems such as hearing loss, vertigo, tinnitus and pain. It may be described by a Health Care provider as just ear wax but to the patient it can be a source of debilitating symptoms and as health care professionals we are obliged to ensure that there are options of removal immediately for the patient. These are significant symptoms, which can have an adverse effect on our quality of life – there is a link between social isolation and hearing loss and reduced cognitive function caused by wax impaction.

National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends that wax removal should be offered in the community. And, as the population of the UK ages, a problem with lack of access will only get worse and lead to further hearing loss and isolation. However, getting ear wax removed on the NHS is becoming a real problem (indeed, a Government Minister has stated that the removal of earwax is no longer one of the core services GPs are obliged to provide), and a frustration to patients because of a lack of availability. Untreated earwax has adverse implications to health and will also increase costs to the NHS.

Evidence shows that impacted wax is present in one in ten children, 1 in 20 adults and more than one third of older adults and people with a learning disability. In the U.K. it is estimated that 2.3 million people annually have problems with ear wax and due to the lack of routine ear examinations this number is likely to be much higher.

CEO of Mirage Health Group, manufacturer and supplier of the Propulse® ear irrigator, Jeremy Bishop commented, “National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends that wax removal should be offered in the community. Ear irrigation is the simplest and most cost-effective solution to provide this. Patients with normal ears and normal wax do not need to be referred to the hospital Ear, Nose and Throat department. Unless there is a health reason for not performing irrigation with water, a patients’ ear wax should be managed in the community.”

Please take the time to sign respected ENT Nurse, Hilary Harkin’s petition to ensure that ear wax removal is available on the NHS in GP practices. To add your support to the petition, please visit https://www.change.org/p/public-health-england-ear-wax-removal-should-be-available-on-the-nhs-in-gp-practices and sign.