Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing NHS ear wax syringing services.

General Practices (GPs) do offer National Health Service (NHS) ear wax syringing services if they consider it clinically necessary. If the procedure is seen as clinically necessary by the GP, the procedure will take place at the practice, or the patient will be referred to an appropriate local NHS service depending on the arrangements in place in the local area.

GP practices are increasingly recommending self-care methods (e.g. use of olive oil drops) as the primary means to support the safe removal of ear wax.