Ear Wax Removal Bromsgrove Clinic

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

We looked for evidence the service met people’s needs, and staff treated people equally and without discrimination.

This is the first inspection for this service since its registration with CQC. This key question has been rated as good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

This service scored 82 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The service ensured people were at the centre of their care and treatment decisions. The practitioner worked in partnership with individuals to determine the most appropriate response to any changes in their needs. A pre‑assessment phone call was carried out with each person when they booked an appointment to confirm the service could be safely and effectively provided. For example, a person with a perforated eardrum could receive micro‑suction but not irrigation.

During the appointment, a comprehensive assessment was completed, covering symptoms, pain, infection, surgery history, and previous wax removal procedures. All appointments lasted 45 minutes to allow sufficient time for planning and delivering care. Treatment fees were agreed with people before any intervention began.

The practitioner demonstrated a strong understanding of the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, ensuring care was joined up, flexible, and supported choice and continuity. They tailored their services to meet the varied needs of the local population. For example, they provided care in people’s own homes when individuals were unable to attend the clinic. They also referred people to their GP when appropriate and consulted with other earwax services to ensure individuals received timely treatment, if the practitioner was unavailable.

The service provided appropriate, accurate and up to date information in formats tailored to individual needs. The practitioner used a range of tools, including diagrams and posters, to demonstrate how the inside of the ear works. These resources could also be simplified for use with children. The practitioner explained how irrigation and micro suction procedures were carried out and described how the equipment worked. The practitioner provided aftercare information in a simple, wipe clean bookmark format, which included guidance such as keeping the ear dry and what to do if an infection develops.

The practitioner demonstrated exceptional skill in creating an environment where people felt genuinely empowered to share feedback, express ideas, or raise any concerns about their care, treatment, and support. They consistently involved individuals in decisions about their care and ensured people were informed about any changes made because of their input.

The service had a clear, accessible complaints policy and process. Since registering with the CQC in August 2022, the service had not received any formal complaints. The practitioner proactively encouraged people to provide feedback, both directly to the service and to CQC. All feedback was carefully reviewed to support learning and to share good practice with other ear‑wax practitioners. In the 2 weeks leading up to the inspection, CQC received over 65 feedback comments, reflecting people using the service feeling heard, respected, and highly involved in their treatment.

The service made sure people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. The clinic room was small but laid out to make it as accessible as possible for people. It was wheelchair friendly but there was no access to a disabled toilet. The practitioner provided a mobile service so people who had accessibility issues could receive treatment in the comfort of their own home which mitigated the concern about the access to a toilet.

Appointments were made by telephone. This allowed the practitioner time to ask questions in the form of a pre assessment discussion to check people did not require emergency care or an appointment with their GP. The practitioner picked up calls between appointments, so people received a same day response to their messages. The service was open 3 days a week, but the practitioner was extremely flexible and would see people at other times to suit their needs.

As a paid for service, the practitioner was aware not everyone could afford this type of treatment. They kept their prices as low as possible and had not increased fees over time. The practitioner did not refuse to see people based on their ability to pay the full cost if they were in pain. Some people needed more than one appointment to remove the ear wax, but this did not increase the amount they were asked to pay.

The practitioner actively listened to information about people who were most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this. The practitioner understood the importance of providing an inclusive approach to care and made adjustments to support equity in people’s experience and outcomes. They treated people equally and without discrimination.

Ear Wax Removal Bromsgrove Clinic was an independent health service which provides ear micro suction and irrigation. This quality statement was not relevant for this service.