To ask the Minister of Health whether earwax removal services are being offered at GP surgeries during the pandemic; and what alternative provision is in place for people who require earwax removal.

Under the terms of their contract all GPs are required to provide essential primary medical services to their registered patients and the current COVID-19 pandemic does not in any way negate this requirement. GPs will however use their clinical judgement to decide how best to prioritise patients to provide this core service whilst maintaining patient safety.

GP practices are open and are providing face to face appointments for those patients who are assessed as requiring them. All practices have been provided with a supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to allow them to do so safely.

In 2018 the National Institute for Clinical Health Excellence (NICE) issued guideline 98 which recommended that the manual syringing method for ear wax removal should no longer be used.

It recommended that GPs should offer ear wax removal using an electronic irrigator, micro-suction or another method of earwax removal (such as manual removal using a probe) for adults in primary or community ear care services, if the practitioner, such as a community nurse or audiologist:

• has training and expertise in using the method to remove earwax;

• is aware of any contraindications to the method, and

• the correct equipment is available.

GPs are free to decide whether they wish to contract with the HSCB to provide this particular service, having firstly met the relevant NICE recommendations. Where a GP does not provide the service, they would make the necessary referrals to ENT/Audiology in a Health and Social Care Trust, for which there will be no charge. However, rather than wait, patients may prefer to seek, and pay for, private treatment.