Almost 10 million people in England can no longer access free earwax removal on the NHS, a hearing loss charity has warned.
The RNID said that patients could be left with “painful and distressing symptoms” due to a “postcode lottery” of care.
Many people are being forced to pay up to £100 to have procedures done privately or risk their hearing becoming worse, according to a report released by the RNID on Wednesday.
The report said that less than half of local health bodies are providing earwax removal in certain parts of the country despite there being “no medical reason” to remove the service.
Guidelines from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence say that ear wax removal services should be provided in GP surgeries or other local ear care services.
The charity sent Freedom of Information requests to all 42 integrated care boards across England, with 40 responses.
Only 18 said they were fully commissioning services in line with current guidelines while seven said that none was commissioned at all.
The RNID estimated that 9.8 million people do not have NHS access to ear wax removal service, despite 2.3 million people requiring the procedure every year.
It is more commonly needed among older people, hearing aid users and people with a learning disability.
Ear wax build-up can cause symptoms including hearing loss, tinnitus and earache.
“Ear wax removal is not a luxury, a ‘nice to have’, or a cosmetic procedure. It is a service that is vital for people’s quality of life and wellbeing,” the authors of the RNID report said.
Victoria Boelman, director of insight and policy at RNID, said: “It’s absolutely wrong that people in England who need ear wax removal to be able to hear and take part in everyday life are being left to face painful and debilitating symptoms, forced to fork out for private treatment, or risk dangerous self-removal methods.
“There is no medical reason for the withdrawal of this vital service, which is essential for 2.3 million people in the UK.
“This report exposes a horrifying reality for thousands of people being let down by commissioners who are neglecting public health guidelines.
“We’re calling for the Department of Health and Social Care to commission an urgent review to ensure that everyone who needs ear wax removal can access local NHS provision, whenever they need it.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Audiology services that would carry out ear wax removal are delivered by local integrated care boards, who ensure provision of services that meet the needs of patients in their area.
“GPs can also refer patients where a build-up of ear wax is linked with hearing loss.”
