Your article on ear health (Get plugs and not remove wax at home, June 24The significant impact on the lives of some people did not reflect the NHS removal services in many areas.
Cornwall is one of the country’s fields where you must now pay a special payment to remove earwax safely. The cost of this can be large for those who have limited income, which leads to some dangerous procedures themselves to disinfect their wax, or go to an unorganized and perhaps dangerous practitioner, or simply live with low hearing.
Double beating is that you cannot get a NHS-hearing scan, thus the NHS hearing devices if you need it-or access to another treatment unless you have been removed your earwax at your own expense. RNid, National Charity for Hearing Loss, published a report, BlockHighlighting the case.
As your article says, people need a good hearing to stay in social contact. Without good quality social reactions, people can be withdrawn, isolated, depressed and sick.
Withdrawal in many areas of this simple service apparently to remove earwax has a serious impact on the lives of some people. Free NHS service should be restored to everyone.
Marna Blondi
West Cornwall Health Watch
