How we list practitioners
The Earwax Clinic Network is a transparency directory, not a vetting service. Each listing shows you what the practitioner has registered with us, with documented evidence where we have it. This page explains how a clinic gets on the directory, what we capture, what we don't claim to do, and how to raise a concern.
Find a clinic near youHow a clinic appears on the directory
Practitioner registers their listing
The clinic completes our registration form, providing their practitioner details, professional background, registration number where they hold one, methods offered, training certificates, indemnity confirmation, location, opening hours, and indicative pricing. This is self-attestation backed by supporting documentation.
We capture and structure the information
The information goes into our central database in a consistent format, so every listing on the directory shows the same fields in the same order. This makes it easier for patients to compare clinics side-by-side and easier for them to spot any field where information is missing.
We assign a tracked phone number
Each location gets its own virtual phone number that routes patient calls directly to the clinic. The number on the directory profile is a tracked line we assign so we can confirm enquiries came through the directory. The call goes straight to the practitioner - we are not on the line.
The listing goes live
The clinic appears on our map and in postcode-based searches. Listings include everything the patient needs to make an informed enquiry: practitioner type, register where one applies, methods, indemnity confirmation, pricing, and how to book.
The practitioner keeps it current
Listings are owned and managed by the practitioner via their portal. They update changes to their methods, pricing, hours, and team. We review periodically and we act on patient or practitioner feedback. Outdated listings are flagged and, if not refreshed, eventually removed.
What you see on each listing
Every clinic profile on the directory shows the same set of fields, so you can compare like with like.
Verify a practitioner via these UK registers and professional bodies
Each clinic profile shows you which register or professional body the listed practitioner is on.
CQC registration is required for any clinic offering earwax removal to people under 19, outside of a school or academy setting.
The icons above are non-official verification marks. They do not imply endorsement by any regulator or professional body.
The standards we set
We do not test clinical performance, but we do set baseline standards for what a clinic must provide before it can be listed. These exist so that every listing carries the same minimum level of information, regardless of who registered it.
Documented identity and registration
The clinic must identify itself by trading name, location, and primary practitioner. Where the practitioner is on a statutory register - HCPC, NMC, GMC, GPhC or AHCS - the registration number must be supplied so that patients can verify it directly with the regulator. Where the practitioner operates outside the statutory framework, the equivalent training and supervision arrangements must be documented.
Indemnity confirmation
The clinic must confirm that appropriate professional indemnity cover is in place. We do not display the insurer or policy limit on the listing, but we capture the confirmation as part of the registration and retain documentation. Indemnity is a baseline expectation, not a competitive advantage.
CQC registration where required
Any clinic offering earwax removal to people under 19, outside of a school or academy setting, must hold Care Quality Commission registration. The registration number must be supplied and is shown on the listing. Clinics that only see adults are exempt from this requirement and that exemption is reflected in their listing.
Honest method declaration
Practitioners list the methods they are trained to deliver. Listing a method on the directory carries the implication that the practitioner can deliver it competently, with documented training to back the claim. Listing a method without the training to deliver it is grounds for removal.
Truthful pricing
The pricing shown on each listing is the price the patient is quoted. Variations - the no-wax fee, home visit fees, additional diagnostic fees - are declared upfront where they apply. Bait-and-switch pricing, where the listed price is followed by additional fees not previously disclosed, is grounds for removal.
What we do not claim
We are transparent about the limits of what the directory provides. None of the following is true of our listings:
- We do not independently audit clinical performance or patient outcomes. The listing shows what the practitioner has supplied; it is not a quality certification.
- We do not interview patients of listed clinics. Patient experiences vary, and one patient's experience cannot speak for the next.
- We do not rank practitioners against each other. Each listing presents the same fields neutrally so the patient can decide what matters to them.
- We do not endorse any practitioner above another. The directory's job is to show information, not to recommend.
- We are not a regulator, and listing on the directory is not equivalent to professional registration. The relevant registers are the ones linked from our page on who can remove earwax in the UK.
What the directory does provide is consistent, comparable information across hundreds of clinics, so that the patient can do the rest. That is the value we offer.
Raising a concern
If a listing turns out to be inaccurate - registration that has lapsed, a method that turns out not to be offered, pricing that does not match what is quoted at booking, or anything else that misleads the patient - we act on it. Concerns reach us through three routes:
- Patient feedback via the email address in the footer
- Practitioner feedback via email, where colleagues sometimes flag inaccuracies in another practitioner's listing
- Regulator action, where a fitness-to-practise outcome on a statutory register makes a listing untenable
The clinic is contacted, asked to correct the information, and given a reasonable period to do so. If the inaccuracy is material and not corrected, the listing is suspended. If the issue is severe - an active fitness-to-practise sanction, evidence of patient harm, or repeated misrepresentation - the listing is removed without warning. The first responsibility of the directory is to the patients who use it.
Frequently asked questions
Do you check that each practitioner is registered with the body they claim?
We capture the registration number and require supporting documentation at registration. The patient can verify the registration directly using the public register linked from our page on who can remove earwax in the UK. We act on any registration that turns out to be lapsed or revoked, but the live status of any individual registration is best confirmed at source.
Does being listed mean you endorse the practitioner?
No. Being listed means the practitioner has provided the required information and meets our baseline standards for clarity. It is not a clinical endorsement, a quality rating, or a guarantee of patient outcome. Each listing presents the facts so the patient can decide.
Do clinics pay to be listed?
Clinics essentially pay a handling fee to receive calls. Patient access to the directory is free, and there is no patient charge anywhere on the site. The clinic fee is what allows us to run the directory, maintain the database, and operate the tracked phone numbers that route patient enquiries to clinics. The fee does not buy preferential placement.
What if a clinic I have seen on the directory turns out to be different from how it is described?
Tell us, via the email address on the footer of every page on this website. We will contact the clinic, ask them to correct the information, and act if the inaccuracy is material. Patient feedback is one of the most useful sources of information we receive, and we take it seriously.
Can a clinic be removed from the directory?
Yes. Listings are removed for material inaccuracies that are not corrected, for fitness-to-practise sanctions on a statutory register, for evidence of patient harm, or for repeated misrepresentation. The first responsibility of the directory is to the patients who use it.
Browse the directory
Every listing on our directory shows the practitioner's background, registration where they hold it, methods offered, indemnity confirmation, and indicative pricing. Search by postcode to see who is available locally.
Find a clinicReferences
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Standards of conduct, performance and ethics. Available at hcpc-uk.org.
- Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The Code. Available at nmc.org.uk.
- General Medical Council (GMC). The medical register. Available at gmc-uk.org.
- General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Standards for pharmacy professionals. Available at pharmacyregulation.org.
- Care Quality Commission (CQC). Guidance on the scope of registration. Available at cqc.org.uk.