Farah, 38 - Birmingham
Farah is a salaried GP in Birmingham with around 10 years in general practice, gradually building private work alongside her NHS sessions. She trained with wax. to run a weekly ear health and wax removal clinic day. This is her story, in her own words.
“It's a relatively focused additional skill that fits naturally alongside general medical practice and provides something patients are already asking for.”
Tell us a little about yourself and your current experience.
I'm a salaried GP based in Birmingham and have been working in general practice for around 10 years.
Alongside my NHS sessions I've gradually started doing some private healthcare work because I enjoy having the freedom to spend more time with patients and develop services that interest me.
Why did you choose the ear wax removal industry?
It's a problem we see all the time in general practice.
People can be really frustrated when they're struggling to hear properly and then discover that wax removal isn't readily available through their surgery.
I liked the idea of providing a simple, accessible service where patients could be assessed and treated in the same appointment when appropriate.
Why did you choose wax. for your training?
I wanted training that concentrated specifically on ear wax removal and gave plenty of time for hands-on practice.
wax. also appealed because the course teaches several techniques rather than promoting one method as the solution for every patient.
That felt much more clinically sensible to me.
How did you find the course?
I really enjoyed it.
The training was professional but still relaxed enough that everyone could ask questions and discuss different scenarios.
The practical sessions were excellent because you could immediately apply what had been demonstrated.
I left feeling comfortable with techniques I'd never previously performed myself.
What did you learn?
We covered detailed otoscopy, patient assessment, contraindications, infection control and situations requiring onward referral.
The practical training included microsuction, warm-water irrigation and manual instrumentation.
I found learning how to adapt the technique to the appearance and position of the wax particularly useful.
Would you recommend wax. training?
Absolutely.
I'd recommend it to doctors who are interested in developing private or portfolio work.
It's a relatively focused additional skill that fits naturally alongside general medical practice and provides something patients are already asking for.
What are your plans for the future?
I'm planning to rent a room in an established private healthcare clinic in Birmingham one day each week.
I'll offer ear health assessments and wax removal appointments alongside some of my existing private work.
If demand continues to grow, I'd eventually like to develop a broader private primary-care service, with ear care forming one of its core treatments.
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One day of CPD-accredited training with NHS-trained clinicians - all three removal methods, live patients, and the business setup to earn with it.
A CPD-accredited provider, aligned with BSA, NICE and HCPC standards. Every course is taught by NHS-trained ear care clinicians and certified for professional development.
