Our Venues

Our Ear Microsuction Training course is held at both Charing Cross Hospital and West Middlesex Hospital.  Charing Cross Hospital is an NHS acute teaching hospital located in Hammersmith, London, United Kingdom. The present hospital was opened in 1973, although it was originally established in 1818, several miles away in central London. It is part of the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and is a teaching Hospital of the Imperial College School of Medicine.

West Middlesex Hospital is also an acute teaching hospital, located in Isleworth, West London.  It was established under its current name in 1920 and underwent extensive redevelopment and renovation finishing in 2003.  In 2015, it became part of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

List of eligible professionals

This course is suitable for:

  • Audiologists
  • Audiology Clinical Scientists
  • Registered hearing aid dispensers
  • GPs and other qualified doctors
  • Physician Associates/Assistants
  • Hospital nurses
  • Practice nurses
  • Nurse practitioners
  • Pharmacists
  • Paramedics (particularly those working within primary care)

We are currently unable to train professionals who are not on this list.  Clinicians must note that they are responsible for ensuring they are able to be indemnified to perform microsuction in their respective clinical settings upon course completion.  Ideally this must be checked prior to booking a course place.  Ear Care Academy is not responsible for indemnifying  clinicians outside of the course setting.

Ear Microsuction Training
Ear Microsuction Training - EAR CARE ACADEMY

Aims and learning outcomes of the course

On successful completion of ear microsuction training, trainees will be able to demonstrate:

  • Appropriate communication with patients, parents or significant others (including those with hearing loss)
  • Correct management of Infection control and other health and safety issues. in relation to microsuction
  • Understanding of relevant anatomy and physiology of the ear
  • Understanding of medico legal issues
  • Correct use of equipment including all relevant hardware (ENT microscopes, suction devices, instruments etc.)
  • Achieving clinical competency in microsuction procedures
  • In addition, the course aims to impart knowledge and experience in terms of clinic setup and starting new NHS or private microsuction services
  • Appropriate history taking and correct examination of the ear

Timetable and Speakers

This course is designed to develop the knowledge and skills required for health professionals to safely assess the need for and perform ear wax removal by microsuction.

The course will be taught over 2 days, in small groups of two-three and will cover both the theory and practical aspects of aural care with learning taking place in patient clinics with real patients.

In order to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills for competence in aural care, a minimum of 10 supervised episodes of aural care are required to be performed by the trainee (i.e. 20 ears) before they are allowed to practice unsupervised.

Further episodes of aural care may be performed away from the classroom, under the direct supervision of an experienced aural care practitioner. The activity for each session will be properly recorded in a log book and will be signed by a supervisor.

Training will be provided by an ENT Physician Consultant, 3 Doctors of Audiology, a GP with specialist interest in Aural Medicine and Microsuction and will take place in the Audiology/ENT Department in Charing Cross Hospital.

The course will be delivered by Dr Mohammed Hariri, Dr Fitim Fetahu, Dr Alex Fragoyannis, Dr Mohammed Salam, Dr Mohammed Al-Khateeb and Dr Mamun Rashid.

An example of a previous course timetable can be seen here.

The areas covered by the course include:

  • Ear anatomy and physiology
  • Consultation skills, history taking, differential assessment
  • Common ear problems:- foreign bodies, earache, infection, cerumen impaction
  • Obtaining informed consent
  • Reasons for carrying out microsuction and the pros and cons
  • Contraindications to ear microsuction
  • Complications
  • Potential problems and how to address them
  • Equipment and consumables
  • Ear Microsuction Training using ENT microscopes
  • Infection control, safe disposal and cleaning of equipment
  • Appropriate documentation – good record keeping and confidentiality
  • Patient advice
  • Health and safety
  • Risk assessment
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