Hello - I'm Darren, an experienced NHS microsuction practitioner.I offer a private visiting earwax removal service for adult patients in Sevenoaks and the surrounding areas, particularly for those who need or prefer treatment at home. I will take the time you need to make you feel comfortable, and provide a safe, effective and flexible service.Please get in touch by telephone, WhatsApp or email. Please see the 'Contact' section for further details or click on one of the links below.
© 2026 Home Visit Health Limited (CRN 14770885) t/a Sevenoaks Microsuction.
All rights reserved.
About Me
My background is as a GMC-registered Physician Associate with experience in General Practice, Frailty, Acute Medicine, A&E and ENT. I also hold a PGDip in Clinical Psychiatry and in August 2026, I commence a 12-month NHS Fellowship in Clinical Artificial Intelligence.In my care home role I realised there is a need for a visiting microsuction service, to help those patients who are not able to easily attend a static clinic. I approached the local NHS community ENT service to ask if I could train in microsuction, which I completed under senior ENT consultants and specialist GPs over several months. I still run a weekly NHS microsuction clinic at Borough Green Medical Practice, to remove earwax, foreign bodies and manage common ear problems, such as acute and chronic infections.To date, I have performed well over 3,500 bilateral microsuction procedures on patients ranging from 12 months to over 100 years old. I particularly enjoy helping patients who need extra time and support to feel comfortable, and tolerate the procedure.If you'd like to know more before deciding if I am the right clinical professional for you, please visit my LinkedIn profile by clicking on the following link:
About microsuction
Microsuction is the gold-standard method of removing earwax and other debris from ear canals. I use a surgical microscope or head-mounted loupes to visualise the ear canals, and a medical suction pump with specialist attachments to gently suction out the debris. When undertaken by a properly trained and experienced practitioner, it is safe, effective and suitable for almost everyone.When we meet, I will take the time to explore your medical history, discuss any historic or current ear problems, and explain the procedure before we begin.
Mobile Microsuction - limitations
During mobile microsuction, I use head mounted loupes, specifically the Vorotek O-Scope and Opticlar SLH Prismatic loupes, to visualise the ear canals and drums. These are perfectly adequate for routine earwax removal, though for more complicated cases involving very narrow and/or deep ear canals, mastoid cavities, chronic infections, or wax/keratin that requires microsuction close to the eardrum, microsuction should ideally be undertaken in a clinic setting with a surgical microscope.
Risks
Microsuction is considered to be a very safe and well-tolerated procedure, however, as with any medical procedure there are risks to be aware of. When we meet we can discuss these further, and I'll ask you questions about your medical history to establish whether it is a safe and appropriate procedure for you, but there are very few reasons why it would be unsuitable.ENT UK has produced an excellent patient information leaflet (PIL), which explains the procedure and potential risks involved. This can be accessed by clicking on the image below:
PRICES
Microsuction (Bilateral):
£80.00 is the all-inclusive cost for examination and microsuction of both ears, including travel within a 15 minute drive from Sevenoaks town centre. If only one ear requires clearance, the cost reduces to £70.00. If little or no wax is found, the cost reduces to £60.00.Urgent Microsuction:
If you need microsucton quickly or outside normal hours, I can probably help. Please telephone me on 07968 726580.Additional Time:
I am almost always able to complete the procedure within the allocated timeframe. Very occasionally, wax can be adherent and/or impacted, and despite my best efforts, it may not be possible to complete the procedure, in which case either additional time or a return visit may be necessary.If additional time is needed for travel and/or complete the procedure, this will be charged at £15.00 per 15 minutes. Additional travel time will be advised at the time of booking.Care Homes:
For care homes or similar facilities with multiple patients needing microsuction, the price reduces to £60.00 per patient (minimum two patients).Payment:
Can be made by debit/credit card post-procedure.
Contact
Please don't hesitate to contact by telephone, WhatsApp or email, I am always happy to discuss how best I can help you.My phone is always nearby and I generally respond to messages and voicemails within two hours.Telephone/WhatsApp:
07579 787939Email:
[email protected]
FAQS
Q: Are you DBS checked?
A: Yes. This is a requirement of my NHS employment and private practice, and I can provide my certificate on request.Q: Are you CQC registered?
A: Not currently. The rules governing CQC registration for microsuction practitioners are nuanced and widely considered to be unfit for purpose. Currently, I am not required to be CQC registered, and because registration takes around six months and costs many thousands of pounds, I have decided to delay applying for registration voluntarily until there is updated and settled guidance. Please do choose a CQC registered practitioner if you prefer.Q: Are you insured?
A: Yes. I hold appropriate, high quality, professional indemnity, medical malpractice and public liability insurance.Q: Do I need to prepare my ears for microsuction?
A: The general answer is yes, a few days of olive oil or sodium bicarbonate drops (from your pharmacy) will soften and loosen wax, making it easier and more comfortable to remove. The exceptions are if you have an active ear infection or a known/suspected perforation of the eardrum, in which case please do not apply any drops. It is also important not to over-prepare, this can liquify the wax and make it difficult to remove.Q: How long does microsuction take?
A: Once the equipment is set-up and the patient positioned, it usually takes up to 15 minutes. It can take longer if the patient has not prepared adequately, the wax is very impacted, the ear canals are particularly narrow or deep microsuction near the eardrum is needed. The hour timeframe includes travel, set-up, examination, the procedure itself, break-down, documentation and after-care advice.Q: Are there any reasons why you might not be able to complete the procedure on the day
A: Very rarely, but yes, this is possible. Reasons might include inadequate preparation of unusually tortuous or narrow ear canals, encountering unusual pathology, or perhaps because the patient is unwilling or unable to tolerate the procedure. I am an experienced and patient clinician, and will always do my best to complete the procedure within the scheduled appointment. If the appointment cannot be completed for reasons beyond my influence or control, the consultation fee only of £60.00 will be payable if neither ear is cleared, and £70.00 if one ear is cleared. If I am unable to complete the procedure for reasons within my influence or control e.g. equipment failure, no charge will be made.Q: I have been told I have very narrow ear canals, can you still help?
A: Yes. As microsuction practitioners gain experience, narrow canals pose less of a problem. There are techniques and special apparatus we can use to gently open the ear canal while we suction. There are very few patients with ear canals that are problematically narrow. Good preparation and patience is usually enough, but it may be that microsuction under microscopy in a clinic setting is needed. If you have been told you have narrow ear canals please let me know at the time of booking and I can advise further.Q: Are there any age restrictions for microsuction?
A: Yes, currently I can only microsuction patients aged 18 years or over. This is a CQC stipulation and not a competency based restriction, I microsuction children of all ages in my NHS clinics.
PRIVACY POLICY
1. Who We Are
Sevenoaks Microsuction is a trading name of Home Visit Health Limited, a company registered in England and Wales (CRN 14770885). We provide private domiciliary microsuction services in Sevenoaks and surrounding areas.For the purposes of UK data protection law, Home Visit Health Limited is the Data Controller.
Our ICO registration reference is ZC114231
Contact: Darren Tilley, [email protected], 07579 7879392. What Information We Collect
When you visit this website, we collect no personal data directly. Our website does not use analytics, advertising, or marketing cookies.
When you book an appointment, whether by telephone, WhatsApp, email, or via our online booking system (Cliniko), we collect:
• Your name and contact details (telephone, email, address)
• Relevant medical history and ear health information
• Appointment and payment records
When you contact us by telephone, WhatsApp, or email, we collect the information you provide in that communication.3. How We Use Your Information
We use your personal information to:
• Provide and manage your clinical appointment
• Maintain clinical records as required by our professional and regulatory obligations
• Process payment for services provided
• Respond to your enquiries
• Meet our legal and insurance obligations
We do not use your information for marketing without your explicit consent.4. Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal data under the following lawful bases under UK GDPR:
• Contract performance — to deliver the service you have booked
• Legal obligation — to meet our regulatory, insurance, and record-keeping duties
• Legitimate interests — to manage our business and respond to enquiries
• Vital interests / healthcare — for the provision of health care services (Article 9(2)(h) UK GDPR for special category health data)5. Cookies
This website uses only strictly necessary cookies set by Cloudflare, our website security provider. These cookies enable core security functions and cannot be disabled without affecting the operation of the site. They do not track you for advertising or analytics purposes and do not require your consent.
When you click our online booking link, you will be directed to Cliniko’s booking platform. Cliniko operates under its own privacy policy, which can be found at www.cliniko.com/policies/privacy.6. Sharing Your Information
We do not sell or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes. We may share information with:
• Cliniko (our practice management and booking software) — for appointment management
• Our insurers — if required in connection with a clinical or liability matter
• Regulatory bodies (e.g. GMC) — if required by law or professional obligation
• Payment processors — transaction references only; no clinical data is shared
We do not transfer your data outside the UK.7. Disclosures Required by Law or in the Public Interest
In exceptional circumstances, we may be required or permitted to disclose your personal information without your consent. This includes:Legal obligation: where we are required to disclose information by a court order, statutory duty, or other legal requirement
Prevention or detection of crime: including disclosures to the police or other law enforcement agencies where failure to disclose could facilitate a serious criminal offence
Serious injury or risk to life: including where a patient presents with injuries consistent with serious violence (e.g. a gunshot or stab wound), or where there is a credible risk of serious harm to the patient or a third party
Safeguarding: where we have reasonable grounds to believe a child or vulnerable adult is at risk of abuse or neglect
Public health: where disclosure is required by public health legislation or directed by a relevant public authority (e.g. UKHSA)
Overriding public interest: where the benefit to the public of disclosure clearly outweighs the patient's right to confidentiality, in line with GMC guidance on confidentiality.Where possible, we will inform you of any such disclosure unless doing so would itself be unlawful, would prejudice the prevention or detection of crime, or would be contrary to public interest. All discretionary disclosures in this category will be made in accordance with GMC confidentiality guidance and, where applicable, the NHS Confidentiality Code of Practice.8. Clinical Records
As a registered healthcare practitioner, we are required to retain clinical records for a minimum of 8 years from the date of last treatment (or until age 25 if the patient was a child). Records are held securely within Cliniko’s encrypted platform. Invoicing and payment records are maintained in Quickbooks using the Cliniko generated patient reference number only, date of service and amount. No patient identifiable data is stored in Quickbooks.9. Your Rights
Under UK GDPR you have the right to:
• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data (subject to our clinical record retention obligations)
• Object to processing or request restriction
• Portability of your data in a machine-readable format
• Withdraw consent at any time where consent is the basis for processing
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the details in Section 1.10. Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):
Website: www.ico.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 123 111311. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The current version will always be published on this page with the date it was last updated.This policy was last updated on 19/04/26.
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