Ear infection · Hitchin
Ear infection appointments in Hitchin
FastTrack GP Hitchin is on Bancroft in the middle of the town centre, a ten-minute walk from Hitchin railway station and on the same street as Bancroft car park. If you or your child has earache, discharge or muffled hearing, you can book a GP appointment here — in clinic or by video — and see what is actually free rather than waiting to find out. We are open into the evening on weekdays and at weekends, which suits patients who commute out of North Hertfordshire during the day.
FastTrack GP Hitchin — 2nd Floor, 50 Bancroft, SG5 1LL
Ear infection appointments in Hitchin
- Who we see here
- We see patients from Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City, Baldock, Stevenage, Stotfold and the wider north Hertfordshire and south Bedfordshire area.
- Getting here
- The clinic is on Bancroft, about a 10-minute walk from Hitchin railway station on the East Coast Main Line. Stagecoach East buses stop on Bancroft itself. By car, the A505, A600 and A602 all lead into the town.
- Parking
- Bancroft car park is on the same street as the clinic, open 24 hours with pay-and-display from under £1.50/hour. Blue Badge holders park free.
- When you can be seen
- We don't publish set opening hours for Bancroft — the booking system shows live availability for video and in-clinic appointments in Hitchin, so check there rather than assuming.
- NHS options nearby
- NHS Pharmacy First may cover this at Bancroft Pharmacy, Bell Chemist, Boots or CareRx — participation varies, so worth checking first. Lister Hospital and New QEII Hospital urgent treatment centres (both 8am–10pm daily, walk-in) handle urgent but non-emergency problems. Your own NHS GP practice is also an option.
If you need urgent care, the NHS routes above are the ones to use instead of waiting for a booking here.
Who you’ll see in Hitchin
About ear infection
An ear infection is assessed with a GP examination — in clinic in Hitchin, or by video for advice — to work out whether it's a middle-ear or outer-ear problem. See a GP if pain lasts more than 3 days, there's discharge from the ear, a high temperature, hearing loss that isn't improving, or infections keep recurring. Antibiotics or ear drops, where appropriate, are arranged with your pharmacy the same day. See our national ear infection page at /conditions/ear-infection/ for more.
About ear infections
An ear infection affects either the middle ear (behind the eardrum) or the outer ear canal, and the two have different causes and treatments. Symptoms typically include ear pain, a feeling of fullness or blockage, mild hearing loss, and sometimes discharge or a mild fever. Middle-ear infections are common in children and often follow a cold, while outer-ear infections are usually linked to moisture or irritation in the ear canal.
What happens in the appointment
In Hitchin, an ear infection appointment means an ear examination in clinic, or a video review of your symptoms, either way with a clear next step.
Cost and booking
Appointments in Hitchin are £125, with no subscription and free cancellation up to 24 hours before your visit.
Seek urgent care if you have
- Severe pain with swelling behind the ear
- High fever with stiff neck or confusion
- Sudden hearing loss or severe dizziness
- Symptoms lasting more than a week without improvement
If you have severe pain with swelling behind the ear, a stiff neck, or sudden hearing loss, go to A&E or call 999.
Ear infection in Hitchin — common questions
Appointments are £125, with no subscription and free cancellation up to 24 hours before your visit.
Advice can be given by video, but confirming middle-ear versus outer-ear usually needs a look inside the ear in clinic.
Yes — see the NHS options listed further up this page for what's realistic locally and whether it covers this condition.
We’re not a substitute for emergency care
If any of these apply, please go straight to the service listed. FastTrack is for non-emergency private GP care only.
- Severe chest pain or difficulty breathing
- Signs of stroke (face droop, arm weakness, slurred speech)
- Heavy or uncontrolled bleeding
- Loss of consciousness or severe injury
- Severe abdominal pain
- Suspected broken bone
- Sudden vision changes
- Symptoms that feel rapidly worse
- Thoughts of harming yourself or others
- Severe distress or panic needing immediate support
- For non-crisis mental health, we can help — see anxiety & low mood