About us
About Vale Hearing Healthcare
Ear Wax Removal in Barry — Microsuction & Irrigation
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Our award-winning team at Vale Hearing Healthcare
Our story
Ear care built on real clinical experience
Vale Hearing Healthcare was founded by audiologist Kim Spargo to bring genuinely expert, personal hearing and ear care to South Wales. Kim studied Human Physiology at Cardiff University before qualifying as a Clinical Audiologist in 2003 and spending more than a decade in senior NHS roles, mentoring the next generation of audiologists along the way.
After moving into the private sector, Kim added further qualifications through Aston University and University College London, registered as a Hearing Aid Dispenser with the HCPC, and was recognised with a commendation for Audiologist of the Year in 2017. In 2021 she was joined by Richard Smith as Practice Manager and ear care specialist, and the team has grown from there.
Today our Barry clinic focuses on doing the everyday things brilliantly: safe ear wax removal, honest advice, and aftercare that treats you like a person rather than a number.
Our clinicians
Meet the clinicians
Kim Spargo
Managing Director · Audiologist & Registered Hearing Aid Dispenser
Kim has worked in audiology for more than 23 years. After a Human Physiology degree at Cardiff University, she qualified as a Clinical Audiologist in 2003 with the NHS, going on to a senior role supporting and mentoring student audiologists.
Following twelve years in the NHS, Kim moved into private practice to specialise further, gaining additional qualifications at Aston University and registering as a Hearing Aid Dispenser with the HCPC. She completed her microsuction ear wax removal training at University College London in 2014 and has since run ear care clinics across South Wales. In 2017 two of her own patients nominated her for Audiologist of the Year, and she received a commendation for her care.
Kim founded Vale Hearing to deliver the kind of thorough, personal ear and hearing care she believes every patient deserves.
Richard Smith
Director · Practice Manager & Ear Care Specialist
Richard joined Vale Hearing in 2021 as Practice Manager and ear care specialist, working closely with Kim to develop his clinical skills in hearing and ear health.
He holds the BSHAA-approved Hearing Care Assistant qualification through Starkey UK and completed his Clinical Ear Care training with The Audiology Academy. Richard is certified to carry out ear wax removal by both microsuction and irrigation, and is a registered member of the BSHAA.
Patients regularly mention how easy Richard puts them at ease — friendly, thorough and completely unhurried.
Rachael Barnett
Hearing Care Assistant
Rachael joined the team in January 2024 and is a familiar, welcoming face for our regular patients. She brings over ten years of NHS experience as a medical secretary plus five years in private audiology practice management.
A registered member of the BSHAA, Rachael trained in ear care within our own clinic under Kim and Richard, and completed her BSHAA-approved Hearing Care Assistant and ear wax removal training with Starkey UK.
Alongside ear wax removal, she supports hearing assessments and hearing aid care, and makes sure every visitor to the clinic feels genuinely looked after.
Expert care you can trust
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