Lead Paediatric Audiologist

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust

We are looking for enthusiastic and passionate Lead Paediatric Audiologist to join our Paediatric Audiology Service. If you work in an innovative way and have the ability to work under pressure this will be the role for you. You must have substantial post qualification experience within a paediatric audiology role.

The small team is well established and the service has been developed to promote assessment, treatment and support for children & young people from birth up to school leaving age who are experiencing hearing loss.

The successful candidate will work both autonomously and as a part of the MDT.

The post will be based in New Street Health Centre, Barnsley and you will be required to demonstrate a flexible approach to travel as you may be required to see children & young people across the locality.

To ensure that we achieve our goals for continuous improvement in service quality and delivery we are looking to recruit candidates of a high calibre that share our passion for delivering excellent care and who can respond to the challenge of care delivery in these times of significant challenge to the NHS.

The service operates between the hours of 8am and 4:30pm Monday to Friday.

All employees of the Trust are strongly encouraged to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect patients.

At the time of advertising, this role does meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration to sponsor candidates to work in the UK. We look forward to receiving your application.

Main duties of the job

You will manage your own caseload, providing high quality care appropriate to the child/young person’s needs which will include assessment, treatment and management of their audiology needs.

You will need to develop good working relationships with key professionals across the district; therefore excellent communication and engagement skills are essential.

A commitment to improving service delivery and developing new ways of supporting children, young people and families’ experiences is crucial to work within the wider Paediatric Audiology Service.

The service delivers assessments to children and young people in line with the national standards and therefore this role requires a can-do attitude towards tasks.

You will also offer clinical supervision to colleagues.

You will receive robust line management support and we will support you in your own professional development.

If you would like to be part of our Paediatric Audiology Service we would love to hear from you. Please contact Karen Colville, Service Lead on 01226 644803.

About us

We are a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental health and learning disability services for the people of Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and are the lead for the West Yorkshire secure provider collaborative.

Our mission is to help people reach their potential and live well in their communities, we do this by providing high-quality care in the right place at the right time. We employ staff in both clinical and non-clinical services who work hard to make a difference to the lives of service users, families and carers.

We encourage and welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups, we value diversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.

Being a foundation Trust means we’re accountable to our members, who can have a say in how we’re run. Around 14,300 local people (including staff) are members of our Trust.

Join us and you will be one of over 4,500 staff committed to supporting and improving the mental, physical and social needs of the thousands of people we meet and help each year.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.

We do reserve the right to close vacancy before the advertised closing date if necessary, so please apply as soon as possible.

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

The post holder will provide a visible and accessible presence within the Department and will provide clinical expertise, knowledge, assistance, advice and support to team members, other health professionals, children, families and parents.

The post holder will be clinically up to date and credible/have clinical skills expecting others to perform and passionate about driving up clinical and professional standards.

The post holder will support the delivery of high-quality, safe and person-centred care to meet the holistic needs of service users/patients and carers, in a working environment conducive to staff development and wellbeing.

The post holder will be expected to also provide leadership and clinical expertise to the capacity and flow of inpatient wards and advice to external agencies as required.

The post holder will support the Audiology Service Lead in the management, supervision and development of team members.

The post holder will support the Audiology Service Lead in the management and allocation of resources.

CORE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical

Ensuring children and families receive good quality care and are treated with respect.

Preventing hospital-acquired infections.

Perform the full range of hearing assessments and provide specialist rehabilitation as appropriate. Following National Guidelines and procedures.

Taking earmould impressions of children and babies of any age.

Providing specialist clinical technical services for children with complex needs and hearing disorders and their families.

Assessing hearing accurately, selecting hearing aids from within the range agreed by the service and commissioners.

Explaining the complex results to the family / child in a format in which they can easily understand.

Using motivational skills for families / children who do not wish to comply with the assessment or rehabilitation.

Analysing all the complex technical information following a child’s specialist assessment and agreeing with the parent / carer / young adult the appropriate treatment plan.

Analysing complex data from Audiological test battery and discusses management options with families and children ensuring all available options are offered, and giving pros and cons of each option with relevance to the specific patient needs.

To be responsible for managing clinical risk within own caseload and that of staff under your supervision.

Participating in case reviews and learn from clinical incidents.

To be responsible for the safe and competent use of all equipment and patient appliances and aids used within the service.

1.1 Care/service/function provision:

Support the ongoing development and maintenance of high quality clinical practice that meets the needs of service users and provides assurance across all services.

Contribute to the development of the quality governance framework for the BDU in order to foster a culture of ownership and accountability whilst encouraging innovation and staff empowerment.

Maintain confidentiality, consistent with agreed standards.

Identify risks and formulate recommendations/solutions for mitigation and management of risks.

Contribute to and influence the development of Trust policies and local procedures by providing expert professional advice for area of clinical responsibility in order to represent governance issues and assist staff to interpret policy into practice. This will include attendance at Trustwide meetings and development/writing of new procedures.

Support change management and Transformation agenda.

Participate in research projects ensuring results are recorded and presented at local Clinical Governance Group.

Support the Trust’s commitment to patient, service user and public involvement in relation to planning, development and provision of services to meet governance standards and provide quality care.

Analyse, review and evaluate quality/governance/incident action plans ensuring they are completed within agreed timescales.

Contribute to the development of a culture which empowers staff to identify, anticipate and plan for service development and change. Constructively challenge current ways of working whilst exploring and developing innovative ways of working.

Contribute to the development of robust audit protocols and standards to inform the quality of practice and service provision. Promote and lead the use of evidence based care as a vehicle for best practice.

Communicate and present complex, specialist and sensitive information to staff and other professionals, patients or carers, individually or in groups. Interpret and translate into practice where necessary using strong interpersonal skills eg persuasion, negotiation and motivation.

1.2 Working as part of a Team:

Work with the Audiology Service Lead and Community Service Manager to provide senior leadership and management of the Audiology Department.

Network with other Audiologists locally, regionally and nationally, establishing effective relationships to share good practice, collaborate and promote awareness of services.

1.3 Managing Self:

Maintain own clinical competency and skill levels as required by professional guidelines.

1.4 Management Supervision and Support:

Support the management of team members encourages self development and negotiate opportunities for their development.

Lead and chair relevant operational and clinical meetings.

Undertake clinical supervision.

Reinforce developments, improvements, successes and achievements, encouraging recognition of staff/service both inside and outside the organisation eg encourage applications for local and national awards.

1.5 Information Resources

Be Responsible for data entry of patient information to relevant data base eg SystmOne.

Store specialised data for hearing aid fittings and real ear measures in line with Trust policy.

Manage emails and other communications to ensure any actions are dealt with in the required time frame.

For full details of the role please see the supporting documents attached.

Person Specification

Personal Attributes

• Has the ability to work on own initiative.
• Is reliable and flexible.
• Ability to travel across the Trust as appropriate to the role.

Physical Attributes

• Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post.
• A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).

Training

• Evidence of ongoing CPD in line with RCCP/HRC /professional guidelines.

Qualifications

• BAAT parts 1 and 2, Diploma in Audiology / HND MPPM or equivalent or BSc Audiology or equivalent.
• Registered with RCCP / HCPC.
• MSc in audiology or able to demonstrate competencies/skills at that level.
• Relevant specialist qualification/training in specific area of specialisation.
• Registration with professional body e.g. BAA / BSA.
• British Sign Language stage 1.
• ECDL or equivalent.
• Teaching, or training qualification or experience to an equivalent level.

Experience

• Extensive experience of working within Audiology speciality at band 6 level.
• Demonstrate high level of clinical expertise.
• Experience of clinical governance practice.
• Experience of training and education.
• Experience of working with deaf children and their families.
• Experience of line management of staff.
• Experience of research and developing theory into practice.
• Evidence of facilitating quality improvement into practice.
• Experience of ABR / Diagnostic testing.
• Experience of Tinnitus counselling.
• Experience of SMART 4 Database.

Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrates a well-developed understanding of professional development/clinical governance issues in context of primary/community care.
• Has a clear understanding of Modernisation Agenda and its impact on the service.
• Has excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Has demonstrable ability to motivate staff.
• Has excellent time management, self-motivation and prioritisation skills.
• Has high level negotiation and influencing skills.
• Skilled in APD testing.
• Skilled in Ear care / wax removal.
• Knowledge of SMART 4 Database.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust