Paediatric Audiologist

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated Audiologist to join our busy Paediatric Audiology Department that provides a comprehensive audiology service for the paediatric population of Halton, St Helens & Knowsley. It is expected that you would assist in carrying out all the necessary work related to behavioural assessment, and rehabilitation of babies and children with hearing loss from 0-18 years. This post would be suited to a newly qualified audiologist looking to pursue a career in paediatric audiology. No paediatric experience is necessary as full training will be provided. The applicant must be registered or working towards registration with RCCP.

This is a great opportunity to join an excellent department with purpose-built audiology suites fully equipped with the latest audiology equipment. The audiology team is highly motivated and very friendly.

The work is community-based; therefore it is essential that the successful candidate is able to travel throughout the organisation to meet the requirements of the role.

We are a forward-thinking department. We actively encourage and support further educational development, attendance at courses, and conferences.

Main duties of the job

To be a member of a Multidisciplinary Team providing a comprehensive and integrated Community Service of Paediatric Audiology for babies, children, and young adults.

• To work closely with doctors and senior audiologists in clinics, performing a range of clinical tests and procedures for patients aged 0 to 18 years of age as appropriate.
• To prepare clinic rooms ready for testing including the necessary calibration checks of equipment.
• To maintain accurate and confidential patient records in line with department and Trust policies, this may involve inputting data from clinical test results.
• Responsible for keeping a check on stock levels in order to maintain sufficient supplies of Audiology materials.

Assist more senior Audiologists in the operational management and administration of the department.

About us

Flexible working will be considered for all roles.

Unfortunately, we do not hold a sponsor licence for working Visas.

At Bridgewater, our PEOPLE values shape how we deliver our NHS services in your local community.

They help us deliver our mission to improve local health and promote wellbeing in the communities we serve.

Here at Bridgewater, our shared values flow through the organisation:

P - Person-centred - We are passionate about individual needs and promote independence in the healthcare we provide.
E - Empowered - We empower our people and encourage new ideas to deliver and create improvements in community care.
O - Open and Honest - We behave in a way that develops relationships based on trust, openness, honesty, and respect.
P - Professional - We support our people, so everyone has the right skills and training to deliver outstanding patient care.
L - Locally Led - We are always learning about our communities and show great pride in being a local provider of health and care.
E - Efficient - We use our resources wisely to provide sustainable and value for money healthcare for our patients.

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose:

To be a member of a Multidisciplinary Team providing a comprehensive and integrated Community Service of Paediatric Audiology for babies, children, and young adults.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• To work closely with senior audiologists in clinics, performing a range of clinical tests and procedures for patients aged 0 to 18 years of age as appropriate.
• To prepare clinic rooms ready for testing including the necessary calibration checks of equipment.
• To maintain accurate and confidential patient records in line with department and Trust policies, this may involve inputting data from clinical test results.
• Responsible for keeping a check on stock levels in order to maintain sufficient supplies of Audiology materials.

Assist more senior Audiologists in the operational management and administration of the department.

Clinical:

• Be able to carry out routine audiometric assessment for children above the age of four years with no other medical problems.
• Assist with the more specialised tests, and with younger and more difficult to test children in clinics and in special schools.
• Carry out urgent hearing aid repairs.

Main clinical responsibilities:

• Comprehensive pre-session preparation of the clinic.
• Equipment calibration and safety checks.

Maintain a high level of order and tidiness in the clinical area.

Otoscopy examination of ears and the ability to recognise and identify simple and common pathologies of the ear canal, ear drum, and middle ear which may have contraindications to a course of action, test, or treatment.

• General Audiometric tests, e.g. Pure Tone Audiometry and Impedance test.
• Specialised Audiometric tests e.g. Otoacoustic emissions.
• Behavioural audiometric tests of hearing for children e.g. Distraction testing, Performance testing, Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA), and Speech Discrimination Tests.
• Hearing aid assessment, evaluation, verification, and repair including Impression taking, Hearing aid test box measurement, Ear mould modification, REM and RECD measurements, Hearing aid questionnaires.

Identify the need for and make further appointments for patients as required.

All procedures carried out should be in accordance with agreed policies and procedures written by BSA, MCHAS, NHSP, the trust, and the department.

At all times strict hygiene procedures should be maintained when dealing with test equipment, hearing aid appliance, aural impression, or toys that have been in contact with patients.

Operational Management and Administration:

Assist senior Audiologists in the operational management and administration of the department as appropriate.

Hearing aid postal repair duties to include checking, testing, fault finding, and guarantee checking of faulty hearing aids and processing of ear moulds.

Carrying out regular stock takes.

• Receiving and registering new hearing aids for stock entry.
• Take telephone enquiries from patients, parents/carers, health and education professionals and give advice as appropriate.

Communication:

• Work and communicate effectively and courteously with patients, colleagues, public, and members of the directorate and the trust.
• Maintain hospital and departmental records, including provision of patient reports as necessary.
• To work and communicate effectively within the multi-disciplinary team.
• Ability to adapt communication in order to instruct infants and children, including those with complex needs, during behavioural hearing assessment using appropriate language.
• Able to use tact and persuasion where barriers to understanding exist, e.g. very young children, children with learning difficulties and the un-cooperative child.
• Communicate effectively with deaf and hard of hearing patients and families.
• Able to communicate complex technical information in a meaningful manner.
• Demonstrate reassurance and persuasive skills to gain a child's confidence for invasive procedures e.g., impressions.
• Demonstrate sensitivity and awareness when imparting bad news e.g. sudden hearing loss or deterioration of existing hearing loss.

Professional:

• Active participant in Trust research projects involving children with hearing loss.
• Maintain strict confidentiality at all times.
• Maintain professional standards and protocols without supervision.
• Work in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act and comply with Trust policies and audiological protocols.
• Ensure continuing professional development. Develops and maintains in-depth knowledge of paediatric test protocols, is well informed about changes to current practice and able to implement new recommended procedures following appropriate training.
• Maintain registration with the RCCP.
• Take part in both professional and departmental meetings.

Information and Data Responsibilities:

1. Maintain thorough record-keeping of patient records and ensure appropriate archiving of data as per Trust policy.
2. Maintain systems to monitor documentation including recording and storing all relevant information ensuring it is securely held and can be accessed easily.
3. Record accurately and timely all patient records including test results and journal entries in accordance with departmental record keeping procedures, including the use of the electronic patient management system (Auditbase) and the national newborn hearing screening database (S4H).

Person Specification

Qualifications

• BSc Degree in Audiology or equivalent.
• HNC/BAAT I & II.
• Registered or working towards one of the following (or eligible for registration):
• HCPC as a Clinical Scientist.
• RCCP as a Clinical Physiologist.
• AHCS as a Healthcare Scientist.

Additional Criteria

• The ability to travel independently across the Trust and to other boroughs.
• The ability to work flexibly in accordance with service needs.
• Do you have the right to stay and work in the UK without sponsorship (share-codes will be checked if applicable), please state this on your application form.
• If you are related to a director or have a relationship with a director or employee of an appointing organisation, please state the relationship in your application form.

Experience

• Basic knowledge of audiological testing and assessments including hearing aid fitting and patient management.
• Basic knowledge of paediatric audiology tests.
• Experience in NHSP.

Skills & Knowledge

• Basic computing skills including use of Patient Management Systems e.g. Auditbase.
• Flexible approach to work with a positive attitude.
• Good time management.
• Good team player.
• Reliable and punctual.

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.

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Please quote reference number: C9835-HC23-288c