Detailed job description and main responsibilities

MAIN DUTIES

1.      Clinical and Scientific.

§  To perform routine hearing assessments on pre-school and school aged children as part of doctor led clinics (to include visual reinforcement audiometry)

§  To undertake full Audiological assessment of pre-school and school aged children-to include both routine and complex cases (special educational needs, multiple disabilities and communication disorders).

Assessment will include full case history, otoscopy, tympanometry, stapedial reflexes, oto acoustic emissions, distraction testing, Visual re-inforcement audiometry, pure tone audiometry and speech discriminations tests.

§  To analyse test results, discuss findings with families/carers and formulate individual management plans.

§  To carry out auditory brainstem response assessment on newborn babies and older children. To be responsible for taking a history, interpreting test results, and sharing results with families in a sensitive manner.

§  To partake in internal and external ABR peer review system.

§  To provide a comprehensive hearing aid service to newborn babies and children, in accordance with national best practice guidelines/protocols (MCHAS, NICE..). To include real ear measurements on older children and real ear to coupler differences in babies and younger children.

§  To undertake repairs and modifications to faulty hearing aids as necessary.

§  To take aural impressions appropriate to hearing loss and hearing aid types.

§  To be responsible for reviewing children and their amplification needs in Audiologist–led clinics. This will include taking a full history,  age appropriate  hearing assessments, speech discriminations tests, aided assessments, and communicating results and appropriate management plans to families

§  To offer appropriate advice and guidance to families of children with permanent and temporary hearing loss.

§  To liase with all key stakeholders involved in child’s care to ensure optimum support for child and family, this will include-but not limited to- sensory support services, Paediatricians, safeguarding, health visitors, GPs, etc..

§  To problem solve inconsistent/erroneous findings/test results.

2.      Administrative and Management

§  To be responsible for a specific area of Paediatric Audiology- to be determined. May include managerial responsibility for the 2^nd tier service in Camden & Islington-based at the Northern heath centre.

§  Responsibility for management of junior staff.

To include responsibility for inductions, Personal Development reviews, clinical supervision,monitoring of annual leave, sickness, and general 1:1’s.

To escalate any serious/relevant issues to the lead clinical scientist in a timely manner.

§  To provide clinical training/supervision to ATO/MSc/BSc students and locums.

§  To provide training for school nurses involved in screening hearing

§  To investigate and manage DATIX incidents-as delegated by the lead Paediatric Audiologist.

§  To ensure that national/local/trust policies/protocols/guidelines are followed and to support junior staff in adhering to same.

§  To deputise for the Lead Senior Clinical Scientist as requested

§  To contribute to departmental and team meetings and ensure appropriate actions are completed in a timely manner

§  To arrange professional and in-house training as required/requested by Lead Clinical Scientist

§  To disseminate learning to peers/team/other health professionals

§  To be responsible for general maintenance, stock checks and re-stocking of rooms used for auditory brainstem response and to inform the Lead Senior clinical scientist of any issues.

§  To maintain accurate clinical records in line with departmental/Trust requirements.

§  To produce timely and accurate reports for all babies  and children seen in clinics.

§  To generate appropriate referrals to other specialities, such as ENT, TOD.

§  To deal with any queries from patients.

§  To be accountable for the day-to-day management of pertinent work areas, ensuring that equipment is maintained correctly, and daily checks/calibration are carried out, reporting any faults as appropriate to the Lead Senior Clinical scientist. To follow up any equipment/software issues.

§  Daily requirement to input own patient audiological data into Audiology patient management system (Auditbase), Trust patient management system, and Newborn Hearing Screening national database (ESP/SH4).

3.      Research and Development.

§  To participate in research projects as required.

§  To maintain up to date knowledge of scientific, technical and clinical practices to keep abreast of professional change and development in the fields of Paediatric Audiology.

§  Participation in Family Friendly Paediatric Service Provision as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

§  To review service processes and pathways to ensure optimum efficiency and patient satisfaction

§  To participate in departmental audit, and assist the Lead Clinical Scientist in implementation of action plans

§  To attend meetings as required regarding Audiology Service Issues.

§  To present educational/research information received from formal training to other members of staff.

§  To attend service training and study courses as required for personal development and/ or the advancement of the service.

§  To play an active role in service developments, commenting on change with an evidence based practice approach under the guidance of consultant/Lead Senior Clinical Scientist.

§  To provide necessary information as required for equipment procurement, quality assurance, and clinical governance to Consultant/Lead Clinical Scientist to enable best practice and service development.

§  To be responsible for monitoring own CPD activity to ensure registration requirements are fulfilled.

4. Other

§  To provide cover as required commensurate with grade

§  To perform any other adhoc duties that may be requested by the Consultant or Lead Clinical Scientist as appropriate to the grade.

§  In order to meet the needs of the service,  maybe required to work at different locations at times.