Senior Paediatric Audiologist

Job overview

We are looking for an experienced, motivated Paediatric Audiologist to join our friendly team.

This is a 1year fixed term maternity cover.

You will be responsible for leading on assessments and Paediatric (re) habilitation of children of all ages, as well as supporting Consultant-led Paediatric clinics.

You will contribute to service development, provide clinical leadership within the paediatric team, and ensure that care is delivered in line with national best-practice standards.

We are a Consultant led service, providing a comprehensive diagnostic and (re)habilitation service to neonates, children, and Adults in the boroughs of Haringey, Camden and Islington. We are also the tertiary centre for the Newborn hearing screening program for babies referred from Haringey and Enfield.

This is a great opportunity for you to take a lead role in a tertiary Paediatric service.

Main duties of the job

• 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).
• To provide a comprehensive hearing aid service to newborn babies and children, in accordance with national best practice guidelines/protocols and local protocols (MCHAS, NICE, BSA..). To undertake initial hearing aid fit, validation, verification and modification as required.
• To undertake repairs and modifications to faulty hearing aids as necessary.
• To take earmould impressions for children of all ages-appropriate to hearing loss and hearing aid types.
• To be responsible for reviewing children and their amplification needs.
• To provide clinical training and supervision to junior Paediatric Audiologists, new starters, ATO/MSc/BSc students and locums.

To manage and deal with queries from patients, carers Teachers of the Deaf and other healthcare professionals

• To be responsible for an aspect of data entry and monitoring-as directed by the lead Paediatric Audiologist.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main duties

• Clinical and Scientific.
• To perform behavioural hearing assessments on children as part of doctor led clinics and Audiologist led clinics.
• 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 recognise contra-indications to performing further procedures and arrange referral to other professionals (ENT, GP,) for management/treatment as/when required.
• To provide a comprehensive hearing aid service to newborn babies and children, in accordance with national best practice guidelines/protocols and local protocols (MCHAS, NICE, BSA..). To undertake initial hearing aid fit, validation, verification and modification as required.
• To undertake repairs and modifications to faulty hearing aids as necessary.
• To take earmould impressions for children of all ages-appropriate to hearing loss and hearing aid types.
• To be responsible for reviewing children and their amplification needs. This will include taking a full history,  age appropriate  hearing assessments, speech discriminations tests, aided assessments, questionnaires 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 problem solve inconsistent/erroneous findings/test results and manages these appropriately.
• Administrative and Management
• To provide clinical training and supervision to junior Paediatric Audiologists, new starters, ATO/MSc/BSc students and locums.
• To have managerial responsibilities for junior staff as directed by lead Paediatric Audiologist. This may include monitoring of A/L, sick leave, 1:1s, appraisals.
• To ensure that national/local/trust policies/protocols/guidelines are followed and to support junior staff in adhering to same.
• To contribute to departmental and team meetings and ensure appropriate actions are completed in a timely manner
• To disseminate learning to peers/team/other health professionals
• To be responsible for general maintenance of equipment and rooms, stock checks and re-stocking of rooms 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 manage and deal with queries from patients, carers Teachers of the Deaf and other healthcare professionals.
• 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 action and follow up any equipment/software issues as needed.
• Daily requirement to input audiological data into Audiology patient management system (Auditbase), Trust patient management system, Newborn Hearing Screening national database (ESP/SH4), as well as local records/databases.
• To be responsible for an aspect of data entry and monitoring-as directed by the lead Paediatric Audiologist.
• 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 undertake clinical and other audits and assist the Lead Clinical Scientist in implementation of action plans.
• Represent the department at meetings as and when required and disseminate relevant information to colleagues. §
• 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.
• Working Conditions:
• May require working in enclosed areas with no windows or climate control for long periods, where extremes of room temperature may be experienced.
• May have to deal with foul and infected discharge from patients’ ears.
• Long periods of intense concentration on a daily basis.
• Dealing with aggressive or unclean patients.
• Prolonged daily use of VDU.
• Use of machinery for the fine modification of earmoulds, creating dust and fumes within the work environment.
• Difficult position, kneeling or bending whilst examining or assessing a child
• Requirement for fine manipulation skills when handling and programming hearing aids.
• Other
• Use persuasive, motivational, empathic and reassuring skills, to gain patient/carer agreement with treatment plans. This will include the imparting and understanding of technical and complex information to patients, carers and relevant professionals, often in highly emotive situations.
• Able to deal with and diffuse verbally aggressive or hostile situations and know when to seek support.
• To provide cover as required commensurate with grade.
• To perform any other adhoc duties that may be requested by the Consultant or Lead Paediatric Audiologist as appropriate to the grade.
• In order to meet the needs of the service, will be required to rotate at different locations. In some sites, you maybe the only Paediatric Audiologist on site on certain days.
• Attend annual mandatory training in line with Trust Policy