Senior Paediatric Audiology Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

PRIMARY DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

1. Clinical and Technical Responsibilities

Assists with the assessment of pre-school and school age infants and children, including:

o Assess ability of infant/child to perform tasks, in conjunction with the specialist paediatric audiologist

o Perform developmental and age appropriate games and play methods

o Assist in the performance of objective tests

o Assist in the calibration and maintenance of equipment

Communication with patients:

o Quickly understand patients clinical complaints or other queries; ensure patient has understood the treatment or other plan; deal sensitively with patients who may be distressed or have significant other health problems; communication to include face-to-face conversation, telephone conversation and email conversation; patient groups include: children; parents/carers.

Adherence to protocols/guidelines

Clinical work to be carried out according to local or national protocols or guidelines; some scope for using clinical judgement according to changes to patients circumstances, with support of registered staff as required; recognition when tasks are beyond the individuals scope of practice and onward referral to registered professional.

Research/Audit

Takes part in departmental research and audit as required, including presentation of local audit data within the service.

Data collection

o Records all clinical activity in the departmental clinical database. Ensure details of patients updated.

o Inputs data onto the national newborn screening database to support local and national quality assurance

Ensure that clinical rooms are prepared, according to locally agreed practice.

1. Administrative Duties

Assists in the production of reports to other health care professionals from the paediatric audiology clinics

Responsibility for maintaining service stationary requirements, and ensuring appropriate orders are placed.

Assist in ensuring that the paediatric service is adequately stocked and supplied with the necessary clinical consumables

Assisting in ensuring that that digital hearing aid stock is logged on to the Audiology Patient Management System, and that repair stock is logged in and out.

Assisting in ensuring that individual patient ear moulds are ready for fitting appointments, or posted to individuals, as required.

Assisting in ensuring that monthly battery stock is supplied to Health Centres and GP practices.

Assisting in ensuring that the stock is prepared for the monthly stock count.

Ensure that patient information leaflets remain stocked throughout the paediatric service.

1. Management responsibilities

Assists with planning and organising the paediatric audiology rota, including liaison with community clinics

Assists with the training of new audiology assistants

Involved in training of medical, audiology and other students, and other professional and volunteer staff as required.

Proposes and supports the planning of service developments in the paediatric audiology service.

COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Staff at all levels within the Audiology Service

Medical and allied professionals at the child development centre

Medical and nursing staff within ENT and on the wards

Patients and carers

Education and Social care

Voluntary sector

• Work to the Trust values: we put people first, we take ownership, we respect and value others, we are compassionate, and we listen, learn and improve.

• Adhere to Trust policies and procedures, e.g. Health and Safety at Work, Equal Opportunities etc.

• Maintain personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the job, participate in appropriate training activities and encourage and support staff development and training.

• Attend statutory, essential and mandatory training.

• Respect the confidentiality of all matters relating to their employment and other members of staff. All members of staff are required to comply with the requirements of UK Data Protection Act 2018/UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) or Data Protection legislation.

• Comply with the Corporate Governance structure in keeping with the principles and standards set out by the Trust.

• Comply with the codes of professional conduct set out by the professional body of which registration is required for the post.

• Ensure they are familiar with the Risk Management Framework, follow policies, procedures and safe systems of work, make known any hazards or risks that they identify and take all necessary actions to reduce risk.

• Ensure the welfare and safety of children within their care. This includes staff who come into contact with children and families in the course of their work as well as those staff who have a specific role with children and families.

• Ensure they attend Child Protection training at the appropriate level within the specified time frame.

• Staff must comply with Safeguarding Policies and Procedures in order to promote safeguarding and prevent abuse to vulnerable people using Trust services.

• Maintain the prevention and control of infection and fully comply with all current Trust Infection Control policies and procedures.
• Take responsibility for any records that they create or use in the course of their duties, in line with the Public Records Act and be aware that any records created by an employee of the NHS are public records and may be subject to both legal and professional obligations.

• Note

  This job description is neither definitive nor exhaustive and is not intended to be totally comprehensive. It may be reviewed in the light of changing circumstances following consultation with the post holder. This job description is to be read in conjunction with all current Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust policies, procedures & guidelines.

Person Specification

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• oPrevious demonstrable experience working with infants and young children
• oDemonstrable customer service experience

Desirable

• oWorking with or experience of deaf/hard of hearing
• Patient care

Qualifications

Essential

• o5 GCSE to Grade C including Science or equivalent
• oNVQ L3 in relevant subject

Desirable

• oComputer literate (ECDL)
• oPractical knowledge through formal accredited courses such as: Assistant Audiologist Training Course Pre-School Audiology Course

Aptitude & Abilities

Essential

• oGood communication skills, written and verbal, with ability to demonstrate fluency, clarity and effectiveness at all levels
• oEffective influencing skills: in general and with senior health care professionals

Desirable

• oGood hand to eye co-ordination
• oAbility to facilitate change within the work area
• Close team working within a small team

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

Audiology, Level 7, Derriford Hospital

Derriford Rd

Plymouth,

PL6 8DH

Employer's website

https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)