Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Deputy Team Leader - Advanced Adult Audiologist

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Job summary

This job is for an experienced band 7 Deputy Diagnostic Lead / Advanced Audiologist within the Hearing and Balance Service at Leeds Teaching Hospitals. We are committed to providing the highest quality care for its patients whilst embodying the core values of the Leeds Way.

The main base is a newly developed department at Seacroft Hospital just outside Leeds City Centre the Hearing and Balance Service provides modern facilities and a comprehensive range of services, across multiple hospital and community sites for patients of all ages including implantable devices and vestibular assessments. Due to the range of services provided, opportunities exist for training and development into specialist areas and staff can be supported through the Higher Training Scheme.

The Hearing and Balance Service offers an open and inclusive culture for its staff, valuing the input from the whole team to help guide and shape the delivery of the service.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work within a multidisciplinary team across multiple sites to provide a comprehensive adult diagnostic and re-habilitation service for adults and their carers. The adult team work as autonomous practioners within the service and are to be able to develop, lead improvements, maximising the benefit for patients. You will be performing a wide range of diagnostic testing on all patient groups, in addition to providing highly effective re-habilitation and on-going maintenance care plans for patients with complex hearing losses, tinnitus, patients with Bone Anchored Hearing Aids(BAHA) , ENT patients and Oncology patients. The main part of the role will be to lead and support the department with their BAHA and middle ear implant service. This will include performing detailed hearing assessments, including speech in noise testing, keeping up to date with national standards and reporting activity to commissioners. The role will require training staff, and supporting other aspects of service such as repairs, diagnostic assessments, MDTs. There is scope to support the department in many exciting initiatives and develop the service with continuous improvement cycles. The department is also working towards IQIPs accreditation.

About us

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is one of the largest and busiest acute hospital trusts in the UK. Every year, LTHT provides healthcare and specialist services for people from the city of Leeds, Yorkshire and the Humber and beyond. The Trust plays an important role in the training and education. LTHT is rated as a good hospital Trust by the Care Quality Commission, and has a strategy to continue improving to provide outstanding care for patients.

Care and clinical expertise is spread over seven hospitals and medical facilities:

Leeds General Infirmary (LGI)

St Jamess University Hospital (including Leeds Cancer Centre)

Seacroft Hospital

Wharfedale Hospital

Chapel Allerton Hospital

Leeds Childrens Hospital

Leeds Dental Institute

Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions.

Date posted

17 January 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9298-HAN-093

Job locations

Leeds General Infirmary

Great George Street

Leeds

LS1 3EX

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please note: The interview date for this post will be held on the 5th February 2025.

Scientific/Clinical Responsibilities

To oversee and provide expert advice for all non-CI implantable devices including Bone Anchored Hearing Aids (BAHA) and middle ear implantable devices.

To undertake, as required, the full range of advanced Audiological assessments, including advanced audio-vestibular testing. The post holder will be required to have advanced theoretical and scientific knowledge of the speciality.

To oversee the full and accurate interpretation of results of all assessments and ensure an efficient reporting service, and take full responsibility for the outcomes of all assessments and investigations performed by scientific and technical staff.

To maintain a caseload of adult patients for diagnostic and rehabilitative audiology including hearing aid provision and any other procedures as required.

To independently select and perform appropriate hearing investigations and provide advice, diagnosis and treatment options to patients and GPs, offering referral to other specialities where appropriate. To counsel patients with regard to their hearing difficulties.

To perform Hearing aid Assessments. This involves: evaluating patients suitability and motivation for hearing aid rehabilitation, identifying possible difficulties and advising patients on best rehabilitative options; using clinical judgement to produce individual and specialist treatment plans; counselling patients with regards to their difficulties and negotiating specialist treatment packages which may include liaison with other professions e.g. Hearing therapy and social services, and reporting back to referrers as appropriate.

To prescribe and fit appropriate hearing aids including analogue and digital devices. Counselling patients with regard to use and adaptation, modifying treatment plans as appropriate.

To perform threshold or diagnostic Evoked Response Testing including Auditory Brainstem Response tests and cortical ERA tests.

To perform diagnostic vestibular assessments on patients with balance disorders. Analysis, interpretation and reporting on results and counselling/debriefing of patients concerning the outcomes of tests and recommendations for further management.

To maintain a caseload of complex patients within a clinical sub-speciality as an integral member of the MDT. This will involve clinical input to specialist clinics, the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and follow up of complex patients within the sub-speciality and input to MDT meetings and training.

To provide advice, diagnosis and treatment options to GP and hospital medical staff within areas of clinical speciality.

To communicate effectively with patients with severe to profound hearing loss and significant communication difficulties. To communicate the results of tests and future management plans to patients and their families, including information of a sensitive nature.

To build towards providing a service for pre-assessment and selection of cochlear implantation (CI) candidates in collaboration with regional cochlear implant centres.

Deliver objectives agreed at the outset of the future year being responsive to re-setting of objectives (in year) if needed.

Ensure fitness to practice, keeping a record for CPD and continuation of professional registration.

Agree and work positively towards and Personal Development Plans; agreed as part of objectives setting.

Provide and data/information that may be required as part of personal performance management and ensure this is the case for junior staff.