Audiology Professional Manager (Adult Auditory Implants)

Job responsibilities

For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.

Come and be a part of the best NHS trust in England to work for, according to our staff*

UCLH top trust to work at in England for the second year running! : University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

*In the most recent NHS staff survey UCLH had the highest percentage of staff who said they would recommend us as a place to work, out of all general acute or acute/community NHS trusts in England for the second year in a row.

UCLH top trust to work at in England for the second year running! University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Once again, UCLH has received the highest score of all general acute and acute/community NHS trusts in England for staff that would recommend us as a place to work.

1. Communication

1.1 To be able to communicate complex and often sensitive or emotive information (such as diagnosis of hearing loss) in an effective and accurate way in difficult situations, to patients and their relatives and be able to adapt using different communication skills in every situation.1.2 To be able to communicate effectively with profoundly deaf people including those who rely on sign language and patients requiring language interpreters.1.3 To be able to adapt communication to patients based on their clinical diagnosis and stage of treatment. This may include pre and/or post-operative patients and patients with long term, potentially rare conditions1.4 To liaise with consultants in ENT/AVM/Neuro-otology, other audiologists and other associated Healthcare professionals to ensure a holistic approach to the patient.1.5 To ensure that each patient has access to the relevant counselling, rehabilitation, and external support that they require in relation to their hearing loss. 1.6 To provide support and motivation to patients so that they may complete the assessment and rehabilitation process to the best of their ability1.7 To be able to communicate effectively with patients to ensure that appointments are managed within appropriate time frames to reduce delays to the clinics.1.8 To undertake joint consultations with other professionals including psychologists, speech and language therapists, and teachers of the deaf.1.9 To work constructively and flexibly with people from different cultures and backgrounds, being particularly alert to special vulnerabilities e.g. refugee status and war-related post-traumatic stress disorders.

2. Management and Leadership

2.1 To provide expert advice regarding complex and highly complex clinical issues to other members of the team and to other professions.2.2 To manage leave requests and staff sickness absence in line with Trust policies2.3 To support the Audiology Service Manager to ensure accurate activity and financial planning of services2.4 With the support of the relevant Audiology service lead be responsible for ensuring service capacity is delivered to meet clinical demands and performance targets.2.5 To initiate and lead service developments and liaise with the relevant Audiology service lead to understand the impact on the named service area.2.6 To ensure that safeguarding process for children and vulnerable adults are managed throughout the service, including access to training and local policies where appropriate.2.7 To oversee compliance with relevant standards that could include national or locally agreed performance or quality standard targets. This could include areas such as; NHSP; Audiology led clinics, AQP referrals, direct access audiology, IQIPS standards, NDCS and BCIG Quality Standards

Knowledge and Qualifications

Essential

• MSc in Clinical Audiology or equivalent level of knowledge/expertise in field CAC or equivalent post graduate experience
• Registered to practice as an Audiologist/ Clinical Scientist with either Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) or Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists (RCCP).
• Extensive post-graduate experience
• Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of the assessment and rehabilitation of hearing impaired adults, including associated problems such as vestibular and tinnitus handicap, and hearing aid technology
• Evidence of significant post graduate CPD

Desirable

• Working towards PhD or other post graduate qualification
• Post graduate management/ leadership training or experience as supervisor
• Membership of BAA, BSA or other professional body

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience of working at a senior level demonstrating clinical competency within relevant clinical area
• Extensive experience in formulating comprehensive management plans based on case history information and diagnostic test results, where management decisions may not be straightforward
• Extensive experience of working with hearing impaired patients / parents / carers and associated professionals
• Evidence of leading clinical audit, research, and / or presentations at scientific meetings.
• Experience in managing staff using performance management and appraisal disciplinary and sickness absence policies/procedures
• Experience of responsibility for management of services in line with performance targets
• Evidence and experience of leading change, demonstrating sustained improvements

Desirable

• Leading service improvements and clinical audit or services/pathways
• Experience of managing budgets

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Ability to work with high level of autonomy in clinical and non-clinical situations including assessment, diagnosis, differential diagnosis and management of patients and their families.
• Ability to maintain concentration in order to obtain accurate results throughout busy clinics applying information to the management of patients
• Expert judgment skills needed in the performing and choice of assessments and or diagnostic tests
• Ability to deal regularly and appropriately with situations where conflict may arise
• Responsibility for monitoring outcomes using clinical and non-clinical data
• Ability to use highly developed formal and informal presentation skills for both staff and patient communication.
• Ability to work calmly and methodically when under pressure from a busy and varied caseload, demonstrating good prioritisation and organisational skills
• Proven ability to develop and maintain personal skills and knowledge within the Audiological field, maintaining up-to-date knowledge of procedural and professional developments
• Evidence which reflects excellent leadership skills and the ability to enthuse motivate and involve individuals and teams e.g. previous project leadership
• Skills in providing expert advice to other professional and non-professional groups
• Able to build rapport and credibility with team, senior clinical and managerial colleagues
• Ability to deal regularly and appropriately with angry and frustrated individuals.
• General (all staff): Advanced signal processing hearing aids including fitting, verification and evaluation methods
• Knowledge required for specific areas: Cochlear Implant 1. Theoretical knowledge of cochlear implants 2. Suitability for and potential benefits of cochlear implants 3. Theoretical knowledge of BAHA 4. Suitability for and potential benefits of BAHA

Communication

Essential

• Excellent written and oral communication skills and highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills.
• Able to identify and overcome barriers to all communication with patients of all ages, including those with additional needs such as profound deafness, learning disabilities or where patients are reliant on sign or language interpreters
• Fluent English speaker.
• Communicates complex information (which may be sensitive) to staff, patients and relatives using reasoning, persuasion, reassurance, tact and sensitivity; overcoming barriers to understanding.
• Able to adapt communication to meet the needs of the situation, including in stressful or conflict clinical and non-clinical situations
• Ability to educate, empathize, support, negotiate and motivate including times where co-operation is not guaranteed
• Dealing with patients who have on-going medical conditions.
• Ability to pass on expert and highly technical and/or condition related information with reassurance for better understanding gaining consent where necessary.
• Managing communication and interaction with staff and colleagues through regular 1:1, team meetings and informal conversations.

Personal and People Development

Essential

• Evidence of being a positive role model with the ability to demonstrate a credible, professional approach and manner at all times
• Excellent leadership skills with the ability to enthuse motivate and involve individuals and teams
• Significant experience of managing staff and teams in a hierarchical structure
• Experience in leading services in line with performance targets
• Leading service improvements and clinical audit or services/pathways
• Experience in appraising staff and objective setting
• Ability to work as part of a wider multi-disciplinary 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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).