Detailed job description and main 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 patient’s 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 individual’s 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.