Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Duties:

• To work in providing a child-led, family focused service ensuring our patients are provided with clinical excellence in a holistic manner.
• To lead clinics independently and undertake a full range of specialised audiological assessments for children of all ages. This includes; taking an appropriate medical history, conducting age/developmentally appropriate test battery and to problem solve inconsistent or erroneous findings. Explaining the results to the patients and their families, formulating patient management plans and ensuring this is communicated to relevant health care or other professionals.
• Maintain empathy and rapport with the patient  throughout the appointment and during testing to maximise the quality of test results and minimise patient anxiety including identifying the relevant concerns of the patient, any family at the end of the test session, discussing the care plan for any further management.
• To ensure all patients are seen in a professional and confidential environment.  This is done by maintaining sensitive use and storing of all patient notes and records, and by being aware of issues regarding confidentiality when interacting with both staff members and members of the public.
• Supporting students and junior staff who are often assisting in clinics ensuring that they are developing their skills and furthering their training.
• Accurately test hearing of children of all ages including those with highly complex needs.

• To be responsible for performing routine Audiological test battery as part of consultant-led clinics on children. This will include Pure tone audiometry, tympanometry, play audiometry, visual reinforcement audiometry, acoustic reflexes, Oto-acoustic emissions, speech testing and distraction testing of children with additional/complex needs.
• Follow national and departmental guidelines and protocols with an understanding of when there should be variation from these.
• To be accountable for the day-to-day management of work areas, ensuring that equipment is maintained correctly and daily checks/calibration are carried out and recorded appropriately. Reporting any faults as appropriate to the relevant member of the team. To include chasing up/actioning any issues as directed by team leads.
• To be accountable for checking stock levels and informing the correct member of the team in accordance to local protocol.
• To be responsible for reporting any incidents via the Datix reporting system and directly to the Clinical lead.
• To be responsible for safeguarding of all patients and families and following the local protocols.
• Act independently within professional guidelines.
• To analyse and interpret a broad spectrum of paediatric test results and recommend appropriate audiological intervention.
• Use the full breadth of subjective and objective tests available, as required, according to age, ability and clinical needs of the individual.
• Analyse results of tests and provide comprehensive reports including advice on clinical implications of findings and suggested further investigations. Justify and document any contra indications or necessary deviation from protocol in the case notes and/or medical notes, seeking guidance or justification if required.
• Rotate across the three sites as required, directed by line manager, and/or due to service needs. To be flexible in travelling to  additional sites covered by Whittington Health if Service needs requires this.
• To maintain good time management ensuring that clinical task and reports are completed in a timely manner.

Communication:

• To communicate verbally, face-to-face and on the telephone, and in writing with children and families ensuring that the information is age appropriate for the child.
• To communicate with children and families through interpreters where necessary.
• To deal with telephone queries from parents, carers, other departments within the hospital, other hospitals, health care workers, primary care workers, medical staff, social services and Education Department appropriately.
• To explain complex information in a clear and concise manner.
• To be responsible for supporting families after the communication of distressing news with sensitivity and compassion; being receptive to the many questions asked, providing information and facilitating a way forward for the families on such occasions.
• To be sensitive to families and children’s special needs and facilitate accordingly. To be fully aware of confidentiality guidelines and exercise judgment and care when exchanging confidential and sensitive patient information.

     Research, Development and Education:

•  To keep up-to-date with developments in-field and ensure appropriate changes are incorporated into patient care.  To monitor national and international developments in the field of Paediatric Audiology, in conjunction with the Service Lead and to develop departmental policies to ensure that evidence-based practice is implemented.
• To participate in mandatory staff training sessions.
• To attend and participate in team monthly meetings. To bring innovative ideas to help bring positive changes to improve our clinics and provision of hearing health care to all our patients.
• To disseminate acquired course knowledge to other team members.
• To be responsible for completing student’s/ apprenticeship’s log books.
• To supervise the work of trainee, junior and assistant audiologists and provide guidance and support in audiological techniques to trainees studying for professional examinations.
• To provide training and support for non-audiological staff as and when required including school nurses, health visitors, medical students, speech and language therapists etc.
• To ensure involvement with Professional bodies: British Academy of Audiologists or  British Society of Audiology.
• The post-holder must comply with the HPC or RCCP Code of Professional Conduct.
• To be responsible for continuing to maintain and record Professional Development Record and ensuring revalidation requirements are met for Clinical Governing bodies.
• To participate in departmental research and audit including clinical trials, new technology trials and MSc Research Projects.
• To participate in clinical audit and ongoing development of evidence-based practice within the Paediatric Audiology Team.
• To participate in Friends and Family tests and other service improvement initiatives.
• To produce and adhere to clinical protocols in conjunction with the Paediatric Audiological Physician and Paediatric Audiology Service Lead.  To be responsible for changes in working practice of the service.

           Management and general responsibilities:

•  To ensure incidents are reported and logged appropriately. To train staff around logging incidents, and remain up- to-date on incident reporting procedures, and disseminate the same to the team and service lead.
• To ensure all patients are seen in compliance with Trust policies in an environment that upkeeps the highest levels of health and safety.  On a daily basis this involves an active awareness of good hygiene, to prevent the spread of MRSA and other infectious diseases especially in the use of clinical equipment used for otoscopy and tympanometry. Also involved is maintaining an awareness of fire safety and emergency procedures, and ensuring the department fulfils all general health and safety protocols.
• To undertake other duties with the Audiology Team as directed by Clinical Service Manager agreed by the post holder. 
• To participate in any relevant training to further skills and knowledge as directed by the (Line) Service Manager, Paediatric Audiological Physician and Trust Policies.
• To participate in regular appraisals with Service manager/Chief Audiologist, highlighting development and training needs in a professional development plan.