Paediatric Audiologist

Northampton General Hospital Nhs Trust; Northampton; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust is seeking a dedicated Paediatric Audiologist to join the Children’s Hearing Clinic Team on a 12-month fixed term maternity cover. The role involves diagnostic assessments, aural habilitation, and working within a multidisciplinary team including Community Paediatricians and Teachers of the Deaf.

Applicants should have a BSc in Audiology (or equivalent) and be registered or in process with RCCP/AHCS or HCPC.

Qualifications

• BSc in Audiology (or equivalent) required.
• NHS Paediatric Audiology experience desirable.
• Registered with RCCP/AHCS or HCPC.

Responsibilities

• Perform diagnostic audiological assessments for neonates and children up to age 18.
• Provide aural habilitation and counselling to families.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams including paediatricians and teachers of the deaf.
• Support IQIPS accreditation initiatives.

Skills

Excellent communication

Teamwork

Empathy

Organisation

Education

BSc in Audiology (or equivalent)

Registered with RCCP/AHCS or HCPC

Tools

Real ear measurements

Smart4Hearing

Audit base

Job description

Job summary

Are you a Paediatric Audiology looking to work in a dedicated Paediatric service?

Fixed term contract 12 months - maternity cover (Nov-2027)

We are looking for a bright, committed, and enthusiastic individual to join the Children's Hearing Clinic Team at Northampton General Hospital Trust to cover maternity leave.

You will be working as part of an established team of dedicated Paediatric Audiologists as well as having the opportunity to work as part of a multi‑disciplinary team including Community Paediatricians and Teachers of the Deaf.

To apply for this position, you will need to have a BSc in Audiology (or equivalent). Recent paediatric Audiology experience in the NHS is desirable but not essential as training will be provided.

Be registered or in the process of registering with the RCCP/AHCS or HCPC.

Be interested to take an active role and contribute in the departments journey to secure IQIPS accreditation.

Main duties of the job

The Children's Hearing Clinic is a very busy hospital based clinic receiving referrals from a wide range of professionals across South Northants and also supports the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme. We are an integral part of the Children's Directorate and work very closely with our colleagues in Paediatrics and ENT as well as primary care, education and the voluntary sector.

To assist in the provision of a diagnostic service for the Paediatric Audiology Department, performing a full range of diagnostic audiological assessments on neonates, children and young people up to the age of 18 years old including children with learning disabilities, challenging behaviour and additional disabilities or special needs.

To provide aural habilitation for babies, children and young people, which includes providing counselling to distressed parents/guardians about their children's hearing loss and associated problems and make decisions about the most appropriate course of treatment for the patient in their care, seeking guidance of senior members of staff/Consultant Paediatrician where applicable.

About us

Northampton General Hospital is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. All of our divisions are committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. Audiology Services in the county have recently collaborated. We have also entered into a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.

Our Excellence Values Compassion Accountability Respect Integrity Courage.

We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone's full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities.

We are a Defence positive trust, supporting our reservists, veterans, spouses and partners.

The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals.

We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.

We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds.This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.

Job responsibilities

We need an excellent communicator who is proactive in the way they tackle tasks and can work well individually and as part of a team, with a good sense of humour and ability to work well under pressure. You must be able to work with babies, children and families with complex needs and/or challenging social needs.

To ensure that a consistently high quality, complex and sophisticated clinical service is provided, meeting the highest national and international standards. This includes maintaining continuous professional development, clinical supervision and training of junior members of staff including medical students, working autonomously, managing own caseload and demonstration of own initiative as well as working well as part of a team.

Key duties

• To ensure that all patients are assessed accurately, using the most appropriate combination of clinical tests, to assist in their further clinical and medical management.
• To provide routine and non-routine paediatric behavioural audiological assessments in conjunction with colleagues.
• To provide or assist in providing specialist assessment of severely learning disabled children and those with complex additional needs. Tests to include pure tone audiometry with bone conduction and masking, middle ear analysis, visual reinforcement audiometry, behavioural observation audiometry, distraction testing, play audiometry, speech audiometry and other techniques including full range of objective measures.
• Analysing and explaining the results to the parents which may include breaking bad news regarding a childs permanent hearing status.
• Management of babies, children and young people with hearing loss, being sensitive to the child/parents needs, advising and helping child/parent to make decisions regarding future management and if necessary, arranging for hearing aids to be fitted.
• Ensuring excellent communication between all the professionals involved and the child/family.
• Ensuring complete documentation, reporting and correspondence together with any further care plan are made clear to the referrer, family, Paediatrician, HV etc.
• Actively monitor in conjunction with the Head of Service and the NHSP Local Coordinator of Newborn Hearing Screen referrals and targeted follow ups and produce a monthly report on outcomes of testing.
• Attend the weekly departmental clinical meeting and active participate in the discussions around the cases presented.
• Attend monthly Paediatric Audiology meetings and actively contribute to the discussions.
• To take comprehensive clinical histories from families and evaluate this with clinical observations and outcome of testing to formulate an individual action plan for each case an initiate the appropriate onward referral and effectively correspond with primary care.
• To perform assessments, fitting (using real ear measurements) and evaluation of complex non routine hearing aids and amplification devices.
• Record and document results on paper and electronically (Smart4Hearing & Audit base patient management systems).
• Take aural impressions and modify ear moulds as required of babies, children and young people.
• Instruct parents/carers/patients in hearing aid handling, expectations and care.
• Provide information on alternative sources of help and support (social services, education, voluntary organisations and hearing aid dispensers).
• Assessment of babies/children on their needs for non-standard hearing aids (e.g. cochlear implants, CROS/BICROS, BAHD, vibrotactile).
• To maintain excellent links with other agencies and seek ways to strengthen these links according to best practice.
• To cover community clinics and occasional home visits as the need arises.
• To actively promote the principles of a family friendly service by ensuring that parents and carers are given clear and accurate information.
• To assist the head of service and Consultant Paediatrician with the local implementation of national priorities in relation to NHSP and Paediatric Audiology.
• Refer to/liaise with other health care professionals regarding individual patients (ENT, education, paediatrics), to ensure a holistic approach to the patient.
• To keep up to date with developments and ensure that appropriate changes are incorporated into patient care. To monitor national and international developments in the field of Paediatric Audiology, in conjunction with the Service Manager and to help develop departmental policies to ensure that evidence-based practice is implemented.
• To maintain a CPD portfolio.
• Supervise trainee Audiology BSc and MSc students, junior members of staff, health visitors, and administration staff.
• To provide training and support for non-audiological staff as and when required including, health visitors, medical students etc.
• Identify training needs relevant to the improvement of paediatric Audiology services.
• To maintain a programme of continuing professional development to include keeping up to date on new research and ideas by reviewing relevant research papers and attending courses, conferences, and study days.
• To assist and actively take part in the departments work to achieve IQIPS accreditation

Person Specification

Educations, Training and Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to BSc level or equivalent level of education, training or experience.
• Registered or applying for RCCP/AHCS or HCPC registra
• Experience in Paediatric Behavioural assessment

Knowledge and Experie

Essential

• Qualified practitioner with NHS clinical experience as a band 5 or 6
• Good knowledge of deafness in children and the impact it has on the child/family.
• Good knowledge and understanding of children's Safeguarding

Desirable

• Recent knowledge/involvement/training in the IQIPS accreditation process

Skills

Essential

• Experience /Knowledge of testing children's hearing using age appropriate techniques
• Have a specific interest and passion for working in a Paediatric service
• Be able to relate to a wide range of babies/children and demonstrate sensitivity and show empathy

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.

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).

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