Adult Audiology Clinical Lead

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities

The primary aim of the audiology services to provide a quality assured patient centred care to all patients that use Northampton General Hospital audiology services the main roles and responsibilities of this post will include:

Operational

·         To ensure demonstrably high professional standards are maintained in all areas of clinical scientific, technical educational and rehabilitative service provision as they pertain to both staff and patients.

·         The post holder will be expected to provide supervision training and advice to all new staff and students within the department.

·         To have in depth understanding of all operational management systems for the provision of clinical service including the use of their applications for example hospital pass system audiology pass system procurement system, leave record, and clinical rota system.

·         To promote and support the professional and vocational development of staff within the audiology service and to implement good working practises in compliance with trust human resource policies in order to ensure effective and equitable recruitment retention development and training of staff.

·         To help the head of audiology maintain and develop audit and CPD resources for the department and use this as a mechanism through which it can monitor its performance insurance quality and strive for continuous improvement in service delivery

·         In conjunction with the head of audiology to investigate and respond to all patient complaints in compliance with the trust policy and within the timescales set by the trust using complaints positively to review and improve services.

·         To keep well versed with the latest developments in audiology to inform and ensure their continued personal development and that of the department.

·         To take forward the modernization of the service and develop initiative patient focused models of care.

·         To always comply with the Northampton General Hospital health and safety policies in particular by following agreed safe working procedures and reporting incidents using the trust risk incident reporting system.

·         To always respect patient confidentiality and not divulge patient information and less sanctioned by the requirements of the role.

·         To participate in the recruitment selection and interviewing process for all new staff.

·         Line management responsibilities for members of the adult audiology team.

·         To monitor and manage sickness and well-being issues in the absence of the head of audiology.

Clinical

·         In conjunction with the head of audiology be professionally responsible for the provision of a clinical and technically safe audiology service and to undertake regular clinical sessions in order to maintain a high clinical profile professional competence authority and credibility.

·         With support from the head of audiology be responsible for the day-to-day clinical pathway management of adult audiology service and its specialities to support and demonstrate high professional standards and to work towards meeting national waiting time targets.

·         To professionally lead and actively participate in the work of specific specialised disciplines in the department appropriate to the skills and experience of the post holder.

·         To provide specialist advice to patients, professionals, and professional services on all matters pertaining to adult audiology and clinical services.

·         To be professionally responsible for test results in the writing of test reports by all student staff particularly in the absence of the head of audiology.

·         To be responsible for the clinical decisions as to the viability of which diagnostic tests to undertake.

·         To work closely with the clinical lead of paediatric audiology so adults and paediatric audiology services are aligned.

·         In compliance with the departmental policies be responsible for referring patients to other professionals where appropriate.

·         To audit clinical effectiveness and maintain a programme of development.

·         To chair the adult and tinnitus specialist meetings. To undertake any such duties as deemed appropriate by the head of audiology.

Communication

·         To be able to take a complete audio vestibular case history from a patient and or carers and be able to interpret the information to guide treatment planning and discussions with multi professional team members.

·         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 or carers and be able to adapt using different communication skills in every situation seeking advice from the line manager when necessary.

·         This may include the use of communication skills including empathy persuasion motivation negotiation training reassurance to ensure the best outcome for the patient.

·         To be able to communicate effectively with patients with additional communication needs including profoundly deaf people knows who rely on sign language or language interpreters.

·         To counsel distressed patients and their relative stroke carers on hearing loss or associated problems including those with cognitive impairment or illnesses that may lead to anxiety aggressive behaviour or suicidal ideations. The ability to talk sensitively about other problems the patient may have if appropriate EG bereavement.

·         To be able to adapt communication to patients based on their clinical diagnosis and the stage of treatment this may include pre and or post operative patients and patients with long term potentially rare conditions.

·         To maintain good patient report including being sensitive to the patient or carers communication needs.

·         To liaise with the consultants in ENT/other audiologists and other associated healthcare professionals to ensure a holistic approach to the patient.

·         To be able to justify the choice of clinical intervention where expert opinions may differ using highly specialist knowledge and experience.

·         To act as an expert resource and advisor in the area of audiology to other professionals, patients and carers.

·         To ensure that each patient has access to the relevant counselling rehabilitation and external support that they require in relation to their hearing loss.

·         To provide support and motivation to patients so that they may complete the assessment and rehabilitation process to the best of their ability.

·         To be able to communicate effectively with patients to ensure that appointments are managed within appropriate timeframes to reduce delays to the clinics.

·         To demonstrate effective skills in conflict resolution and competent negotiation skills when dealing with difficult or challenging situations including the discussion of complex cases with other clinical staff.

·         To undertake joint consultations with other professionals including speech and language therapists and teachers of the deaf.

·         To work constructively and flexibly with people from other cultures and backgrounds being particularly alert to special vulnerabilities EG refugee status war related post traumatic stress disorders.

       To act as a key worker for patients such as during the transition from paediatrics to adult clinics.

·         To liaise with external suppliers of equipment and devices to optimise service delivery and patient management.