Clinical Lead in Paediatric Audiology

Swydd-ddisgrifiad a phrif gyfrifoldebau manwl

The primary aim of the paediatric audiology services to provide a quality assured patient centred care to all patients that use Northampton General Hospital paediatric 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 IT systems, audiology IT system, procurement system, leave record, and clinical rota system.

·         To promote and support the professional and vocational development of staff within the paediatric 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 paediatric audiology to inform and ensure their continued personal development and that of the department.

·         To take forward the modernisation 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 paediatric 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 paediatric 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 paediatric 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 paediatric 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 audiology so adults and paediatric audiology services are aligned within the Trust and across the collaboration.

·         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 paediatric 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 audiovestibular case history from a patient and/or family/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 families on hearing loss or associated problems including those with cognitive impairment or illnesses that may lead to anxiety aggressive behaviour. The ability to talk sensitively about other problems the patient may have if appropriate eg, mental health.

·         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/paediatricians 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 paediatric audiology to other professionals, patients and their families.

·         To ensure that each patient/family 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.

Education and professional development:

·         To ensure all mandatory training relevant to role and team.

·         To ensure all direct reports within the service complete mandatory training sessions within designated timeframes.

·         Plan and carry out annual appraisals within set timeframes with Direct Line reports and ensure that they are completed the same with their reports. To participate in their own learning and development including annual appraisal.

·         To organise and participate in training and teaching of paediatric audiologists and administrative staff.

·         To participate and where relevant organised teaching training supervision for students within the service including undergraduate and postgraduate courses. To provide training and support for medical and other non-audiological staff as and when required.

·         To provide clinical supervision in audiological techniques to junior staff and students and to ensure that a clear supervision structure is in place across the service.

·         Undertake regular and ongoing scientific development and researched aimed at enhancing the work in the reputation of the department this is likely to include presentation or public or publication in national and or international media.

·         To contribute and where appropriate lead on high quality clinical research. To contribute to departmental meetings research meetings journal clubs and audit. To liaise with the wider paediatric audiology team to encourage shared learning common protocols and pathways.

General duties and personal responsibilities:

·         To be able to work flexibly to manage numerous clinical responsibilities in an independent organised and highly motivated way this will involve frequent high levels of concentration with the likelihood of frequent interruptions.

·         To participate in own supervision and appraisal.

·         To follow departmental protocols and be responsible for their management of suggested improvements to working practises in conjunction with the other audiology leads and the Lead/Deputy Lead for the audiology service in the county.

·         To participate in attend departmental and team meetings.

·         To maintain up-to-date knowledge of techniques and equipment in order to ensure that patients receive the most current and effective audiological treatment to disseminate acquired learning and knowledge to other team members.

·         To ensure that all patients are seen in a professional and confidential environment. This is done by maintaining sensitive use of storing of all patient records and notes and by being aware of the issues regarding confidentiality when interacting with both staff members and other members of the public.

·         To maintain own continuing professional development in adherence to guidelines provided by relevant national bodies.