Paediatric Audiologist

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. With further training if necessary, this will include 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.

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 as an individual practitioner and in conjunction with colleagues.

·       To 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 child’s permanent hearing status.

·       Management of babies, children and young people with hearing loss, being sensitive to the child/parent’s 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 of 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 New born 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 Business meeting.

·       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 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 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, BAHA, 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.

·       Take an active role as part of the Children’s Hearing Clinic team to assist the department work towards and achieve IQIPS accreditation.