Senior Paediatric Audiologist

We are looking for an enthusiastic and well-motivated Senior Paediatric Audiologist to join our large, friendly, multi-disciplinary paediatric audiology team. This mainly clinical role will keep you busy with a full range of paediatric assessments and (re)habilitation challenges, together with some delegated service development and leadership and mentoring responsibilities. The role will offer the opportunity to grow and develop as a Senior Paediatric Audiologist as part of a team that strives to continually improve. As a Senior Paediatric Audiologist your clinical responsibilities will include:

• Leading on electrophysiological assessment on newborns referred from NHSP
• Behavioral hearing assessment clinics for children of all ages, including those with additional needs
• New paediatric hearing aid fittings
• Paediatric hearing aid reviews

Your leadership responsibilities will include:

• Support and mentoring of junior staff members
• Training and support of trainees and apprentices
• Service development through service review, audit and research

Alongside our main site at St Thomas’ we run regular clinics at our satellite sites in Gracefield Gardens (Lambeth), Sunshine House (Southwark) and Kaleidoscope (Lewisham). The majority of the clinical team work compressed hours (08:00-18:00) across 4 days, and typically the post holder would be based at St Thomas’ 2-3 days a week and at a satellite clinic 1-2 days a week. Following the COVID19 pandemic we have also embedded Remote Care into our clinical pathways offering team members the opportunity to occasionally work from home. The Children & Young People’s Audiology Centre in St Thomas’ Hospital is recognised as a comprehensive non-consultant led audiological centre providing a high quality service for the children residing in South East London. We have developed an innovative specialist hearing assessment service for autistic and complex needs children known as Hummingbird Clinic and have involvement in a number of national and international research projects. The quality of the service has been acknowledged by being awarded the BAA team of year for 2018. The service is a UKAS accredited medical diagnostic service No. 9980. Professional/Clinical responsibilities

• To work independently as part of a multi-disciplinary team, within professional boundaries. To be ultimately accountable to the Clinical Lead and Head of Service, and to seek guidance from peers or senior staff whenever necessary.
• To carry out all audiological procedures according to national, professional and local protocols. To justify and document any contraindications or necessary deviation from protocol in the case notes and/or medical notes, seeking guidance on justification if required. To maintain empathy and rapport with the patient during testing to maximise the quality of test results and minimise patient anxiety including identifying the relevant concerns of the patient, any contraindications to procedures, and explaining and carrying out procedures.
• To undertake clinical assessments of hearing function in children of all ages, including neonates, and to assist in assessments of those with complex needs, using a wide range of behavioural and electrophysiological test procedures in line with departmental practice and protocols, operating a comprehensive range of electromedical equipment and analysing and interpreting complex clinical data.
• To undertake the selection, fitting and evaluation of personal hearing aids and other devices for hearing rehabilitation for children of all ages beyond the neonatal stage, and those with complex needs, in accordance with departmental practice and protocols, using recognised fitting protocols and exercising expert judgement to determine appropriate hearing aid settings for individual patients.
• To supervise and mentor more junior or temporary clinical audiological staff in carrying out clinical audiological assessments and hearing aid fittings and evaluations.
• To work closely with educational staff and parents to ensure that children’s hearing aid systems are used to achieve the best outcomes.
• To refer to and work with other agencies in providing a co-ordinated programme of rehabilitation, support and advice for hearing-impaired children and their families, taking into account their needs and preferred care options.
• To provide demonstrations, advice and counselling to the parents and families of hearing-impaired children and, where appropriate, the children themselves.
• To prepare comprehensive and accurate reports for relevant professionals, educational services and parents, on the assessment, management and special needs of children seen by him or her.
• To approve and authorise hearing aid selections by more junior or temporary clinical staff.
• To maintain complete and accurate paper and electronic records about children seen by him or her on local and national databases.

Management and Leadership

• To take lead responsibility, under the overall direction of more senior staff, for one or more clinical, administrative, technical support or liaison functions of the Service, in agreement with the Head of the Service.
• To assist in the maintenance of the facilities and equipment of the Service, in line with national and local protocols and practice.
• To collect and analyse data for clinical audit, reports and service development proposals as required.
• To attend and actively contribute to planning and administrative meetings, both internal and external to the Trust, as required by the Head of Service.
• To undertake such duties as may be required from time to time as are consistent with the responsibilities of the grade and the needs of the service

Clinical development, teaching and research

• To provide teaching on audiological issues, to medical and non-medical staff, and others, as agreed with the Head of Service.
• To provide immediate clinical supervision of BSc, MSc and other students on clinical placements within the Service.
• To draft protocols for aspects of service provision, under the direction of the Clinical Lead
• To participate in research and service development projects, as agreed with the Clinical Lead and Head of Service.

Education and Professional development

• To fulfil the requirements of professional registration and the Continuing Professional Development programme of the relevant professional body.
• To maintain current awareness of audiological issues, and competence in relevant aspects of audiology, through the reading of audiological journals and attendance at meetings, conferences and courses, as agreed with the Head of Service.
• To attend mandatory training courses, participate in the Trust appraisal scheme and seek to further own professional and personal development