Ideal applicants should be reliable and motivated, with a minimum of five GCSEs including Maths and Science, and at least 48 UCAS points from relevant qualifications. The position requires attendance at training courses, both onsite and at educational institutions, alongside hands-on practice. Responsibilities also include triaging patient referrals, maintaining accurate patient records, and ensuring effective communication with both internal and external stakeholders. The role emphasises a commitment to patient-centered care, service efficiency, and ongoing personal development within a supportive department.
Have you ever thought of training to become and Audiologist or are you already undertaking training and wish to join the NHS?
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Audiology Department at Torbay Hospital in the beautiful location of South Devon. You will join the Department as a Senior Assistant Audiologist but there will be opportunity to undertake further training to qualify as a hearing aid Audiologist and potentially as a fully qualified Audiologist in the future.
The Department delivers an Audiology service across 8 localities and domiciliary visits for those patients who cannot attend hospital appointments.
The ideal candidate will be reliable, motivated and enthusiastic. In order to undertake further qualifications, you must have5 GCSE's including Maths, English and one science subject Grade 4 (c) or above and a minimum of 48 UCAS points from at least one of the following: A levels, T levels, BTEC , Access to higher education diploma, NVQ level 3 or equivalent.
You must be able to attend training courses away from home.
The SATO works alongside and assists the audiologists in a wide range of clinical and administration duties. This includes delivering a hearing aid repair service via drop in, postal and booked face to face appointments. They will also assist the Audiologists in the paediatric clinics and learning disability clinics.
The Senior Assistant will be responsible for a wide range of administrative and clerical duties within the department, including stock control (sending, receiving and ordering), ear mould processing, dealing with phone calls for patients wishing to book appointments or requesting advice.
Whilst undertaking the roles of the Assistant Audiologist, training and education will also be undertaken. This will require attendance at an institute of further education, self-study and practical Audiology training given by the Audiologists.
About us
Forms of communication may include:
- Discussions
- Formal oral presentations
- Written reports (clinical, technical or management)
- Ability to work with interpreters to include sign language interpreters.
Internal:
- To Consultant specialists and other members of the medical staff
- Senior Managers
- All grades and professions across the Trust
External:
- Members of the public
- GP practices
- Other NHS healthcare trusts in and out of the region
- Other professionals associated with the service for hearing impaired people e.g., social services, Advisory teachers for Hearing impaired Children, Learning Disability Network and Charities.
- CCGs
- All grades and professions across the health community
Communication with patients/carers who may have varying degrees of hearing loss, from mild to profound.
Analytical and judgement
Will triage referrals from other disciplines including GP, Audiology, ENT and Physiotherapy and communicate to the booking teams what appointment is needed
Will analyse and interpret information gathered from patient and referral, to identify areas where assistance is required.
Planning and organisation
- To book follow up appointments for patients attending the department and who have made contact by phone.
- To ensure that work is collected/taken/sent for patients appointments in locality clinics.
- To input all incoming stock details on a computerized stock control system to maintain Audiology Department stock and ensure all the documents are placed in appropriate files to enable goods receipting to take place.
- Maintain stock levels within the Department, ordering when necessary.
- Ensure stock is sent out to the various hospitals and clinics when needed.
- Organize own time so self-study can take place
Physical skills
Good manual dexterity for dealing with small component parts in hearing aids
Coordination and sensory skills used daily for precise fitting and adjustment to high tech digital hearing aids, insertion of probe tubes into a patients ear, and taking aural impressions
Computer keyboard skills to ensure accurate electronic patient record keeping and perform Audiological tests.
Ability to be able to travel to various hospital and clinics around the Torbay and South Devon Area.
Patient and client care
- To operate a postal hearing aid service, ensuring that patients hearing aids are repaired quickly and returned in a timely manner.
- To operate face to face repair clinics. Conducting an examination of hearing aid function, replace tubing, repair and maintain behind the ear and in the ear hearing aids and reprogram if necessary.
- To book follow up appointments for patients attending the department.
- To assist the Audiologist when they attend domiciliary visits when patients are housebound.
- To calibrate Audiological equipment daily and report any faults to the supervisor or directly to medical electronics department or manufacturer, ensuring the faulty equipment log is kept up to date.
- Ensures that all patient details are prior to any treatment.
- Perform otoscopy on patients attending the department and to recognize conditions that may affect patient care and refer on to appropriate professionals appropriately.
- Ensure patients records/ Individual Management Plans (IMPs) are comprehensive and kept up to date on the patient management system following each consultation.
- To recognise when impressions of patients ears need to be taken and undertake this procedure or organise for a senior member of staff to do so if the ear is deemed a complex ear.
- To attend the wards to fit inpatients ear moulds and repair hearings aids.
- To alter/adjust ear moulds when required.
- Attend domiciliary visits for mould fitting or simple repairs.
- To assist the Audiologists when testing children.
- To assist the Audiologist during learning disability clinics.
To deal with requests for advice regarding hearing aid issues over the phone or by telecare
Policy and service development
- All staff have a responsibility to ensure that the needs of the service are met in a timely and efficient manner.
- All staff have a responsibility to familiarize and to adhere to Trust and Departmental polices, guidance and SOPs.
- Encourage and welcome feedback from colleagues and patients to ensure continual improvement.
- Ensures the ability to find any policies and SOPs at any given time to confirm compliance.
- Take part in any activities which will contribute to the maintenance of UKAS accreditation
Finance, equipment and other resources
All staff have a responsibility to ensure equipment is in good working order and ensure daily, weekly and monthly checks/calibration are undertaken, reporting where necessary.
All staff have a responsibility to ensure resources are used efficiently and effectively.
All staff have a responsibility to ensure effective and conservative use of resources.
All staff have a responsibility to ensure low stock items are identified and added to the ordering spread sheet.
People management and training
To assist in the training and supervision of new members of staff and students.
Information technology and administrative duties
- Triage referrals that arrive in the Department from other specialties.
- Receive and deal with queries either by telephone/letter/email from staff members, GPs and patients.
- To take requests for hearing aid batteries and hearing aid tubing from GP surgeries and send out as and when required.
- To ensure patients are entered onto the correct waiting list or have the correct appointment after their ear moulds have come back from the manufacturer.
- Ensure ear mould impressions are scanned and sent to manufacturer in a timely manner.
Responsibility for development
To attend a recognised institute of further education to undertake the foundation degree in Audiology (potentially via the apprenticeship route).
To ensure time is managed to allow for self-study.
To participate fully in training opportunities.
Freedom to act
- Act with integrity and professionalism, demonstrating responsible behaviours at all times, in accordance with Trust values
- Be accountable for your actions, be honest and share your experiences, encouraging learning in others
- Ensure the patient is at the centre of the service and treated with dignity and respect
- Undertake any activities as required at the request of the Head of Audiology/Deputy Head of Audiology
- All staff have a responsibility to ensure findings and actions are reported back to referrers in a timely manner
- To be responsible in ensuring own CPD activity is undertaken, and accurate records are kept
Assist in the day to day running of the Department
Prioritise and manage own workload on a day-to-day basis.
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