Job overview

The Paediatric Audiologist works across hospital and community settings with infants and children suffering from hearing or speech difficulties, their families & carers.

 The Paediatric Audiologist undertakes a range of specialist and routine diagnostic investigations, including newborn diagnostic ABR where highly accurate results are vital, and records the test results into computerised systems, working within established policies & codes of practice.

The Paediatric Audiologist works with patients using skills to interpret test results and patients’ conditions and then formulating individualised treatment plans to provide ongoing care, advice and support to children including those with learning disabilities or additional needs. The individual will communicate test procedures & related information to patients and their families.

 The Paediatric Audiologist will 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 students and peers, working autonomously, managing own caseload of specialist work, planning and prioritising own duties, clinics and organising specialist service provision, whilst demonstrating own initiative.

Main duties of the job

Communicate effectively at all times with patients, relatives and carers to give and receive complex or sensitive information and instructions. This involves use of persuasive, motivational and empathic skills whilst being sensitive to an individual’s complex barriers to communication.

Perform examination of the external ear canal to assess the condition of the canal and ear drum. Recognise contraindications to further treatment and refer to the appropriate professional when necessary.

 Assess the hearing of infants and children using a range of specialist diagnostic tests, including otoacoustic emission (OAE) and auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing.

Analyse and interpret diagnostic test results. Communicate results of diagnostic hearing tests, the impact and prognosis of hearing loss to the patient and their family. Formulate an individualised treatment plan, including advice on hearing devices.

Select appropriate hearing devices, by analysis of diagnostic test results, hearing aid specifications, quantitative and qualitative outcome measures and individual patient needs. 

Verify accurate selection and fitting of hearing aids by undertaking quantitative Real Ear Measurements or Real Ear to Coupler Difference measures. 

Update knowledge and skills to maintain individual continuing professional development (CPD).

Working for our organisation

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides a full range of hospital and community services for people across East Cheshire (population 399K) and West Cheshire and Chester (population 357K). The Trust provides high quality planned and emergency care, cardiac, critical care, child health, maternity services and intermediate care at Leighton Hospital in Crewe, Victoria Infirmary in Northwich, and Elmhurst Intermediate Care Centre in Winsford.

The Trust provides over 500 beds and employs over 5,100 members of staff. A comprehensive range of community services is provided across 26 medical centres and schools through our Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership.

We have played, and continue to play, a proactive role in the development of Integrated Care plans across Cheshire & Merseyside and our local Cheshire East and Cheshire West Place-based systems. We believe, and it is the cornerstone of our five-year Trust Strategy, there is the opportunity to progress innovative, responsive and effective care in the best setting for the patient, be it in the hospital or out in the community.

At Mid Cheshire, our mission is to inspire hope and provide unparalleled care for the people and communities of Cheshire, helping them to enjoy life to the fullest.

We welcome all applicants and assess all job applications based on knowledge, skills and experience needed for the post.