Newborn Hearing Screener

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a keen and self
- motivated person to take on the role of Newborn hearing screener. For 22.5 hours/week on a rota basis in both the acute and community settings.

The position will involve working within the newborn hearing screening team to provide Screening services to families for the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP) in West Suffolk. Alongside Audiology (Community and acute) and midwifery services.

BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community

We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.

The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.

Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.

We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and team work guide how we work and behave as a team.

With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.

We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyones voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.

Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?

Please see the full job description for more information

**Job responsibilities**:
**Key Tasks & Responsibilities**:
To work as part of an established hospital-based team that provide newborn hearing screening 7 days a week, 365 days per year to all eligible newborn babies born in our area.

To undertake training commensurate with the role and complete the Level 3 Diploma for Health Screeners qualification. This is a competence-based qualification which is assessed in the workplace which includes online training so must be IT competent; to undertake a period of face-to-face training and supervision and successfully pass an External Clinical Assessment (ECA) before working unsupervised

To identify which babies, require screening by using the Smart4Hearing (S4H) database in addition to liaising with the ward staff.

Ensure all parents of eligible babies are offered the newborn hearing screen in a timely fashion.

To organise workload with colleagues to cover postnatal wards, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), ensuring as many babies as possible have completed screening prior to discharge from hospital.

Ensure that a high-quality service is maintained to promote the principles of family friendly hearing services for children.

Ensure that parents and carers are given clear and accurate information regarding NHSP.

To explain the screening tests and possible outcomes to parents to obtain informed consent.

Offer the automated optoacoustic emission (AOAE) and/or automated auditory brain response (AABR) screening test and gain verbal consent.

Carry out the hearing screening of newborns in both inpatient and outpatient facilities, accurately recording clinical and test data.

Maintain up to date knowledge of NHSP procedures and protocols relevant to the role of NHSP screener.

To explain the results of the screening tests and their significance to parents

To refer babies to local audiology services in a timely manner using local processes and procedures

Always maintain confidentiality of the babies and their families.

The postholder will sometimes need to work with anxious, distressed or emotional parents, to ensure babies and families retain their dignity, privacy and individuality at all times

Establish and maintain effective methods of communication to the parents, primary care teams, other NHSP teams where appropriate and audiology services where follow-up is indicated.

Always ensure the safety and security of equipment and report any problems to the NHSP local manager at the earliest opportunity.

Be aware of ‘Safeguarding’ issues and adhere to local procedures.