Team

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Definition: 

A Hearing Care Assistant (HCA) is an employed, non-registered but trained worker who, under the delegated authority and supervision of a named Hearing Aid Dispenser (HAD), can undertake a range of activities along the hearing aid client pathway. 

Role  description: 

A Hearing Care Assistant is described as someone who: 

• Is a care worker who has the attitudes, skills and knowledge to provide a range of agreed tasks and activities to provide safe and effective hearing care support to the HAD within defined levels of supervision.
• Has undergone an approved training programme.
• Is supervised by, and working with, a HAD in their day-to-day work.
• They will need to be aware of the difficulties faced by hard of hearing and D/deaf person,s and to use appropriate communication tactics when dealing with such persons whilst demonstrating a high level of patience and empathy. They will be responsible for organising patient transport, translators and other services as required by patients when required.

Key  tasks and activities: 

HCAs support HADs in the preliminary assessment, fitting and follow up stages of the Hearing Care Client Pathway. The central focus of their work is to support and enhance the services provided by their supervising HAD to clients and their relatives and carers. 

After successful completion of a BSHAA approved training programme, the HCA will be able to provide the HAD and their service with: 

• Effective communication with clients and their relatives or carers.
• The provision of general information to clients about currently available hearing aid systems and the professional services associated with their supply.
• Supporting the Clinic Manager who is responsible for the smooth running of the service’s administrative functions such as using the department appointment systems and databases including booking and changing patient appointments using Google calendar, Square and NOAH. 
• Applicants will be using NOAH and Blueprint Audiology system in order to view, review and communicate Audiological information to appropriate and relevant colleagues and contribute to ongoing system maintenance including organising, collecting and returning healthcare records to maintain impeccable communications between clinician and 3rd parties. For example, requests from UK Audiology Departments and hospitals for patient information/transferee data following the correct data protection and confidentiality regulations/policies, so they will need to liaise with departments within the NHS, community health services and external organisations as required. The HCA will complete other ad hoc administrative tasks as directed by the Audiologist. 
• The HCA will assist in maintaining the department Outlook/ Square/ Google diary/ Social Media management system and assist with departmental audits where necessary, for example such as monitoring daily trends. 
• Collecting, opening and sorting incoming mail and posting outgoing mail including receiving, unpacking and sorting post such as hearing aids and responding to patient enquiries as to their repairs whilst maintaining the department log.

Hearing Care Assistant role 

• Accurate recording of client information contributing to a case history.
• The performance of otoscopy in accordance with current British Society of Audiology (BSA) recommended procedures. http://www.thebsa.org.uk/resources/
• Advice to clients on earwax management.
• Recording of pure tone audiometry, without masking, in accordance with current BSA recommended procedures. http://www.thebsa.org.uk/resources/
• Take aural impressions in accordance with current BSA recommended procedures for the provision of earmoulds or other custom-made devices and ear fittings. http://www.thebsa.org.uk/resources/
• Assistance to HADs in the fitting of hearing aid systems (including subjective and objective evaluation of aid performance and effectiveness, and teaching the client how to fit, to use and to care for hearing aids) as set out by the HAD in the management and rehabilitation plan agreed with the client.
• The provision of information and advice to clients regarding rehabilitation as determined by the HAD.
• Advice and provision of assistive technologies to clients.
• The provision of appropriate post-fitting aftercare services.
• The recognition of where there is the need for advice and management from the HAD.
• The ability to work co-operatively with other professionals in health and social care in the management of care plans for individual clients.
• HCA may perform some or all of the above in a variety of locations as directed by and under defined levels of HAD supervision. It is up to the HAD to undertake an assessment of risk when assigning tasks, considering the abilities of the HCA and the particular  client.

They will work as part of a team to ensure that all aspects of the clinic’s administrative procedures are adhered to in a timely, efficient and professional manner ensuring that customer care and service delivery standards are achieved at all times. They will also have a sound understanding of own limitations and boundaries. The person will be able to deal with and identify with patient concerns and enquiries as well as to deal with any issues efficiently and promptly. This will develop the person’s ability to take initiative. Therefore, the right candidate will be able to manage their own workload and work unsupervised when needed while adhering to all health and safety, clinical governance, confidentiality, and government policies that apply to the clinic, including the mandatory training policy.

Location: London Hybrid

Start date: September 2022

Pay £5- 22 Per Hr  

The candidate will provide a point of contact (as well as face to face contact) for Audiology and Hearing Aid patients as well as other key stakeholders by manning the Audiology telephone and email systems to ensure that patient requirements are dealt with in an efficient and timely manner. They will be ensuring that all patient related contact is properly recorded and kept up to date. They will need to be aware of the difficulties faced by hard of hearing and D/deaf persons, and use appropriate communication tactics when dealing with such persons, whilst demonstrating a high level of patience and empathy. The candidate will be responsible for organising patient transport, translators and other services as required by patients when required.

This includes:

• Provision of full administrative and clerical support to the Audiologist as well as assisting the clinical staff occasionally such as drafting replies to routine correspondence for signature by the Audiologist as required.
• Acting as a distractor during hearing tests) in addition to ad hoc administrative tasks as required. During busy clinics, advising patients, when necessary, where there may be a wait and ensuring that they are kept informed throughout any extended delays. 
• Supporting the Clinic Manager who is responsible for the smooth running of the service’s administrative functions such as diary management using the department appointment systems and databases including booking and changing patient appointments using Google calendar, Square and NOAH. 
• Providing a high quality and efficient reception service for the Audiology Clinic, answering the telephone and emails, while dealing with patients in a prompt, polite and courteous manner including providing telephone cover and message forwarding for the Audiologist, ensuring complete patient confidentiality at all times.
• Complete and record all patient appointment outcomes including sending further appointments or Did Not Attend letters (where the patient failed to attend), in a timely manner. The candidate will take minutes at Audiology and other relevant staff meetings. 
• Applicants will be using NOAH and specialist Audiology systems in order to view, review and communicate Audiological information to appropriate and relevant colleagues. The canfdidate will contribute to ongoing system maintenance including organising, collecting and returning healthcare records to maintain impeccable communications between clinician and 3rd parties. For example, requests from UK Audiology Departments and hospitals for patient information/transferee data following the correct data protection and confidentiality regulations/policies. They will need to liaise with departments within the NHS, community health services and external organisations as required, as well as other ad hoc administrative tasks as directed by the Audiologist. 
• Assisting in maintaining the department Outlook/ Square/ Google diary/ Social Media management system and assist with departmental audits where necessary for example such as monitoring daily trends. 
• Collecting, opening and sorting incoming mail and posting outgoing mail including receiving, unpacking and sorting post such as hearing aids and responding to patient enquiries as to their repairs whilst maintaining the department log. 
• Be responsible for ordering stationary and clinical stock and ensuring stationery stock levels are maintained.
• Support the clinic manager by ensuring that clinics are prepared in advance, making sure records, clinic lists and outcome documentation is made available, in good time, prior to the clinic. 
• Ensuring that the clinic and clinic equipment is kept clean, tidy and fully stocked in line with company policy. It will be important to liaise with the Clinic Manager in organising staff training and annual leave requests so that disruption to clinics and patients is kept to an absolute minimum. 

They will work as part of a team to ensure that all aspects of the clinic’s administrative procedures are adhered to in a timely, efficient and professional manner. They will be responsible for ensuring that customer care and service delivery standards are achieved at all times but have a sound understanding of own limitations and boundaries. The person will be able to deal with and identify with patient concerns and enquiries and to deal with any issues efficiently and promptly. Therefore, the right candidate will be able to manage their own workload and work unsupervised when needed while adhering to all health and safety, clinical governance, confidentiality, and government policies that apply to the clinic, including the mandatory training policy. 

Start : ASAP

Location: London Hybrid