Ear Health Practitioner

Are you passionate about delivering great patient care and looking for an opportunity to develop specialist skills in ear health? We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated and compassionate Ear Health Practitioner to join our friendly and supportive Procare Ear Health Service. This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of an innovative and developing primary care service, bringing high-quality ear care closer to patients within communities across Guildford & Waverley.

By supporting GP practices to manage ear health conditions locally, you will play an important role in improving patient experience and helping to reduce the need for referrals into acute ENT services. Using the TympaHealth system, an innovative handheld device combining digital otoscopy, microsuction and hearing screening, you will assess and treat patients experiencing ear wax, hearing concerns and other appropriate ear health conditions. You will have the opportunity to manage your own clinics, build your confidence and expertise in ear health, and make a real difference to patients in a community setting. Don't already have experience in ear microsuction or Tympa Health? Full training will be provided to support you to develop the skills and confidence you need for the role.

Main duties of the job:

• Flexibility between Monday - Saturday 8am to 6pm
• Using the Tympa Health system, a handheld device combining digital otoscopy, microsuction, and hearing screening you will provide safe, effective ear care for patients with wax, hearing concerns and other straightforward ear conditions.
• Full training is provided.
• Undertake ear examinations using digital otoscopy.
• Provide safe and effective ear wax removal using microsuction.
• Carry out hearing screening and interpret findings.
• Recognise red flags and know when to escape or refer patients.
• Independently manage your own ear health clinics.
• Provide reassurance, advice and education to patients and carers.
• Maintain clear, accurate and timely clinical records.
• Work to high standards of patient safety, infection prevention and clinical governance.
• Contribute to the continued development of this exciting and growing service.

About us:

ProCare Community Services is the GP Federation for Guildford & Waverley. Our aim is to support General Practice to work at scale in order to achieve efficiencies of scale whilst respecting the autonomy of individual General Practices. This includes working with other local healthcare providers to develop and provide health services to the benefit of our patients.

Job responsibilities:

To provide a safe, effective and patient-centred Ear Health Service across GP practices, care homes and other appropriate community healthcare settings. The postholder will work autonomously within their professional scope of practice and agreed clinical pathways and protocols. The postholder will undertake assessment of patients presenting with ear health concerns, including otoscopic examination, assessment and management of ear wax, microsuction where clinically appropriate, hearing checks and provision of patient education and advice. The postholder will identify contraindications, recognise abnormal findings and red flags, and ensure appropriate escalation or referral to the patients GP, audiology, ENT or other appropriate services in accordance with agreed pathways.

Key responsibilities:

1. Perform comprehensive ear health examinations, including relevant clinical history and otoscopic examination.
2. Assess the suitability of patients for microsuction and identify contraindications and precautions before treatment in line with agreed protocols and NICE guidelines.
3. Undertake appropriate hearing assessments/checks within the practitioners level of training and competence.
4. Manage a clinic schedule of adults with hearing loss and wax management issues.
5. Provide appropriate support for individuals with hearing loss using the service and provide patients and/or carers with appropriate ear care advice.
6. Follow best practice principles with regard to infection control in the workplace.
7. Attend appropriate supervision, training and revalidation in order to maintain skills and knowledge.
8. Discharge patients appropriately from the service or elevate clinical concerns to the patients GP or relevant healthcare service using the agreed secure communication pathways.
9. Ensure enquiries requiring prompt action are prioritised and that communications are responded to appropriately and in time.
10. Ensure all patient and company sensitive information is always treated in line with information governance requirements.
11. Obtain and document valid informed consent prior to examination and treatment, ensuring patients understand the proposed procedure, alternatives and associated risks.
12. Work within individual professional competency and elevate where a patients needs fall outside the practitioners scope of practice.
13. Assess and respond appropriately to issues relating to consent, mental capacity and best-interest decision-making, escalating for advice where required.

Governance and Safety:

• Maintain accurate, comprehensive records of all consultations and treatments.
• Maintain clinical governance standards.
• Ensure compliance with safeguarding, confidentiality, infection control and data protection policies.
• Participate in audits as requested.
• Report incidents and events and co-operate with investigations as required.

Service Delivery:

• Manage clinics effectively and safely in line with agreed guidelines.
• Liaise effectively with the clinical lead for the service, providing regular reports and raising clinical concerns with the Lead as necessary.
• Help with collection of statistical information required for reporting.
• Ensure the consulting room is set up at the beginning of each clinic and left clean and as required at end of clinic.
• Maintain knowledge of and comply with current Infection Prevention and Control policies and procedures.
• Ensure the maintenance of equipment and stock levels in relation to patient care.
• Regularly update knowledge and information through use of medical journals, training, courses, etc.
• Any other duties as reasonably requested providing these duties are within the scope of the role and that the individual is trained and capable of such duty.

Professional Development:

• Maintain professional registration and competence.
• Attend mandatory training and specialist ear health training as required and specified.
• Engage in CPD activities and reflective practice.

Communication and Working Relationships:

• Liaise effectively with GP practices, care home teams, community services, audiology, ENT, and other relevant healthcare professionals to support safe and coordinated patient care.
• Communicate effectively with patients, relatives and carers providing clear explanations and reassurance.

Freedom to Act:

• Work autonomously within agreed protocols and referral criteria.
• Seek advice from senior clinicians, when required.

Effort Factors:

• Physical: Frequent use of fine motor skills for microsuction procedures.
• Mental: Concentration required for triage and clinical decision-making.
• Emotional: Exposure to distressed patients; ability to manage sensitive situations.

Working Conditions:

Primary care and community clinical environments, with regular travel to different service locations across Guildford and Waverley.

This job description is not exhaustive, and the post holder may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as are consistent with the responsibility of the role requirements. This job description is subject to review and development from time to time in liaison with the post holder.

The NHS Constitution establishes the principles and values of the NHS in England. It sets out rights to which patients, public and staff are entitled, and pledges which the NHS is committed to achieve, together with responsibilities, which the public, patients and staff owe to one another to ensure that the NHS operates fairly and effectively.

As an organisation that delivers NHS services, Procare expects high standards from all of its employees and, in line with the key principles of the Constitution, Procare aspires to the highest standards of excellence and professionalism in the people it employs, the education, training and development they receive and, in the leadership, and management of the organisation.

Areas applicable to all Procare Employees:

• Health clearance is required for this appointment. Applicants must complete a medical questionnaire, return it to the Occupational Department and, if required, undergo a medical examination before appointment.
• A Disclosure and Barring Service check and disclosure will be required before appointment for this post as the Company provides services to children and vulnerable adults.
• In addition, completion of the Fit & Proper Persons check is also required.

Person Specification:

• Relevant ear care knowledge and experience, with willingness and ability to undertake approved microsuctioning training and competency assessment.
• Relevant clinical experience, preferably within primary care, community nursing, ENT or a comparable autonomous clinical setting.
• Ability to undertake comprehensive ear health assessment and recognise abnormal findings and clinical red flags, knowing when to escape appropriately.
• Experience with audit and able to lead audit programmes.
• Experience with clinical risk management.
• ENT or audiology experience.

Qualifications:

• Professional Registration NMC RCCP HCPC AHCSEducated to diploma or level 8 degree in relevant area.
• This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.