Ear Health PractitionerNHS

Job summary

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 Tympa Health 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

Ear Health Practitioner - 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

Main duties of the job

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 escalate 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

Job description

Job Summary

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. Clinical Duties

Perform comprehensive ear health examinations, including relevant clinical history and otoscopic examination.

Assess the suitability of patients for microsuction and identify contraindications and precautions before treatment in line with agreed protocols and NICE guidelines

Undertake appropriate hearing assessments/checks within the practitioners level of training and competence.

Managing a clinic schedule of adults with hearing loss and wax management issues.

Providing appropriate support for individuals with hearing loss using the service and provide patients and/or carers with appropriate ear care advice

Following best practice principles with regard to infection control in the workplace.

To attend appropriate supervision, training and revalidation in order to maintain skills and knowledge

Discharge patients appropriately from the service or escalate clinical concerns to the patients GP or relevant healthcare service using the agreed secure communication pathways.

Ensures enquiries requiring prompt action are prioritised and that communications are responded to appropriately and in time.

Ensures all patient and company sensitive information is always treated in line with information governance requirements.

Obtain and document valid informed consent prior to examination and treatment, ensuring patients understand the proposed procedure, alternatives and associated risks.

Work within individual professional competency and escalate where a patients needs fall outside the practitioners scope of practice.

Assess and respond appropriately to issues relating to consent, mental capacity and best-interest decision-making, escalating for advice where required.

2. Governance and Safety

To 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.

3. Service Delivery

Manage clinics effectively and safely in line with agreed guidelines.

• To 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.
• To have working knowledge of equipment used by the service. Ensuring that any faulty equipment is taken out of service for repair and reported.
• 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.
• To 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.

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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.

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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

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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:

Clearance Checks

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.

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.

We help member practices to work together to jointly address issues which are difficult to resolve individually and offer extra expertise and skills. By working at scale, we can ensure the projects we take forward on behalf of our members will allow patients in our area to have more consistency in, as well as choices about, their care.

ProCare provide community and district nurses in our area supporting better integration of Primary and Community services

Our ICP area is served by Royal Surrey County Hospital and is located in the Surrey Heartlands ICS area which is one of the original 10 ICS areas in the UK and one of two that has combined Health and Social Care organisations.