Consultant - Audiovestibular Medicine

Audiovestibular Medicine are looking to appoint a full-time consultant to succession plan for a retiring consultant and to support the Audiovestibular services in Portsmouth, Gosport, Fareham and Western Sussex.

The department of Audiovestibular Medicine was established by Dr Peter West in 1991. He was a single-handed consultant for over 16 years until the appointment of a second consultant in 2007. The department is highly regarded in the provision of tertiary Neuro-otological services and the provision of the medical aspects of childhood hearing impairment in the region.

Audiovestibular Medicine works closely with the ENT department and the Audiology department.

The Audiovestibular department, in collaboration with the Audiology department, provide a comprehensive audiovestibular diagnostic and rehabilitative service to people of any age with problems of hearing, dizziness, balance or tinnitus. The rehabilitation provided includes a fully comprehensive hearing aid service, counselling, tinnitus management, and the rehabilitation of patients with dizziness/balance disorders.

The Audiovestibular Medicine department are involved in the formal teaching of Medical Students from the newly established University of Portsmouth Medical School.

Clinical Duties of the Post

The post holder will hold out-patient clinics, providing a full range of Audiovestibular services, Paediatric and Adult, on two  hospital sites: Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham and St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester, and in community settings.

The post holder, in conjunction with the existing consultants, will receive and prioritise referral from:

• GPs
• ENT colleagues
• Audiology
• Geriatrics
• Neurologists
• Paediatrics
• A&E/MAU
• Other professionals

Adult Audiovestibular Medicine

This constitutes the majority of the workload. Most referrals are patients with dizziness, vertigo and balance disorders. Patients with hearing loss are primarily referred to Audiology but the post holder will be required to see patients with progressive and fluctuating hearing loss and patients with tinnitus requiring medical input.

The physician, in conjunction with ENT and Audiology, will be responsible for formulating appropriate local care pathways for patients with Audiovestibular disorders in accordance with Department of Health, NICE and national guidelines.

Paediatric Audiovestibular Medicine

The post holder will be expected to see babies referred from the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme and older children with hearing loss for aetiological investigations and provide a medical input. The post holder will also see children with vertigo and balance disorders.

There is a close relationship with the Elizabeth Foundation adjacent to QAH, a centre renowned for the rehabilitation of children with hearing impairment. Most diagnostic audiology clinics take place at the Foundation. The consultant Audiovestibular Physician will help one of the existing consultants to provide medical management of these children. Medical clinics do not currently take place at the Foundation.

The Head of Audiology is the Lead for NHSP but also receives all initial referrals for children with suspected hearing impairment.

The post holder will:

• In conjunction with other health professionals, offer and, where appropriate, arrange aetiological investigations of an individual child’s hearing loss. This may include children with complex needs and medical conditions.
• Interpret Audiovestibular test results in the context of clinical findings.
• Ensure that a family friendly ethos runs through the service.

Key Responsibilities:

The appointee will join the existing two Audiovestibular Medicine Consultants as a Consultant and will be expected to participate in all facets of department activity.

The post will be based at Queen Alexandra Hospital, ENT Department on D Level.  Full participation in teaching, audit and research will be expected.  The Trust runs a mentorship scheme which is accessible to all new consultants.

The post holder will be required to teach Medical Students from University of Portsmouth Medical School.

Qualifications

Essential:

• A medical qualification or qualification registered with the GMC 
• Entry onto the Specialist Register for GMC or be within six months of obtaining CCT/CCST in Audiovestibular Medicine or equivalent
• Appropriate higher medical qualification  i.e. MRCP/MRCS or equivalent

Desirable:

• MSc in Audiovestibular Medicine, PgDip in Audiovestibular Medicine, MD or equivalent higher degree or evidence of relevant research

Clinical Experience and skills

• A high standard of knowledge, clinical skill and expertise in all aspects of Audiovestibular Medicine
• Ability to demonstrate the full range of skills required for the specialty

Desirable:-

• Attendance of a recognised management training event or will have such training on completion of CCT/CCST
• Understanding of matters in relation to service organisation and development

Knowledge

• Able to demonstrate appropriate level of clinical knowledge
• Knowledge and use of evidence-based practice
• IT skills
• Effective, confident presentation ability
• Experience in specialties closely aligned to AVM

Additional Information

The health and wellbeing of our staff is at the forefront of everything we do. We are proud to be able to offer our staff some fantastic benefits including our on-site Nursery, access to our free Beach Hut for those long summer days, our on-site Wellness Centre including a gym and a swimming pool, access to our fantastic staff networks including LGBTQ, Race Equality and DisAbility, and awards ceremonies to recognise your achievements. We believe we can offer support to all of our staff when they need it the most. 

We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs.