KSBs

Knowledge

K1: The importance of continuing professional development throughout own career. Back to Duty

K2: The importance of safeguarding by actively looking for signs of abuse, demonstrating understanding of relevant safeguarding processes, and engaging in these processes where necessary. Back to Duty

K3: What is required of them by the Health and Care Professions Council, including but not limited to the Standards of conduct, performance and ethics. Back to Duty

K4: The importance of valid consent. Back to Duty

K5: The importance of capacity in the context of delivering care and treatment. Back to Duty

K6: The scope of a professional duty of care, and how to exercise that duty. Back to Duty

K7: Legislation, policies and guidance relevant to own profession and scope of practice. Back to Duty

K8: The importance of own mental and physical health and wellbeing strategies in maintaining fitness to practise. Back to Duty

K9: How to take appropriate action if own health may affect own ability to practise safely and effectively, including seeking help and support when necessary. Back to Duty

K10: The need for active participation in training, supervision and mentoring in supporting high standards of practice, and personal and professional conduct, and the importance of demonstrating this in practice. Back to Duty

K11: Equality legislation and how to apply it to own practice. Back to Duty

K12: The duty to make reasonable adjustments in practice and be able to make and support reasonable adjustments in owns and others’ practice. Back to Duty

K13: The characteristics and consequences of barriers to inclusion, including for socially isolated groups. Back to Duty

K14: That equality, diversity and inclusion needs to be embedded in the application of all HCPC standards and across all areas of practice. Back to Duty

K15: When disclosure of confidential information may be required. Back to Duty

K16: The principles of information and data governance and be aware of the safe and effective use of health, social care and other relevant information. Back to Duty

K17: The need to ensure confidentiality is maintained in all situations in which service users rely on additional communication support, such as interpreters or translators. Back to Duty

K18: That the concepts of confidentiality and informed consent extend to all mediums, including illustrative clinical records such as photography, video and audio recordings and digital platforms. Back to Duty

K19: The characteristics and consequences of verbal and non-verbal communication and how these can be affected by difference of any kind including, but not limited to, protected characteristics, intersectional experiences and cultural differences. Back to Duty

K20: The need to support the communication needs of service users and carers, such as using an appropriate interpreter. Back to Duty

K21: The need to provide service users or people acting on own behalf with the information necessary in accessible formats to enable them to make informed decisions. Back to Duty

K22: The specific communication needs of those with hearing difficulties and be aware of appropriate steps to overcome communication barriers. Back to Duty

K23: The need to seek external assistance in situations where communication is ineffective for whatever reason. Back to Duty

K24: The need to use appropriate interpersonal and communication skills to facilitate effective care for those with hearing difficulties. Back to Duty

K25: The need to empower service users to manage their aural health and related issues including self-management, where appropriate. Back to Duty

K26: The principles and practices of other health and care professionals and systems and how they interact with own profession. Back to Duty

K27: The need to build and sustain professional relationships as both an autonomous practitioner and collaboratively as a member of a team. Back to Duty

K28: The qualities, behaviours and benefits of leadership. Back to Duty

K29: That leadership is a skill all professionals can demonstrate. Back to Duty

K30: The need to engage service users and carers in planning and evaluating diagnostics, and therapeutic interventions to meet own needs and goals. Back to Duty

K31: The value of reflective practice and the need to record the outcome of such reflection to support continuous improvement. Back to Duty

K32: The value of multi-disciplinary reviews, case conferences and other methods of review. Back to Duty

K33: The value of gathering and using data for quality assurance and improvement programmes. Back to Duty

K34: The structure and function of the human body, together with knowledge of physical and mental health, disease, disorder and dysfunction relevant to their profession. Back to Duty

K35: The role(s) of other professions in health and social care and understand how they may relate to the role of hearing aid dispenser. Back to Duty

K36: The structure and function of health and social care systems and services in the UK. Back to Duty

K37: The theoretical basis of, and the variety of approaches to, assessment and intervention. Back to Duty

K38: In the context of hearing aid audiology:– acoustics, speech production and perception– appropriate approaches to auditory rehabilitation– hearing aid and associated technologies including selection, fitting, programming and evaluation– psychoacoustics– the anatomy and physiology of the outer, middle, inner ear and centralauditory pathways– the measurement of hearing and of other auditory system functions. Back to Duty

K39: A range of research methodologies relevant to own role. Back to Duty

K40: The value of research to the critical evaluation of practice. Back to Duty

K41: The need to provide service users with access to continuing care, maintenance and support. Back to Duty

K42: The need to make and keep full and accurate records of assessment results, hearing aid prescriptions and actual settings, rehabilitation plans and outcomes. Back to Duty

K43: The need to maintain the safety of themself and others, including service users, carers and colleagues. Back to Duty

K44: Relevant health and safety legislation and local operational procedures and policies. Back to Duty

K45: The role of own profession in health promotion, health education and preventing ill health. Back to Duty

K46: How social, economic and environmental factors, wider determinants of health, can influence a person’s health and well-being. Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Identify the limits of own practice and when to seek advice or refer to another professional or service. Back to Duty

S2: Recognise the need to manage own workload and resources safely and effectively, including managing the emotional burden that comes with working in a pressured environment. Back to Duty

S3: Keep own skills and knowledge up to date. Back to Duty

S4: Maintain high standards of personal and professional conduct. Back to Duty

S5: Promote and protect the service user’s interests at all times. Back to Duty

S6: Respect and uphold the rights, dignity, values, and autonomy of service users, including own role in the assessment, diagnostic, treatment and/or therapeutic process. Back to Duty

S7: Recognise that relationships with service users, carers and others should be based on mutual respect and trust, and maintain high standards of care in all circumstances. Back to Duty

S8: Obtain valid consent, which is voluntary and informed, has due regard to capacity, is proportionate to the circumstances and is appropriately documented. Back to Duty

S9: Apply legislation, policies and guidance relevant to own profession and scope of practice. Back to Duty

S10: Recognise the power imbalance which comes with being a health care professional, and ensure it is not for personal gain. Back to Duty

S11: Identify own anxiety and stress and recognise the potential impact on own practice. Back to Duty

S12: Develop and adopt clear strategies for physical and mental self-care and self-awareness, to maintain a high standard of professional effectiveness and a safe working environment. Back to Duty

S13: Recognise that they are personally responsible for, and must be able to, justify their decisions and actions. Back to Duty

S14: Use own skills, knowledge and experience, and the information available, to make informed decisions and/or take action where necessary. Back to Duty

S15: Make reasoned decisions to initiate, continue, modify or cease treatment or the use of techniques or procedures, and record the decisions and reasoning appropriately. Back to Duty

S16: Make and receive appropriate referrals, where necessary. Back to Duty

S17: Exercise personal initiative. Back to Duty

S18: Demonstrate a logical and systematic approach to problem solving. Back to Duty

S19: Use research, reasoning and problem-solving skills when determining appropriate actions. Back to Duty

S20: Make judgements on the effectiveness of procedures used in practice. Back to Duty

S21: Respond appropriately to the needs of all different groups and individuals in practice, recognising this can be affected by difference of any kind including, but not limited to, protected characteristics, intersectional experiences and cultural differences. Back to Duty

S22: Recognise the potential impact of own values, beliefs and personal biases, which may be unconscious), on practice and take personal action to ensure all service users and carers are treated appropriately with respect and dignity. Back to Duty

S23: Actively challenge barriers to inclusion, supporting the implementation of change wherever possible. Back to Duty

S24: Adhere to the professional duty of confidentiality. Back to Duty

S25: Respond in a timely manner to situations where it is necessary to share information to safeguard service users, carers and/or the wider public and recognise situations where it is necessary to share information to safeguard service users, carers and/or the wider public. Back to Duty

S26: Use effective and appropriate verbal and non-verbal skills to communicate with service users, carers, colleagues and others. Back to Duty

S27: Communicate in English to the required standard for the profession. Back to Duty

S28: Work with service users and/or own carers to facilitate the service user’s preferred role in decision-making, and provide service users and carers with the information they may need where appropriate. Back to Duty

S29: Modify own means of communication to address the individual communication needs and preferences of service users and carers, and remove any barriers to communication where possible. Back to Duty

S30: Use information, communication and digital technologies appropriate to own practice. Back to Duty

S31: Explain the financial implications of suitable hearing aid systems. Back to Duty

S32: Inform service users about the range of strategies available to them which could improve their ability to hear and communicate more effectively. Back to Duty

S33: Keep full, clear and accurate records in accordance with applicable legislation, protocols and guidelines. Back to Duty

S34: Manage records and all other information in accordance with applicable legislation, protocols and guidelines. Back to Duty

S35: Use digital record keeping tools, where required. Back to Duty

S36: Work in partnership with service users, carers, colleagues and others. Back to Duty

S37: Contribute effectively to work undertaken as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Back to Duty

S38: Identify anxiety and stress in service users, carers and colleagues, adapting own practice and providing support where appropriate. Back to Duty

S39: Identify own leadership qualities, behaviours and approaches, taking into account the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion. Back to Duty

S40: Demonstrate leadership behaviours appropriate to own practice. Back to Duty

S41: Act as a role model for others. Back to Duty

S42: Promote and engage in the learning of others. Back to Duty

S43: Recognise those conditions or circumstances that require the involvement of other professionals and give the appropriate advice to service users. Back to Duty

S44: Demonstrate awareness of emerging technologies and new developments in hearing care practices. Back to Duty

S45: Engage in evidence-based practice. Back to Duty

S46: Gather and use feedback and information, including qualitative and quantitative data, to evaluate the responses of service users to own care. Back to Duty

S47: Monitor and systematically evaluate the quality of practice, and maintain an effective quality management and quality assurance process working towards continual improvement. Back to Duty

S48: Participate in quality management, including quality control, quality assurance, clinical governance and the use of appropriate outcome measures. Back to Duty

S49: Evaluate care plans or intervention plans using recognised and appropriate outcome measures, in conjunction with the service user where possible, and revise the plans as necessary. Back to Duty

S50: Demonstrate the principles and applications of scientific enquiry, including the evaluation of treatment efficacy and the research process. Back to Duty

S51: Change own practice as needed to take account of new developments, technologies and changing contexts. Back to Duty

S52: Gather appropriate information. Back to Duty

S53: Analyse and critically evaluate the information collected. Back to Duty

S54: Select and use appropriate assessment techniques and equipment. Back to Duty

S55: Undertake and record a thorough, sensitive, and detailed assessment. Back to Duty

S56: Undertake or arrange investigations as appropriate. Back to Duty

S57: Conduct appropriate assessment or monitoring procedures, treatment, therapy or other actions safely and effectively. Back to Duty

S58: Critically evaluate research and other evidence to inform own practice. Back to Duty

S59: Engage service users in research as appropriate. Back to Duty

S60: Use technologies safely and effectively where appropriate for diagnostic or monitoring procedures, treatment, therapy or other actions. Back to Duty

S61: Safely use appropriate techniques and equipment to assess hearing difficulties and the physical condition of the ear. Back to Duty

S62: Select and evaluate the most appropriate hearing aid system, performance settings and associated technologies for service users. Back to Duty

S63: Plan, implement and manage appropriate rehabilitation programmes for service users to optimise outcomes. Back to Duty

S64: Safely and competently take impressions of the ear. Back to Duty

S65: Safely and competently programme and physically fit hearing aids. Back to Duty

S66: Formulate specific and appropriate management plans including the setting of timescales. Back to Duty

S67: Formulate and provide appropriate advice regarding hearing aids and associated technologies and their use to facilitate informed choices by service users. Back to Duty

S68: Undertake and record appropriate case histories. Back to Duty

S69: Check that equipment is functioning accurately and within specifications and to take appropriate action in the case of faulty functioning and operation. Back to Duty

S70: Interpret data arising from case history, physical examination, hearing assessments and hearing instruments. Back to Duty

S71: Demonstrate awareness of relevant health and safety legislation and comply with all local operational procedures and policies. Back to Duty

S72: Work safely, including being able to select appropriate hazard control and risk management, reduction or elimination techniques in a safe manner and in accordance with health and safety legislation. Back to Duty

S73: Select appropriate personal protective equipment and use it correctly. Back to Duty

S74: Establish safe environments for practice, which appropriately manages risk. Back to Duty

S75: Ensure that the environment in which service users are seen is appropriate for the assessment, service, care and attention given. Back to Duty

S76: Empower and enable individuals (including service users and colleagues) to play a part in managing own health. Back to Duty

S77: Engage in occupational health, including being aware of immunisation requirements. Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Treat people with dignity. Back to Duty

B2: Respect individual's diversity, beliefs, culture, needs, values, privacy and preferences. Back to Duty

B3: Show respect and empathy for patients, their families, carers and those you work with. Back to Duty

B4: Be adaptable, reliable and consistent. Back to Duty

B5: Have the courage to challenge areas of concern. Back to Duty

B6: Recognise and act within the limits of own competence seeking advice when needed. Back to Duty

Qualifications

English and Maths

Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is an alternative to the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL.

Other mandatory qualifications

Foundation Degree in Hearing Aid Audiology, BSc healthcare science (audiology), Certificate or Diploma in Audiology, Award in Hearing Aid Dispensing Competence

Level: 5

Professional recognition

This standard aligns with the following professional recognition:

• Health and Care Professions Council for Level 5 award
• British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists for 5

Additional details

Regulated standard

This is a regulated occupation.

Regulator body:

Health and Care Professions Council

Training Provider must be approved by regulator body

EPAO does not require approval by regulator body

Occupational Level:

5

Duration (months):

24

Review

This apprenticeship standard will be reviewed after three years