Vision and Hearing Support Assistant Practitioner | Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
| Posting date: | 05 December 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | £27,485 - £30,162 per annum pro rata |
| Hours: | Part time |
| Closing date: | 17 January 2026 |
| Location: | Kent and Medway, TN25 4AZ |
| Company: | Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 7645348/846-7645348-UJ |
Summary
The KCHFT learning disability team uses a positive multi-disciplinary model to provide direct specialist clinical expertise, behavioural and engagement support and access to developmental opportunities to people with learning disabilities and their families and carers. We also facilitate reasonable adjustments to enable people to access mainstream healthcare services where these best meet their health needs. The multi-disciplinary teams of OTs, nurses, SLTS, PTs and a specialist vision and hearing service work in four geographic localities across the County and work in an alliance with the social care teams for Kent County Council (KCC) and the LD teams within the Mental Health Trust (KMPT) to provide a co-ordinated and holistic combined service for people with learning disabilities.
The Vision and Hearing Support Team support people with a learning disability to access good vision and hearing care from mainstream services. We can support with screening, familiarisation programmes, making reasonable adjustments and understanding outcomes. We believe anyone can have their vision and hearing assessed regardless of disability, and that everybody has an equal right to good care regarding their vision and hearing. We use identified pathways to ensure people have equal opportunity to access mainstream optometry, ophthalmology, audiology and Ear Nose and Throat healthcare services.
Any queries please contact James Crust Vision and Hearing Service Manager, james.crust@nhs.net
• Carry out initial assessment and implement agreed interventions/advice to promote and enhance a person’s outcome, under the guidance of the service manager. This is followed by monitoring and documenting the person’s progress using an evidence-based format that will contribute to providing clinical outcomes
• Help to support carer’s in the management of a person’s specific visual, hearing and communication needs. The role will include working with other multi-disciplinary professionals based within an integrated team, within the framework of clinical governance procedures and will be undertaken in a variety of community settings according to the needs of the person and/or reason for intervention
• Visual and hearing impaired specific communication support and advice, and/or deafblind specific communication support and advice. Environmental assessments, familiarisation and desensitisation programmes, support at appointments, hearing screening including otoscopy, otoacoustic emission screening, pure tone audiometry screening, tympanometry, creation and provision of accessible information relating to visual/hearing related conditions, delivery of vision/hearing awareness training, functional visual and hearing assessments
Please note, this vacancy does not meet the criteria for skilled worker sponsorship and therefore, we are unable to accept applications from candidates that cannot provide documentary evidence of right to work in the United Kingdom
Rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC, we’ve got a passion for delivering high standards of patient care and excellent services to improve the health of our communities. To do this we need outstanding people who share our values compassionate Aspirational Responsive Excellent
We know a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion leads to better patient care and a happier workforce. We pride ourselves in being diverse and welcome applications from people with varied backgrounds, perspectives and experiences
We ask for information about your protected characteristics on our application forms. This isn’t visible to anyone involved with shortlisting or interviewing you, except when you choose to be considered under the guaranteed interview scheme due to disability. Short listers will see two ticks alongside your application to ensure they apply the principles of the scheme to your submission
The data we collect helps us to ensure we are attracting diversity in our applicants, that all our colleagues have equitable access to career opportunities and supports us on our journey to being a Great Place to Work
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want you to be able to work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Talk to us about a flexible working arrangement that won’t involve sacrificing time for personal interests or family commitments. We’ll support you to work flexibly in a way that will suits us both
See where you can go with KCHFT career pathways
Please note: at this stage, the role is open only to colleagues currently employed within Kent and Medway NHS Trusts and the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB).
Job responsibilities
As a community Trust many of our roles require individuals to be able to drive to perform their duties. As such you will be asked to confirm you have a full UK driving licence where driving is a requirement of the role to be able to proceed with your application. We are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities into employment, if you are unable to drive due to a disability, please contact the Recruitment Team via kentchft.recruitment@nhs.net quoting the vacancy reference number so we can support you further.
The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this in your application. If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know. All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.
Still have questions? The recruiting manager would love to hear from you, their contact details can be found in the job advert.
We can get a lot of applications for some roles so to be in with the best chance of being shortlisted please make sure you apply as soon as possible. A vacancy may close early if there is a lot of interest in the job.
At KCHFT we strongly encourage colleagues in clinical and non-clinical roles who have direct or social contact with patients to be fully vaccinated. In this way we will be doing all we can to ensure your safety and that of your colleagues and the patients we serve.
Find out more about the community differencehere.
Good luck! We can’t wait to meet you and welcome you to #teamKCHFT, #cometocommunity.
This advert closes on Sunday 4 Jan 2026