Job responsibilities
PRIMARY DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
1. To be responsible for prioritisation, assessment, diagnosis, and development of specialised treatment programmes and discharge for for inpatients, with access to second opinions from highly specialist or Professional Lead SLT as required.
2. To independently manage personal caseload with complex speech, language, communication and swallowing (dysphagia) difficulties with reference to theory, published research and evidence, and agreed best practice.
3. To prioritise and respond to medical and other referrals in line with departmental guidelines and exercising professional judgement based on extended clinical experience.
4. To undertake a range of formal and informal assessments, including risk analysis of swallowing, speech, language, voice, and non-verbal communication and to make judgements re normal and abnormal functioning.
5. To evaluate suitability referral of patients for videofluoroscopy (X ray) examination. To participate in the examination and to jointly interpret results in order plan appropriate SLT treatment.
6. To understand when Fibreoptic Evaluation of Swallow (FEES) may be appropriate and to refer accordingly. To participate in these examinations and their interpretation as required.
7. To assess, monitor, update and communicating details of recommendations for swallowing to the patient, medical and ward staff, and carers, ensuring clear documentation in medical records.
9. To reach differential diagnoses on the basis of assimilated evidence from formal and informal assessments including psychological factors (some of which may be conflicting) and with reference to normal and abnormal criterion and research evidence.
10. To prioritise and decide on appropriate specialised treatment/management matched to individual patient/family need including use of communication aids and to adapt and modify treatment options based on extended clinical expertise whilst ensuring patient/carers are fully involved in the decision making process.
11. To be responsible for updating medical/ward notes, departmental notes, a range of report writing including legal, and dissemination of findings to appropriate professionals and relevant others
12. Autonomous responsibility for admission, prioritisation, management and discharge of patients in relation to complex caseload.
13. To use highly developed communication and counselling skills such as reflective listening, open questioning, empathy, and reassurance when explaining highly complex and sensitive information to the full range of levels in understanding of patients and carers, where anxiety frequently acts as a barrier and co-operation is not guaranteed.
14. To demonstrate empathy and reassurance when providing patients and carers with unwelcome information that has long-term implications for lifestyle and employment e.g. when communication skills will not be recovered and/or oral feeding is no longer an option. To provide counselling and support before onward referral for more formal consultations if judged necessary.
15. To monitor, recognise, assess and evaluate subtle changes in patients conditions and adapt assessment and treatment programmes accordingly based on extended clinical experience.
16. To assess the risk to, and vulnerability of, patients and families in relation to timing and manner of treatment and amount of information provided
17. To implement the second opinions process as and when necessary, and refer on for highly specialist SLT intervention, or request multidisciplinary input.
18. To reflect on practice both individually and with peers/mentors and to identify personal strengths and development needs in order to raise clinical competence.
20. To continue to develop deeper and more specialist professional expertise and clinical skills across a range of neurological and acquired speech, language and communication difficulties (SLCD) by working with highly specialist staff, attending Specific Interest Groups, specialist courses, self-directed study and maintaining personal CPD portfolio. It is the post-holders responsibility to maintain a professional development portfolio in relation to specialist clinical skills.
21. To recognise own professional and clinical boundaries and competencies and seek advice, support and training when necessary with in a clinical supervision and appraisal framework.
22. To maintain professional and service standards with adherence to local and national guidelines and clinical governance, including confidentiality.
23. To participate in the Trusts Annual Appraisal Process
24. To follow and implement local and national policies with elements of independent professional judgement.
25. To contribute to local policy and service development through the clinical governance process.
26. To identify and request therapy equipment to meet caseload demands (according to service guidelines).
27. To provide accurate clinical activity data (TIARA) and routine recording of CPD, travel, and other related activity
28. To supervise and provide advice to less experienced speech and language therapists, assistants and volunteers.
29. To take part in research and clinical audit as directed by senior staff, undertake action research with personal caseload for advanced dysphagia course, and contribute to others research by providing data.
COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
30. To clinically supervise, appraise identified junior staff, facilitating their professional development and seeking advice on line manager when necessary.
31. To provide expert advice to enable professionals and carers to provide clear explanations when the patients levels of understanding and ability to communicate their wishes are severely affected e.g. supporting patients to give informed consent for complex procedures and life choices.
32. To communicate findings of assessments to medical staff and members of the multi-disciplinary team to enable appropriate patient management.
33. To contribute to clinical teams, both multi- and uni-disciplinary, by discussing and negotiating own and others input around patients needs, ensuring a well co-ordinated care plan and pathway
34. To ensure patients/carers are aware of relevant voluntary and support agencies.
35. To negotiate with carers/patients and professionals around individual case diagnosis and management where others have less specialist knowledge and/or experience in relation to SLCD and swallowing disorders (dysphagia), and differences of professional judgement can occur e.g. perceived levels of understanding and competency, and texture of foods which can be eaten safely.
36. To be able to recognise breakdown/conflict when it occurs and seek advice and support from more senior colleagues to resolve.
37. To contribute to the clinical and professional assessment and training of nurses, SLT students and other AHP students and professionals involving demonstration of competencies as required for example gastrostomy training and enteral feeding.
All Job Holders are required to: Work to the Trust values - Put patients first, Take ownership, Respect others, Be positive, Listen, learn and improve.
Adhere to Trust policies and procedures, e.g. Health and Safety at Work, Equal Opportunities etc. Maintain personal and professional development
Attend statutory, essential and mandatory training. Respect the confidentiality of all matters relating to their employment and other members of staff. All members of staff are required to comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998. Comply with the Corporate Governance structure in keeping with the principles and standards set out by the Trust.
Comply with the codes of professional conduct set out by the professional body of which registration is required for the post.
Ensure they are familiar with the Risk Management Framework, follow policies, procedures and safe systems of work, make known any hazards or risks that they identify and take all necessary actions to reduce risk.
Ensure they attend Child Protection training at the appropriate level within the specified time frame.
Staff must comply with Safeguarding Policies and Procedures in order to promote safeguarding and prevent abuse to vulnerable people using Trust services.
Maintain the prevention and control of infection and fully comply with all current Trust Infection Control policies and procedures.
Take responsibility for any records that they create or use in the course of their duties, in line with the Public Records Act and be aware that any records created by an employee of the NHS are public records and may be subject to both legal and professional obligations.All Managers are responsible for: Assessing risks and implementing the necessary actions to minimise these risks within their sphere of responsibility. They must also enable staff to attend the relevant statutory and essential training.
Managing attendance in accordance with the Trusts Attendance Management Policy.
Note
This job description is neither definitive nor exhaustive and is not intended to be totally comprehensive. It may be reviewed in the light of changing circumstances following consultation with the post holder. This job description is to be read in conjunction with all current Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust policies, procedures & guidelines.
