Job summary
We are looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated Speech and Language Therapist with good clinical and interpersonal skills to join our friendly and supportive team and to contribute to the provision of a high quality service to a mixed adult in-patient caseload at University Hospitals Plymouth. It is essential for the candidate to have proven effective oral and written communication skills and the aptitude to work in a demanding clinical environment.
Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as 'Priority' and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.
Main duties of the job
This post offers an opportunity for a Band 5 therapist with basic dysphagia competencies to develop their skills in the assessment and management of communication and swallowing disorders and to gain experience of working in the acute setting in a busy District General Hospital. In this post you will have regular CPD opportunities, clinical supervision, close working with a Speech and Language Therapy assistant and frequent contact with Specialist and Highly Specialist colleagues. Applicants must hold up-to-date HPC registration.
About us
We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission.
We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To undertake a range of formal and informal assessments, as indicated by the presenting Speech Language and Communication Disorders (SLCD). This will include analysis and understanding of a range of factors, such as the use of voice, grammar, vocabulary, speech sounds, fluency, social use of language, non-verbal communication.
- To assess and manage in-patients with non-complex dysphagia
- To be responsible for own case notes, medical/ward case notes and report writing for a range of purposes including legal.
- To pass on skills to enable other professionals and carers to agree and carry out individualised treatment programmes and advice e.g. clarifying individual patients levels of understanding thereby helping them give informed consent for complex procedures/life choices.
- 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 speech, language, communication, and dysphagia (swallowing) and differences of professional judgement can occur.
- To identify, collect, analyse, and interpret case related information and data from medical notes, patients, carers and other relevant sources.
- To reach differential diagnoses on the basis of evidence gathered from assessments and other sources, and with reference to theory.
- To prioritise and decide on appropriate treatment/management matched to individual patient/family need from a range of options ensuring patient/carers are fully involved in the decision making process.
- To be responsible for reporting findings and recommendations in the patients medical/ward notes, and dissemination of clinical reports to appropriate professionals and relevant others
- To communicate highly complex information to patients whose ability to understand and co-operate is the primary difficulty and where a range of means and levels of communication are required e.g. gesture, symbols, sign, and demonstration, written.
- 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 cooperation is not guaranteed.
- To explain highly complex and sensitive case related information to meet a range of levels of in understanding of patients and carers where anxiety and the presenting communication difficulty is a barrier, and co-operation is not guaranteed.
- To demonstrate empathy and reassurance when providing patients and carers with unwelcome information that has long-term implications for lifestyle and employment e.g. communication difficulties are not likely to resolve and there are lifelong repercussions.
- To monitor, recognise and evaluate subtle changes in patients conditions and adapt assessment and treatment programme accordingly based on clinical experience and with advice from more senior clinical colleagues.
- To identify and make others aware of risk factors for impaired swallow and communication.
- To assess the risk to, and vulnerability of, patients and families in relation to timing and manner of treatment and amount of information provided, i.e. where inappropriate intervention could have a negative effect e.g. advice on eating and swallowing.
- To recognise the need for onward referral for specialist SLT interventions, including FEES and videofluoroscopy, or request multidisciplinary advice.
- To undertake regular clinical supervision with more experienced colleagues and to reflect on practice with peers in order to raise clinical competence.
PROFESSIONAL
- To maintain registration with the Health Professions Council.
- To progress and develop professional and clinical skills across a range of acquired speech, language, communication and dysphagia (swallowing) difficulties by working with more experienced staff, undertaking self-directed and more formal CPD activities and maintaining personal portfolio.
- To recognise own professional and clinical boundaries and competencies and seek advice and support when necessary.
- To maintain professional and service standards with adherence to local and national guidelines and clinical governance, including confidentiality.
- To participate in the Trusts Annual Appraisal Process
- To follow and implement local and national policies with elements of independent professional judgement.
- To contribute to local policy and service development through the clinical governance process.
- To be responsible for the safe use and security of clinical equipment.
- To be responsible for maintaining equipment records and notifying senior staff of need to update to meet caseload demands (according to service guidelines)
- To provide accurate clinical activity data (TIARA) and routine recording of CPD, travel, and other related activity, observing data protection guidelines
- To provide advice, demonstration and explanation of own clinical work to students and other visitors.
- To take part in research and clinical audit as directed by senior staff and contribute to others research by providing data.
- Supervision of assistants and volunteers when involved with caseload.
- To record and update personally generated clinical observations, assessment results, and treatment and advice details in the medical notes and patients SLT case notes.
- To participate on a 7 day working rota, including weekend and bank holiday working.
COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
- To accurately document and report findings of assessments and therapy outcomes using departmental pro-forma reports and to ensure that these are filed in medical notes.
- To liaise with community colleagues, doctors and GPs to enable appropriate follow up, onward referral and future patient management.
- To contribute to and/or be responsible for initiating multi-disciplinary case discussions and management in relation to personal caseload.
- To be responsible for clear explanation of patients speech & language difficulties to a range of professionals and advising them how best to communicate with them.
- To ensure patients/carers are aware of relevant voluntary and support agencies.
- 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 plans based on best practice, evidence and care pathways.
- To be able to recognise breakdown/conflict when it occurs and seek advice and support from more senior colleagues to resolve.
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 to meet the changing demands of the job, participate in appropriate training activities and encourage and support staff development and training.
- 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 the welfare and safety of children within their care. This includes staff who come into contact with children and families in the course of their work as well as those staff who have a specific role with children and families.
- 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.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To undertake a range of formal and informal assessments, as indicated by the presenting Speech Language and Communication Disorders (SLCD). This will include analysis and understanding of a range of factors, such as the use of voice, grammar, vocabulary, speech sounds, fluency, social use of language, non-verbal communication.
- To assess and manage in-patients with non-complex dysphagia
- To be responsible for own case notes, medical/ward case notes and report writing for a range of purposes including legal.
- To pass on skills to enable other professionals and carers to agree and carry out individualised treatment programmes and advice e.g. clarifying individual patients levels of understanding thereby helping them give informed consent for complex procedures/life choices.
- 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 speech, language, communication, and dysphagia (swallowing) and differences of professional judgement can occur.
- To identify, collect, analyse, and interpret case related information and data from medical notes, patients, carers and other relevant sources.
- To reach differential diagnoses on the basis of evidence gathered from assessments and other sources, and with reference to theory.
- To prioritise and decide on appropriate treatment/management matched to individual patient/family need from a range of options ensuring patient/carers are fully involved in the decision making process.
- To be responsible for reporting findings and recommendations in the patients medical/ward notes, and dissemination of clinical reports to appropriate professionals and relevant others
- To communicate highly complex information to patients whose ability to understand and co-operate is the primary difficulty and where a range of means and levels of communication are required e.g. gesture, symbols, sign, and demonstration, written.
- 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 cooperation is not guaranteed.
- To explain highly complex and sensitive case related information to meet a range of levels of in understanding of patients and carers where anxiety and the presenting communication difficulty is a barrier, and co-operation is not guaranteed.
- To demonstrate empathy and reassurance when providing patients and carers with unwelcome information that has long-term implications for lifestyle and employment e.g. communication difficulties are not likely to resolve and there are lifelong repercussions.
- To monitor, recognise and evaluate subtle changes in patients conditions and adapt assessment and treatment programme accordingly based on clinical experience and with advice from more senior clinical colleagues.
- To identify and make others aware of risk factors for impaired swallow and communication.
- To assess the risk to, and vulnerability of, patients and families in relation to timing and manner of treatment and amount of information provided, i.e. where inappropriate intervention could have a negative effect e.g. advice on eating and swallowing.
- To recognise the need for onward referral for specialist SLT interventions, including FEES and videofluoroscopy, or request multidisciplinary advice.
- To undertake regular clinical supervision with more experienced colleagues and to reflect on practice with peers in order to raise clinical competence.
PROFESSIONAL
- To maintain registration with the Health Professions Council.
- To progress and develop professional and clinical skills across a range of acquired speech, language, communication and dysphagia (swallowing) difficulties by working with more experienced staff, undertaking self-directed and more formal CPD activities and maintaining personal portfolio.
- To recognise own professional and clinical boundaries and competencies and seek advice and support when necessary.
- To maintain professional and service standards with adherence to local and national guidelines and clinical governance, including confidentiality.
- To participate in the Trusts Annual Appraisal Process
- To follow and implement local and national policies with elements of independent professional judgement.
- To contribute to local policy and service development through the clinical governance process.
- To be responsible for the safe use and security of clinical equipment.
- To be responsible for maintaining equipment records and notifying senior staff of need to update to meet caseload demands (according to service guidelines)
- To provide accurate clinical activity data (TIARA) and routine recording of CPD, travel, and other related activity, observing data protection guidelines
- To provide advice, demonstration and explanation of own clinical work to students and other visitors.
- To take part in research and clinical audit as directed by senior staff and contribute to others research by providing data.
- Supervision of assistants and volunteers when involved with caseload.
- To record and update personally generated clinical observations, assessment results, and treatment and advice details in the medical notes and patients SLT case notes.
- To participate on a 7 day working rota, including weekend and bank holiday working.
COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
- To accurately document and report findings of assessments and therapy outcomes using departmental pro-forma reports and to ensure that these are filed in medical notes.
- To liaise with community colleagues, doctors and GPs to enable appropriate follow up, onward referral and future patient management.
- To contribute to and/or be responsible for initiating multi-disciplinary case discussions and management in relation to personal caseload.
- To be responsible for clear explanation of patients speech & language difficulties to a range of professionals and advising them how best to communicate with them.
- To ensure patients/carers are aware of relevant voluntary and support agencies.
- 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 plans based on best practice, evidence and care pathways.
- To be able to recognise breakdown/conflict when it occurs and seek advice and support from more senior colleagues to resolve.
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 to meet the changing demands of the job, participate in appropriate training activities and encourage and support staff development and training.
- 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 the welfare and safety of children within their care. This includes staff who come into contact with children and families in the course of their work as well as those staff who have a specific role with children and families.
- 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.
Person Specification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Broad and varied student placement experience.
- Demonstrable experience of multi-disciplinary working from clinical placements and / or whilst in employment.
Desirable
- Demonstrable experience of providing supervision and training to less experienced staff.
Qualifications
Essential
- Specialist graduate level education in speech and language therapy.
- HCPC registration
Desirable
- Specialist dysphagia practitioner (as defined by IDF framework).
Aptitude & Attitude
Essential
- Well developed and clinically expert communication and interpersonal skills necessary for clinical work.
- Proven ability to diagnose, prioritise and decide on appropriate treatment/management and intervention matched to individual need from a range of options (initially with supervision).
Desirable
- Proven ability to work as part of a team able to work without direct supervision.
Person Specification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Broad and varied student placement experience.
- Demonstrable experience of multi-disciplinary working from clinical placements and / or whilst in employment.
Desirable
- Demonstrable experience of providing supervision and training to less experienced staff.
Qualifications
Essential
- Specialist graduate level education in speech and language therapy.
- HCPC registration
Desirable
- Specialist dysphagia practitioner (as defined by IDF framework).
Aptitude & Attitude
Essential
- Well developed and clinically expert communication and interpersonal skills necessary for clinical work.
- Proven ability to diagnose, prioritise and decide on appropriate treatment/management and intervention matched to individual need from a range of options (initially with supervision).
Desirable
- Proven ability to work as part of a team able to work without direct supervision.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
