Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Job responsibilities

Please see full JD and PS for details.

Main Duties and Responsibilities To be responsible for the delivery of a highly specialist Speech and Language Therapy service to service users with a learning disability. This includes dealing with complex case management issues and generating appropriate strategies to manage these. Provide a high level of clinical and professional expertise in order to ensure the delivery of safe and effective multi-disciplinary pathways of care, in partnership with other members of the multi-disciplinary leadership teams. To be autonomous and responsible for the assessment, formulation and management of a specialist clinical caseload of service users with a learning disability who may have additional complex needs as a result of diagnoses such as autism, downs syndrome, cerebral palsy and dementia. To make complex clinical decisions following assessment and develop highly specialist individualised care plans based on the evidence base and to develop appropriate strategies to facilitate communicative effectiveness. To work as an integral part of the Learning Disability Crisis Response Service and multi-disciplinary teams across the care hub by providing clinical leadership to care planning and service delivery. To work in partnership with service users, carers, and families, agreeing decision making relevant to the client management and in this way ensure that service users are involved in the planning and prioritisation of their care plans at a level they understand wherever possible.

To act as a source of specialist information to other members of the team to ensure service users communication needs are recognised and met in line with the Accessible Information Standard. To demonstrate knowledge of and adhere to RCSLT Professional and Clinical and National and Local Clinical Guidelines, evidence-based practice and standards for advice and clinical interventions. To work within defined legal, service and national protocols/policies and professional codes of conduct. To work collaboratively with a range of staff from other localities and referrers, to assess needs and formulate action plans along care pathways

To monitor, review and update all treatment plans and programmes of care totake account of progress, deterioration or other changes in the service users condition, circumstances or communication. To manage a complex specialist caseload and prioritise cases, balancing own workload. To provide specialist clinical advice to others including carers and professionals regarding the management and care of service users with communication difficulties. To reflect on the auditory, visual and kinaesthetic aspects of service users communication and to identify appropriate strategies to facilitate and enhance communicative effectiveness. To consider the environmental, social and behavioural aspects of service users communication in identifying appropriate strategies to enhance communication. To demonstrate skills in motivating service users and/or carers to engage in the therapeutic processTo employ counselling skills with patients, carers/service users with highly complex needs, seeking support where appropriate. To maintain sensitivity to the emotional needs of the service users and carers in particular when imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature and implications of their difficulties.

To form productive relationships with others who may be under stress and / or have challenging communication difficulties and challenging behaviour. To demonstrate the ability to manage service users with challenging behaviours including the application of appropriate management strategies. To provide an advocacy role in helping service users and carers express their needs. To demonstrate empathy with service users, carers, families and colleagues, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understanding exist. To adapt practice to meet individual service users circumstances, including giving due regard for cultural and linguistic differences To communicate complex condition related information from assessment, including diagnosis to service users, carers, families and members of the multidisciplinary team/ other professionals. To demonstrate negotiation skills in the management of conflict and generating possible solutions across a range of situations, seeking support where appropriate. To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible following Trust policy. To maintain professionalism and sensitivity in highly charged emotional situationse.g. disclosure of abuse children or vulnerable adults, or working with service users with degenerative conditions. To refer service users to other services as appropriate. To use specialist knowledge to inform service/policy developments and to assume delegated tasks as requested by line manager, including participation in working groups, policy development groups etc. To produce reports and care plans reflecting specialist knowledge. To independently attend case conferences and review meetings. To adhere to professional standards for advice and clinical interventions. To contribute integrated team building and policy development. Represent Speech and Language Therapy within the care hub. To contribute to the development of local clinical guidelines. To advise line manager on issues of service delivery including shortfalls and service pressures to facilitate planning and enhance service provision. To develop care protocols/packages relating to specialist area in liaison with line manager to improve client care. To be aware of and implement relevant legislation, service and team plans, policies and procedures. To use computer software to develop individualised communication aids for service users. To inform the Unit Manager of risk issues and participate in writing risk assessments as necessary

To be accountable for own professional action when carrying out routine tasks and tasks delegated by Unit Manager. To recognise own professional boundaries, seeking advice as appropriate and through regular supervision. To demonstrate well developed skills in time management and personal organisation. To demonstrate the ability to reflect on practice with peers and mentors, identify own strengths and development needs and provide evidence of sound clinical judgement. To participate in an annual appraisal of clinical and professional skills through the Individual Performance Framework, and review progress to meet objectives at pre-determined intervals. To attend relevant training and development in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required of a specialist therapist and maintain up to date HPC registration. To have a working knowledge of the principles of Clinical Governance and their application to professional practice. To attend Staff and Team meetings and participate in the services system of clinical supervision. To collect and provide research data as required. To take responsibility within own team to keep abreast of research and developments in area of clinical expertise, ensuring evidence-based practice. To participate in and develop innovations in areas of clinical risk management, quality standards setting and clinical effectiveness. To participate in small studies/audit/evaluation projects in own clinical area in consultation with Unit Manager. To participate in the care hubs research and clinical governance/audit projects in consultation with Unit Manager

To attend postgraduate and specialist short courses and advanced training in clinical specialist area. To participate in the planning and delivery of client focused training in specialist clinical area - adapting to a range of audiences e.g. people with learning disabilities, SLT colleagues, assistants, other Allied Health Professionals, medical, education, students, Social Services and voluntary sector personnel. To support students from other professional groups as appropriate within own area. e.g. Learning Disability, Nursing and Social Work students based in Locality team in consultation with the Unit Manager. To be responsible for the mentoring and supervision of junior members of staff within the integrated team to ensure the delivery of an effective, efficient and quality Speech and Language Therapy service. Contribute to the induction and mentoring of members of the integrated team and contribute to the identification of training needs within the team.To provide specialised training and evaluation of undergraduate students on clinical placement. To explain the role of Speech and Language Therapists to visitors, students and volunteers

Education / Qualifications

Essential

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy
• Degree Qualification or Equivalent
• Health Professions Council State Registration - Licence to Practice
• Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses or other post graduate training plus further experience to Masters level
• Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
• Post registration dysphagia training

Desirable

• Makaton/ signalong / BSL signing

Experience

Essential

• Relevant clinical experience at post graduate level
• Experience in developing specialised packages of care
• Experience of working within a relevant specialist area
• Experience of working collaboratively with parents, carers and professionals
• Experience of training others
• Experience of managing the Dysphagia needs of clients with Learning Disabilities
• Experience of providing supervision to junior members of staff

Knowledge

Essential

• Well established knowledge of relevant national and local policies, procedures and clinical guidelines (relevant to the client group)
• Well established knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions (relevant to the client group)
• Understanding of clinical governance and its application to practice
• Understanding of roles of the other professionals (relevant to the client group)
• Knowledge of standards of clinical record keeping
• Good working knowledge of multidisciplinary working

Desirable

• Awareness of the health inequalities agenda for people with learning disabilities

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including observation, listening and empathy
• Negotiation and problem solving skills
• Good analytical and reflective skills
• Well-developed concentration skills
• Good presentation skills both verbal and written
• Good planning and organisational skills
• Prioritisation skills and caseload management skills
• Excellent auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically
• Able to work as part of a Team
• Ability to work flexibly Ability to demonstrate cultural awareness in service delivery and clinical practice
• IT skills

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).