Job responsibilities
Patient/client care
1. To assess, develop and implement highly specialist speech and language therapy treatments. To make appropriate clinical decisions following assessments, including differential diagnosis on the basis of evidence from assessment. To develop specialist care plans based in best practice and expert knowledge.
2. To use clinical skills to generate written reports reflecting specialist knowledge.
3. To provide appropriate specialist intervention and evaluate outcomes. To use skills and knowledge to generate appropriate strategies for caseload management for complex clinical issues.
4. To provide advice to others regarding the management and care of patients/clients with upper airway disorders including respiratory physiotherapists and the adult and paediatric respiratory teams. To provide specialist advice in relation to the relevant care group.
5. To work collaboratively and liaise with a wide range of professions across a variety of locations and agencies.
6. To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice and outcome measures.
7. To maintain intense concentration in all aspects of patient management for prolonged periods.
Policy/service development/implementation
1. To take delegated lead on the implementation of team objectives or projects in liaison with peers.
2. To develop care protocols for specific clinical issues.
3. To advise line manager on issues of service delivery, including shortfall, service pressures etc.
4. To assume delegated tasks as requested by line manager, including participation in working groups and policy development groups.
5. To develop care protocols/packages relating to specialist area in liaison with Service Manager to improve patient care.
6. To contribute to interagency/multi-disciplinary team building and policy development.
7. To be aware of, adhere to and implement Trust, Service and team plans and policies, including:
Providing regular, timely statistical returns in keeping with Trust requirements.
Maintaining high quality clinical records in accordance with Service and Trust Guidelines and within data protection guidelines.
Ensuring understanding and adherence to Trust health and safety requirements, including attendance on mandatory training courses.
To work within infection control and health and safety guidelines in order to deal appropriately with unpleasant conditions related to client contact as they arise: for example exposure to body fluids, infectious conditions etc. encountered on a regular basis.
Participation in the Trust incident reporting and risk management procedures.
8. To use specialist knowledge to inform Service/policy developments as appropriate, and to implement policy within own specialist area.
9. To play a lead role in specialist area in the implementation of Service/Trust Clinical Governance Plan.
Financial and physical resources
1. To monitor stock levels in own service area, and request new equipment as appropriate.
2. To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment, ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained including equipment loaned to clients.
Human resources
1. To provide regular specialist training on the management of upper airway disorders and associated voice, ENT and swallow disorders.
2. To facilitate the development of others problem-solving/negotiation skills within peer review/support.
3. To provide mentoring, advice and support to junior Speech and Language Therapists, assistants, students and volunteers. To supervise the work of unregistered staff, volunteers and other professionals.
4. To take responsibility for appraisal of junior SLTs/unregistered staff.
5. To provide full student placements, including assessment of the placements as appropriate.
6. To participate in the recruitment process, including interview and induction.
7. To provide second opinions to less experienced colleagues, and expert opinions to others.
8. To explain the role of Speech and Language Therapists to visitors, students, volunteers and other professionals.
9. To assist in the support of students from other professional groups as appropriate within the specialty.
10. To identify the training needs linked to the specialty for wider service.
Information resources
1. To maintain up-to-date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT and HCPC professional standards and local Trust policies.
2. To share information with others, observing data protection guidelines.
3. To gather and update activity data accurately and regularly, ensuring the provision of such information promptly within local Trust guidelines.
Research and development
1. To participate in and develop innovations in areas of risk management, quality standards setting and clinical effectiveness.
2. To initiate and undertake research/clinical governance/audit projects within area of expertise.
3. To represent the Team within multi-disciplinary systems of clinical governance and research within the Trust.
4. To participate in departmental research and clinical governance/audit projects.
5. To collect and provide research data as required.
6. To participate in National trials requiring GCP registration as required.
Freedom to act
1. To provide leadership within appropriate specialist area.
2. To manage a complex and specialist caseload independently.
3. To monitor and evaluate own highly specialist service delivery and provide progress reports.
4. To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries, seeking advice as appropriate.
5. To work within defined departmental and national protocols/policies and professional code of conduct.
6. To work independently accessing appraisal within an Individual Performance Framework at pre-determined intervals.
Knowledge and Skills
Communication and relationship skills
1. To contribute to the special airways clinic (SAC) multidisciplinary team, by discussing own and others input around clients needs, ensuring a well co-ordinated care plan.
2. To present and communicate complex condition-related information in such a manner as to motivate and inform clients, carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions, agreeing decision-making relevant to patient/client management.
3. To use good interpersonal and advanced communication skills to listen well and counsel patients and carers, who may be highly distressed, or receiving bad news, so providing support and empathy without prejudice.
4. To use negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations.
5. To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible.
6. To form productive relationships with others who may be under stress and/or have challenging communication difficulties.
7. To maintain sensitivity at all times to the emotional needs of adults, including those who may have communication impairments and swallowing disorders, and their carers, in particular when imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature of their difficulties and implications of the same.
Knowledge, training and experience
1. To demonstrate highly specialist knowledge in clinical specialism underpinned by current evidence-based practice.
2. To make highly specialist clinical decisions following assessment of complex cases.
3. To identify personal/professional development evidenced by Personal Development Plan/Professional Portfolio developed within an appraisal framework, including objectives relating to clinical specialism.
4. To participate in the development of local clinical guidelines informed by evidence for clinical specialism.
5. To participate in appraisal ensuring that the objectives set reflect the Service and Trust plans, including specific objectives relating the clinical specialism.
6. To attend relevant training and development in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required of a highly specialist SLT working in this field to keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and maintenance of good Speech and Language Therapy practice within Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
7. To maintain up to date HCPC and RCSLT registration.
8. To demonstrate knowledge of, and adhere to, RCSLT Professional and Clinical Guidelines and National and Local Clinical Guidelines.
9. To develop and deliver specialist training (formal and informal) to others in area of clinical expertise.
10. To provide advice to non-specialists and other specialists/professionals within clinical field.
11. To maintain a working knowledge of relevant procedures/statutory requirements including Working with Vulnerable Adults and other legal frameworks.
Analytical and judgmental skills
1. To recognise potential breakdown and conflict when it occurs and seek advice and support as necessary to resolve it.
2. To use specialist knowledge and clinical expertise to analyse complex cases in order to inform sound clinical judgements/decision making for case management, and to design appropriate treatment from a range of options.
3. To analyse and interpret complex information relating to patients and to service provision in order to plan patient care and service development.
4. To actively participate in reflective clinical supervision with peers/clinical supervisor in order to develop and enhance practice.
5. To target training (formal and informal) appropriately to the needs of course participants and reflect on and evaluate training provided.
