Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Job responsibilities

1. Line Management responsibility for team.

2. Full management responsibility for managing and prioritising caseload including delegation to other speech and language therapists in the team.

3. Supervise other speech and language therapists and support workers in the team.

4. Contribute to the pre and post qualification teaching of speech and language therapy.

5. To provide clinical leadership and training to the wider staff team with regards to speech, language and communication.

6. To provide strategic leadership to within the Service in the development of the things such as the clinical model.

7. To provide advice, consultation and training to staff working with the client group across a range of agencies and settings where appropriate.

8. To provide in depth specialist speech and language therapy assessments for the more complex service users referred to the team.

9. To formulate and implement support plans as part of the MDT.

10. Evaluate the impact of a support plan / intervention and use outcome measures to inform future practice.

11. Develop effective outcome measures both for SLT and the wider team to build on the existing evidence base.

12. To provide clinical and strategic leadership across the health and social care network for the geographical area.

13. Represent service both nationally and locally as appropriate.

14. Research: To utilise theory evidence-based literature and research to support practice and to contribute to the evidence base by leading and participating research and audit.

15. Advising team manager about capacity / gaps in service delivery / operational issues.

16. Being involved in recruitment of other speech and language therapists or other staff within the teams.

17. To provide clinical and managerial supervision to junior members of staff.

18. To act as supervisor, assessor and mentor for students, Speech and Language Therapists and junior staff.

19. To facilitate the education of service users, relatives and other agencies concerned with provision of learning disability services in the community.

20. To be involved in the development of training / information resources for partner agencies

21. To ensure Safeguarding requirements are upheld.

22. To provide statistical information as required by the Trust.

23. To undertake duties as may be delegated by the Team Manager or the Clinical Lead.

24. To utilise theory, evidenced based literature and research to support practice.

25. To contribute to the evidence base by leading and participating in research and audits whenever possible.

26. Promote health and reduce inequalities for all patients accessing the speech and language therapy service, so that they may be able to maximise their potential in terms of health education and social well-being.

27. To lead on training and development programmes as appropriate to the knowledge and skills of the individual, delivering to other professionals and service users.

28. Participate in the Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust (MCFT) PACE review process ensuring business priority objectives are met and a personal development plan is maintained and evaluated. Cascade the PACE process to departmental staff as appropriate.

29. Be responsible for own continuing professional development and maintaining own professional registration and meet HPC registration requirements, maintain a professional portfolio and demonstrating evidence of reflective practice.

30. Use highly developed skills to convey complex and sensitive clinical information, using a high level of persuasive and motivational skill to enable others to follow swallowing/therapy plans. Communicate clinical formulations and interventions to service users and carers in an understandable manner based on a person-centred approach, which inspires hope to the service user and carer.

Qualifications

Essential

• Completion of a recognised training course awarding relevant degree/diploma approved by the RCSLT and HPC
• Registered with the HPC - License to practice
• Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses up to Master's level or equivalent
• Experiential training which demonstrates highly specialist skills in specialist area
• Evidence of management training
• Evidence of leadership training
• Membership of relevant special interest groups

Desirable

• Post graduate certificate in speciality
• Postgraduate Dysphagia qualification / competencies
• Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)

Knowledge

Essential

• Relevant experience at undergraduate/post graduate level
• Experience of carrying out specialist assessments and interventions
• Proven ability to work independently, prioritise and manage own complex caseload.
• Experience of working with highly complex cases, such as progressive illness and rare conditions
• Evidence of experience of: Multi disciplinary team working
• Leading in service projects
• Developing and leading training of others and Language Therapists
• Advanced knowledge of assessment tools relevant to the client group
• In depth knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to the client group
• Advanced knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions relevant to the client group and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits
• In depth knowledge of the principles of clinical governance/audit
• Understands the roles of other professionals relevant to the client group
• Understands the standards of record keeping
• Understands confidentiality as relating to the NHS

Desirable

• Student training
• Experience of delivering/developing training to staff/carers
• Experience of using iPads and other forms of technology
• Experience of facilitating groups
• Experience of providing supervision to staff members
• Experience of being a Clinical Educator

Skills

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills - including, listening and empathy skills
• Highly developed negotiation and problemsolving skill
• Excellent analytical and reflection skills
• Well-developed concentration skills.
• Excellent presentation skills written and verbal
• Excellent organizational skills
• Prioritisation and time management skills
• Good Auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe phonetically
• Able to be a good team member and assume leadership responsibilities
• Able to work independently recognising own limits
• Flexible and able to cope with change
• Learns from experience and willing to adapt accordingly, including learning new skills.
• Able to critically appraise research articles
• Ability to communicate highly complex or sensitive advice and information to others

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).