Job summary
Are you a newly qualified Speech and Language Therapist, looking for their first role, or an experienced Band 5 therapist seeking a change? Due to internal promotion, we are looking to recruit an innovative, caring and dynamic SLT who would like to develop skills in swallowing and communication disorders for care home residents with a wide range of health conditions including acquired and progressive neurological conditions, dementia, frailty and at the end of life.
Our award winning Care Homes Speech and Language Therapy Service provides a rapid and high quality service to those living in care homes, to support with the avoidance of hospital admission or deterioration of health and nutritional status due to dysphagia.
We support care home staff with their management of residents with dysphagia and help improve quality of life through our work with acquired communication difficulties.
The successful post-holder will be supported to work effectively and efficiently as an autonomous Speech and Language Therapist within a multi-professional team environment in community and primary care settings. Ensuring safe, efficient and effective delivery of patient-focused care in line with identified evidence based practice, local and national standards.
Progression to Band 6 will be considered for a high quality candidate upon completion of NQP and dysphagia competencies.
Requests for part time or flexible working will be considered.
Come and join our friendly and supportive team!
Main duties of the job
To work as part of the Dementia Intensive Support Team (DIST) alongside the Adult Community Speech and Language Therapy team to provide assessment, differential diagnosis, therapy, advice and support for residents of care home with swallowing and/or communication difficulties.
About us
EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;
- Season Ticket Loans
- NHS discounts for staff
- Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
- Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
- The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
- Day One Flexible Employer
The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment
Join our Staff bank
What is Staff Bank?
Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.
All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.
If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES CLINICAL
- To work as part of the Dementia Intensive Support Team (DIST) alongside the Adult Community SLT team to provide assessment, differential diagnosis, therapy, advice and support for residents of care home with swallowing and/or communication difficulties.
- To make a differential diagnosis of communication and swallowing difficulties on the basis of specialist formal and informal clinical assessments; to ensure that all interventions are based on accurate, appropriate and sufficient assessment.
- To develop clear individual care plans based on clinical guidelines and established best practice.
- To be responsible and accountable for the independent prioritisation and management of own clinical caseload.
- To provide programmes of therapy activities and demonstrations of those activities to those concerned (family, staff, visitors) to enable carry over and generalisation of new skills into the wider communicative environment.
- To support and facilitate all patients in expressing their own views and needs, to enable them to take an active part in the planning of treatment.
- To use clinical assessment of patients communication skills to support decision making about a patients capacity to consent to interventions and make decisions affecting future management.
- To consider the need to adapt clinical practice to meet the needs of patients and carers including issues relating to disability, culture and educational attainment e.g. the format of written advice, wheelchair access and interpreters.
- To work with the care homes team members and management, as well as the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure a coordinated and holistic care plan for patients with necessary support and follow up from this care plan.
- To provide ad-hoc training and education to care home staff, to support them in their role.
Communication
- To liaise and work closely with SLT colleague(s) from the Adult Community SLT service in ensuring a safe and equitable pathway for care home residents, from referral to discharge, across both services (DIST and Adult Community SLT service) and all south-east Essex geographical areas.
- To ensure smooth and appropriate handover of care from one agency to another; to provide reports, reflecting specialist knowledge and interpretation of specialist assessments, to other health professionals, including GPs and Hospital consultants as requested; to make and/or recommend onward referrals to other professionals or agencies, as appropriate.
- To demonstrate critical thinking, reflection and analysis to inform practice.
- To be up to date with relevant local and national standards and to lead in the implementation of evidence based practice.
- To develop links with other Speech and Language Therapy Departments in other Trusts and localities
- To develop links with other inpatient and community services to facilitate seamless discharge to ensure a well-coordinated care plan for patients
- To ensure effective communication of highly complex condition related information from assessment to clients, carers, families and multidisciplinary team members/other professionals.
- To maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT professional standards and local guidelines and policies.
Human Resources
- To be responsible for maintaining own professional competency to practice through relevant CPD activities which have been identified in the Professional Development Plan and to maintain a CPD portfolio to reflect this
- To actively participate in the Trusts appraisal process by identifying their own key performance objectives and continuing education needs
- To actively participate in clinical supervision sessions to identify and develop professional, clinical and service needs.
- To take responsibility for ensuring Trust policy is adhered to in identifying and addressing clinical incidents and complaints
- To provide supervision and guidance to unqualified Speech and Language Therapy team members and administrative staff in their role, as required.
- To provide clinical and observational placements for student SLTs and other relevant disciplines, as required.
Clinical and practice governance
- To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work.
- To have current registration with the HCPC and maintain professional registration.
- To adhere to the Code of Practice set down by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and departmental and Trust policies.
- To actively participate in continuing professional development to develop and maintain clinical skills.
- Observe and maintain strict confidentiality with regards to any patient/family/staff/records and information in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.
- The post holder must adhere to all risk assessment and risk management processes.
- To attend all relevant team and Trust meetings, unless on authorised leave or permission has been obtained from line manager.
- Provide patients and their families/carers with information on standards they should expect from the team, where appropriate.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES CLINICAL
- To work as part of the Dementia Intensive Support Team (DIST) alongside the Adult Community SLT team to provide assessment, differential diagnosis, therapy, advice and support for residents of care home with swallowing and/or communication difficulties.
- To make a differential diagnosis of communication and swallowing difficulties on the basis of specialist formal and informal clinical assessments; to ensure that all interventions are based on accurate, appropriate and sufficient assessment.
- To develop clear individual care plans based on clinical guidelines and established best practice.
- To be responsible and accountable for the independent prioritisation and management of own clinical caseload.
- To provide programmes of therapy activities and demonstrations of those activities to those concerned (family, staff, visitors) to enable carry over and generalisation of new skills into the wider communicative environment.
- To support and facilitate all patients in expressing their own views and needs, to enable them to take an active part in the planning of treatment.
- To use clinical assessment of patients communication skills to support decision making about a patients capacity to consent to interventions and make decisions affecting future management.
- To consider the need to adapt clinical practice to meet the needs of patients and carers including issues relating to disability, culture and educational attainment e.g. the format of written advice, wheelchair access and interpreters.
- To work with the care homes team members and management, as well as the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure a coordinated and holistic care plan for patients with necessary support and follow up from this care plan.
- To provide ad-hoc training and education to care home staff, to support them in their role.
Communication
- To liaise and work closely with SLT colleague(s) from the Adult Community SLT service in ensuring a safe and equitable pathway for care home residents, from referral to discharge, across both services (DIST and Adult Community SLT service) and all south-east Essex geographical areas.
- To ensure smooth and appropriate handover of care from one agency to another; to provide reports, reflecting specialist knowledge and interpretation of specialist assessments, to other health professionals, including GPs and Hospital consultants as requested; to make and/or recommend onward referrals to other professionals or agencies, as appropriate.
- To demonstrate critical thinking, reflection and analysis to inform practice.
- To be up to date with relevant local and national standards and to lead in the implementation of evidence based practice.
- To develop links with other Speech and Language Therapy Departments in other Trusts and localities
- To develop links with other inpatient and community services to facilitate seamless discharge to ensure a well-coordinated care plan for patients
- To ensure effective communication of highly complex condition related information from assessment to clients, carers, families and multidisciplinary team members/other professionals.
- To maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT professional standards and local guidelines and policies.
Human Resources
- To be responsible for maintaining own professional competency to practice through relevant CPD activities which have been identified in the Professional Development Plan and to maintain a CPD portfolio to reflect this
- To actively participate in the Trusts appraisal process by identifying their own key performance objectives and continuing education needs
- To actively participate in clinical supervision sessions to identify and develop professional, clinical and service needs.
- To take responsibility for ensuring Trust policy is adhered to in identifying and addressing clinical incidents and complaints
- To provide supervision and guidance to unqualified Speech and Language Therapy team members and administrative staff in their role, as required.
- To provide clinical and observational placements for student SLTs and other relevant disciplines, as required.
Clinical and practice governance
- To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work.
- To have current registration with the HCPC and maintain professional registration.
- To adhere to the Code of Practice set down by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and departmental and Trust policies.
- To actively participate in continuing professional development to develop and maintain clinical skills.
- Observe and maintain strict confidentiality with regards to any patient/family/staff/records and information in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.
- The post holder must adhere to all risk assessment and risk management processes.
- To attend all relevant team and Trust meetings, unless on authorised leave or permission has been obtained from line manager.
- Provide patients and their families/carers with information on standards they should expect from the team, where appropriate.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree
Desirable
- NQP competencies
- Dysphagia compentencies
Professional Membership/ Registration
Desirable
- Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy
- HCPC registration
Car Driver
Essential
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree
Desirable
- NQP competencies
- Dysphagia compentencies
Professional Membership/ Registration
Desirable
- Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy
- HCPC registration
Car Driver
Essential
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).
