Specialist Speech & Language Therapist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Duties

Patient/client care

To assess, develop and implement Specialist Speech and Language Therapy Treatment

To write reports reflecting specialist knowledge

To provide appropriate specialist intervention and evaluate outcomes

To provide advice to others regarding the management and care of patients/clients with communication, voice and/or feeding and swallowing difficulties

To ensure that patients are involved in the planning and prioritisation of their care plans wherever possible

To demonstrate negotiation skills

To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence based practice and outcome measures

To adapt practice to meet individual patients circumstances, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences

To demonstrate skills in dealing with complex issues to generate appropriate strategies for caseload management

Policy/service development/implementation

To contribute to interagency/multi-disciplinary team building

To be aware of, adhere to and implement service and team plans and policies

To use specialist knowledge to inform service/policy developments as appropriate

Financial and physical resources

To monitor stock levels in own service area and request new equipment as appropriate

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

To supervise the work of assistants and volunteers

To participate in student placements as appropriate

To provide mentoring to more junior Speech and Language Therapists

To explain the role of Speech and Language Therapists to visitors, students and volunteers

To assist in the support of students from other professional groups as appropriate

To participate in specialist training in area of clinical expertise

To assist with the identification of training needs within the team

Information resources

To maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT professional standards and local trust policies

To share information with others, observing data protection guidelines

To gather activity data accurately and regularly, ensuring the provision of such information promptly within local Trust guidelines

Research and development

To participate in and develop innovations in areas of risk management, quality standards setting and clinical effectiveness

To undertake Clinical Governance /audit projects within local service

To participate in departmental research and clinical governance/audit projects

To collect and provide research data as required

Freedom to act:

To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries, seeking advice as appropriate

To work within defined departmental and national protocols/policies and professional code of conduct

To work independently accessing appraisal within an Individual Performance Framework at pre-determined intervals

Knowledge and Skills

Communication and relationship skills

To contribute to clinical teams both multi disciplinary and uni disciplinary by discussing own and others input around clients needs ensuring a well co-ordinated care plan

To communicate complex condition related information from assessment to clients, carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions

To work closely with clients, carers and families, agreeing decision making relevant to the patient/client management

To demonstrate empathy with clients, carers and families and colleagues, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understanding exist

To develop skills in motivating clients and /or carers to engage in the therapeutic process

To develop negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations

To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible

To form productive relationships with others who may be under stress and/or have challenging communication difficulties

To employ excellent communication skills

Knowledge, training and experience

To demonstrate Specialist Knowledge in clinical specialism underpinned by current evidence based practice

To manage caseload independently

To identify personal/professional development evidenced by Personal Development Plan/ Professional Portfolio developed within an appraisal framework

To participate in Individual Performance Review ensuring that the objectives set reflect the Service and Trust plans, including specific objectives relating the clinical specialism

To attend relevant training and development in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required of a specialist therapist working in the adult acute inpatients and voice outpatients and maintain up to date HPC and RCSLT registration

To attend Specialist Short Courses appropriate to clinical specialism

To demonstrate knowledge of, and adhere to RCSLT Professional and Clinical and National and Local Clinical Guidelines

To participate in the development of local clinical guidelines informed by evidence of clinical specialism

To participate in the development and delivery of specialist training (formal and informal) to others in area of clinical expertise with and without support

To keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and maintenance of good practice in stroke rehabilitation

To provide advice to non-specialists and other specialists/ professionals within clinical field

To attend relevant course, meetings and special interest groups

To develop a working knowledge of relevant procedures including: Safeguarding, , Working with Vulnerable Adults, Mental Capacity Act and other legal frameworks

To develop a working knowledge of the principles of Clinical Governance and their application to professional practice

Analytical and judgmental skills

To develop the ability to reflect on auditory, visual and kinaesthetic aspects of clients communication /voice and to identify appropriate strategies to facilitate and enhance communicative effectiveness

To negotiate with carers, clients and others around individual case management

To recognise potential breakdown and conflict when it occurs and seek advice and support to resolve

To use specialist knowledge to inform sound clinical judgements/decision making for case management

To make a differential diagnosis on the basis of evidence from assessment seeking advice as appropriate

To develop clear care plans based on best practice

To demonstrate the ability to reflect on practice with peers and mentors and identify own strengths and development needs

To develop the ability to target training (formal and informal) appropriately to the needs of course participants

To develop the ability to reflect on and evaluate training provided

To adapt practice to meet individual patient/client circumstances

Planning and organisational skills

To manage and prioritise own caseload independently

To manage and prioritise own workload

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in relevant specialty fields which will have led to
• the acquisition of sound and well-established theoretical and practical specialist knowledge.
• Successful experience of working and learning in multi-professional teams.
• Experience of working with complex conditions with an appropriate level of autonomy.
• To include experience in the following treatment and assessment techniques:
• - dysphagia assessment and treatment
• - dysarthria assessment and treatment
• - aphasia assessment and treatment
• - dysphonia assessment and treatment
• - oral/verbal apraxia assessment and treatment

Desirable

• Experience of working within an acute NHS hospital

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Sound theoretical knowledge of acquired communication and swallowing disorders
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Teaching, presenting and mentoring skills
• Ability to work in a busy and sometimes noisy environment, with frequent interruptions
• Teaching, presentation and mentoring skills
• Able to analyse complex and highly sensitive information regarding a patients diagnosis. To be able to communicate this information to patients, relatives and colleagues.
• Effective communication skills with people who have significant and complex communication difficulties i.e. to convey and receive accurate information with patients with aphasia and/or severe psychological distress.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and team-working skills.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Ability to absorb, interpret and summarise verbal information in a pressurised clinical environment.
• Ability to be systematic and organised.
• Ability to drive with access to a vehicle

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree in Speech and Language Therapy or equivalent
• Membership of RCSLT
• Registration with HCPC
• Relevant post-graduate courses/conferences
• Computer literate

Desirable

• An understanding of which patients will benefit from objective assessment e.g. FEES and Videofluoroscopy, and/or some training in this area
• Evidence of membership of relevant CEN's

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Charles Hastings Way

Worcester

Worcestershire

WR5 1DD

Employer's website

https://www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)