Specialist SLT Head and Neck

Job description

Job responsibilities

See job description attached for full details.

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 HCPC 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 head and neck management and treatment.

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.

Physical skills

To demonstrate highly developed auditory and perceptual skills in the assessment diagnosis and treatment of patients/clients.

To demonstrate skills in handling clients with disabilities.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

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

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Substantial theoretical knowledge of acquired communication, and swallowing disorders.
• Excellent communication skills, for example be able to use skills of persuasion, motivation, negotiation and problem solving with patients, colleagues in the department, MDT, medical team and other professionals on a daily basis.
• Awareness of the appropriate use of counselling 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.
• Ability to overcome non-compliance of professional colleagues.
• Ability to overcome non-compliance of patients and relatives.

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Effective communication skills with people who have significant and complex communication difficulties i.e. to convey and receive accurate information with patients post Head and Neck cancer diagnosis/ treatment and/or severe psychological distress.
• Well-developed perceptual and auditory skills, e.g. when listening to disordered voice or resonance.
• 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.

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.

Desirable

• Previous head and neck experience.
• Previous altered airways experience e. tracheostomy/ laryngectomy.
• Previous experience of assessing and using instrumental assessment as part of caseload management for dysphagia.

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)