Job summary
We have a number of exciting opportunities that have arisen within our friendly, innovativespeech and language therapy service, based in our community team in East Suffolk.
This opportunity is for a 12 month maternity cover commencing September 2023.
This is a varied role and responsibilities will include assessment, therapy and management for a mixed caseload of people with a range of acquired swallowing and communication difficulties. You will be a dysphagia competent clinician, with experience in working with adults with a range of communication disorders, who is willing to work flexibly with colleagues to meet service need.
Expressions of interest in particular skill sets, or working in other areas of the wider, integrated SLT team are also welcome.
Main duties of the job
Community SLT is part of a wider, integrated SLT service in East Suffolk which covers the full range of clinical specialisms, including aphasia, dysphagia, stroke, progressive neurological conditions, dementia, dysfluency, learning disability and ENT. In Ipswich Hospital, we provide inpatient services across all adult wards, including stroke. We also run videofluoroscopy and FEES clinics for both inpatients and community patients. Our outpatient therapists operate as a core member of the Head and Neck MDT. In the community, we work closely with our MDT colleagues, particularly in relationto the local level 2 neuro-rehab beds, the stroke ESD service, and services for people with MND and progressive neurological conditions. We are currently enhancing our MDT working with our Integrated Neighbourhood Team colleagues. The community team also provides LSVT intervention and maintenance packages, and group interventions, according to patient need. All teams are supported by our skilled SLT apprentices and assistants.
The service champions research and quality improvement. We are proud to be supporting our stroke specialist to complete her pre-doctorate study into jargon aphasia, and for other members of the service to lead service improvement projects such as the implementation of voice banking and EMST. The Trust is committed to developing leadership skills for staff at all levels.
About us
One of the largest Trusts in East Anglia, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) provide hospital and community health services to people living across a wide geographical area. We deliver care from two main hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, six community hospitals and in patients' own homes. You will be joining a team of almost 12,000 amazing colleagues providing care to approximately a million people.
Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (if applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services. We offer a range of flexible working opportunities.
Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which do not work or cause time delays for our staff and patients.
To support our employees to achieve their career aspirations you may be eligible to obtain a qualification via an apprenticeship. All successful applicants will be required to undertake a skills review to facilitate this. For full details please see the attached Apprenticeship Handbook.
If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge then we are keen to hear from you.
Find out about living and working with us - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A
Job description
Job responsibilities
We are seeking enthusiastic, adaptable dysphagia-competent clinicians who are passionate about delivering a quality, evidence-based service, who relishes working in a busy setting and are strong team players. We are looking for people with excellent team working skills with both SLT colleagues and the wider MDT, as well as an ability to work independently and flexibly. We actively encourage all our staff to participate in service improvement projects, with support as needed from the clinical lead therapists. We are open to accommodating different hours and work patterns. We would love to hear about your clinical interests and where feasible, we would do our best to incorporate this in your role with us.
For full details of theresponsibilitiesand dutiesof this role please see the attached job description.
Job description
Job responsibilities
We are seeking enthusiastic, adaptable dysphagia-competent clinicians who are passionate about delivering a quality, evidence-based service, who relishes working in a busy setting and are strong team players. We are looking for people with excellent team working skills with both SLT colleagues and the wider MDT, as well as an ability to work independently and flexibly. We actively encourage all our staff to participate in service improvement projects, with support as needed from the clinical lead therapists. We are open to accommodating different hours and work patterns. We would love to hear about your clinical interests and where feasible, we would do our best to incorporate this in your role with us.
For full details of theresponsibilitiesand dutiesof this role please see the attached job description.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- oExperience of working in various clinical settings
- oExperience of working as a member of a team (Speech & Language Therapy and MDT)
- oExperience of working with elderly/very unwell people
- oExperience of working with people with progressive/terminal illness
- oExperience of working with people in acute distress
- oExperience of independently managing own caseload, including patients with dysphagia as well as communication difficulties
- oLiaising with other agencies/other staff groups
Desirable
- oTeaching/training other staff
- oClinical supervision of students/junior staff
- oExperience of working with people with physical disability or mental illness
- oExperience of working in a rehabilitation setting
- oExperience of directing SLT/Therapy assistants
Qualifications
Essential
- oRCSLT recognised degree or equivalent
- oMembership of RCSLT
- oHCPC membership
- oAbility to travel to different places of work/driving licence
- oPortfolio of CPD evidence relevant to post, including specialist knowledge of the client group
Desirable
- oEvidence of attendance at specialist dysphagia courses
Knowledge
Essential
- oKnowledge of neurologically impaired patients, including those with communication and swallowing problems as a result of acquired / progressive conditions.
- oKnowledge of evidence based practice in relation to dysphagia assessment and therapy intervention
- oIndependent clinical (bedside) assessment of dysphagia
- oAssessment of communication impairments by various means, including informal assessment
- oDifferential diagnosis of patients with multiple aetiologies
- oUnderstanding of triage/clinical prioritisation
- oAssessment/knowledge of alternative/ augmentative communication systems
Desirable
- oKnowledge of use of instrumental assessments in dysphagia management.
- oInvolvement in audit/clinical governance within Speech and Language Therapy
- oUse of outcome measures and evidence based practice.
- oAwareness of change in NHS and current legislation
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- oExperience of working in various clinical settings
- oExperience of working as a member of a team (Speech & Language Therapy and MDT)
- oExperience of working with elderly/very unwell people
- oExperience of working with people with progressive/terminal illness
- oExperience of working with people in acute distress
- oExperience of independently managing own caseload, including patients with dysphagia as well as communication difficulties
- oLiaising with other agencies/other staff groups
Desirable
- oTeaching/training other staff
- oClinical supervision of students/junior staff
- oExperience of working with people with physical disability or mental illness
- oExperience of working in a rehabilitation setting
- oExperience of directing SLT/Therapy assistants
Qualifications
Essential
- oRCSLT recognised degree or equivalent
- oMembership of RCSLT
- oHCPC membership
- oAbility to travel to different places of work/driving licence
- oPortfolio of CPD evidence relevant to post, including specialist knowledge of the client group
Desirable
- oEvidence of attendance at specialist dysphagia courses
Knowledge
Essential
- oKnowledge of neurologically impaired patients, including those with communication and swallowing problems as a result of acquired / progressive conditions.
- oKnowledge of evidence based practice in relation to dysphagia assessment and therapy intervention
- oIndependent clinical (bedside) assessment of dysphagia
- oAssessment of communication impairments by various means, including informal assessment
- oDifferential diagnosis of patients with multiple aetiologies
- oUnderstanding of triage/clinical prioritisation
- oAssessment/knowledge of alternative/ augmentative communication systems
Desirable
- oKnowledge of use of instrumental assessments in dysphagia management.
- oInvolvement in audit/clinical governance within Speech and Language Therapy
- oUse of outcome measures and evidence based practice.
- oAwareness of change in NHS and current legislation
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).
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
