Specialist Speech and Language Therapist CCU/Ashby Ward

Job summary

Job overview

Due to the existing post-holder relocating out of area, we have an exciting opportunity for a permanent Band 6 Specialist Speech & Language Therapist position on Ashby neurorehabilitation ward at Lincoln County Hospital and the Lincolnshire Critical Care Units. This is a unique role that will involve working with patients from the earliest stages of admission, through their inpatient rehabilitation. It will also involve liaising with the community therapists who continue to see the patients post discharge from hospital, ensuring continuation of care for the patient across the pathway.

The post is 37.5 hours per week, which includes weekend working (working up to 1 weekend per month) and bank holiday working on a rota basis. Weekend and bank holiday pay will be paid at an enhanced rate.

This post is split between Ashby and Critical Care, and mirrors the position held by Rebecca Ramsden, Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, who has written about her experience in this job in the summary of role attached to this advert. You can also watch her discussing her work on Ashby in this Youtube video YouTube

Rebecca - SALT - YouTube

Main duties of the job

Main duties

The post requires specialist skills in the management of patients with acquired communication disorders and/or dysphagia. Although competence in dysphagia is preferred, we would consider candidates currently working at a band 5 level who want to progress to a band 5/6 development post, depending on their experience, and would support them to achieve dysphagia competence when in post. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to participate in FEES once established on Critical Care.

A significant part of the role on Ashby involves key-working patients along with senior SLT colleagues, co-ordinating and leading goal setting meetings, and being the primary point of contact for family queries/concerns. You will be responsible for the communciation and/or dysphagia assessment of patients on the ward, and will develop therapy programmes to be implemented by SLTA and therapy assistant staff. You will work closely with the Clinical Lead SLT to develop skills and competence (if required) in specialist assessment and management of patients following severe and complex acquired brain injury.

As a critical care therapist, you will be involved in communication and swallowing input for patients who are intubated, post extubation and tracheostomised patients. You will be working alongside senior therapists and the team lead to develop your skills with weaning (if required) which is a key element of this role.

About us

Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust is in the top 25 per cent of all community trusts for overall staff engagement in the 2021 NHS National Staff Survey.

At LCHS, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in LCHS' workforce.

LCHS recognises the increasing demand for more flexibility in working practices in order to accommodate the personal goals and commitments that employees experience at different stages during their working lives. Flexible working opportunities such as part-time working, compressed hours, job shares, and hybrid working models can help staff to balance their personal and work commitments. Arrangements can be put in place if it can be shown that the needs of the individual can be balanced with those of the service and the impact on other team members, enabling the Trust to recruit and retain skilled staff, raise staff morale, reduce absenteeism and respond to changing service needs more effectively.

We are an ambassador of a learning culture that will support the right individual to progress in their chosen career through an 'earn while you learn' apprenticeship programme. Visit our Learning and Development page to find out more https://www.lincolnshirecommunityhealthservices.nhs.uk/join-us/learning-and-dev