Job summary
The States of Guernsey are looking for a Advanced Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (Adult: Acute and Community) to join their team at Speech and Language based at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.
The post holder will be expected to manage a clinical caseload and provide a highly specialist service to adults with speech, language, communication and/or swallowing difficulties in acute, rehabilitation, continuing care, and community settings across the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
Main duties of the job
- To provide highly specialist speech and language therapy assessment and intervention as an autonomous practitioner using sound clinical reasoning skills and evidence-based practice to develop effective individualised care plans.
- To autonomously hold responsibility of your own caseload in line with referral criteria and prioritisation.
- To triage, monitor, oversee and allocate incoming referrals using professional judgement and extensive highly specialist clinical knowledge and experience thereby supporting prioritisation and effective caseload management.
- To use highly specialist clinical reasoning and negotiation skills to develop care plans which address the clients goals, clinical need and to communicate these goals effectively.
- To provide highly specialist dysphagia advice and support, second opinions and cover for the Lead Speech and Language Therapist.
- To be able to jointly conduct instrumental examinations of swallowing, analyse and report findings to the referrer regarding implications for management and to design specialised therapeutic programmes of care, seeking support from colleague where needed.
- To work alongside specialist nurses and other health and social care practitioners in the management of patients with complex needs, neurological, surgical, and medical.
- To write comprehensive discharge and progress reports to medical referrers summarising assessment, proposed care or management plans with agreed timescales.
About us
The Island of Guernsey is in the English Channel in the Bay of St Malo, 50km off the north-west coast of France and 120km from the English coast.
Guernsey has a population of around 63,000 and in Alderney just under 2,000. Working in a relatively small Health and Social Care Service like ours means you can effectively work with colleagues across the services, health and social care professionals can collaborate not only with each other but also other agencies, the third sector and the community.
We offer an attractive relocation policy and competitive salaries with great career opportunities, modern facilities, excellent training, revalidation and registration support and a healthy work-life balance.
As a health or social care professional who chooses to join our team, you can look forward to working in an environment that gives you the time to care that you hoped for when choosing this career
Job description
Job responsibilities
LEADERSHIP & MANAGERIAL
- To formally supervise the Band 6 Speech and Language Therapist, SLTA/Support Worker and coordinate SLT students as required.
- To carry out clinical risk assessment and complete risk management plans relevant to the clinical group.
- Complete and implement incident reports on practices where risks are identified to ensure the management of clinical risk within own caseload and highlight risks at organisational level.
- To provide advice to Band 6 speech and language therapist, SLT assistant/support worker and to more junior colleagues/others regarding the management and care of people with communication and swallowing difficulties.
- To contribute to the development of the service through the promotion, adaptation and development of policies, procedures and guidelines using evidence-based practice.
- To comment on proposed service/policy developments as appropriate.
- To contribute to development of protocols/clinical guidelines as appropriate.
- To propose service/policy developments as appropriate to the Lead Speech & Language Therapist.
COMMUNICATION
- To communicate relevant medical/social information, assessment details, advice and recommendations across agencies following local and professional guidelines for sharing information and consent.
- To frequently communicate sensitively with patients and their carers who may have high levels of anxiety, fear, or aggression due to the highly complex or sensitive nature of the information to be discussed. Provide support to other staff with such matters.
- To frequently be able to interact appropriately, with patients and relatives who may be experiencing depression, difficult family circumstances or poor prognosis. To facilitate therapeutic treatment through empathic and sensitive use of motivational skills. Provide support to more junior staff with such matters.
- To communicate complex and sometimes distressing information in an understandable form where there are barriers to communication, and to assist with assessment of capacity to inform decisions of consent and management of care in the persons best interest.
- Use advanced and innovative interpersonal skills of negotiations, persuasion and conflict resolution to patients that may be unwilling to participate in treatment. Barriers may include (but not limited to): dementia, mental illness, pain, delirium and brain injury.
- To demonstrate negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations.
- To deal with initial verbal complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation, attempting to resolve where possible and following HSCs Complaints Process.
- To modify communication appropriately to facilitate patient/client communication (e.g., use of total communication, augmentative and alternative communication etc.)
- To maintain close lines of communication with senior and supervising staff regarding patient, governance, professional or other issues relating to the role.
- To effectively utilise a wide range of complex verbal/non-verbal skills to negotiate and engage with people from all backgrounds.
- To work in a co-ordinated, collaborative, interdisciplinary manner, communicating effectively with other team members and the wider clinical network involved in client care.
TRAINING & EDUCATION
- To maintain registration with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT).
- To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice, through Continuous Professional Development (CPD) activities, and maintaining an accurate portfolio reflecting personal development.
- To recognise own professional and clinical boundaries and competencies and seek advice, support and training, when necessary, with an individual performance review framework.
- To provide formal and informal clinical education and teaching to staff (AHP, Nursing, Support Workers), GPs and the third sector.
- To provide advice and education to client, carers and relatives based on clinical evidence and identified need.
- To provide highly specialist advice, teaching and training to patients and/or members of the MDT within the scope of your own practice.
Job description
Job responsibilities
LEADERSHIP & MANAGERIAL
- To formally supervise the Band 6 Speech and Language Therapist, SLTA/Support Worker and coordinate SLT students as required.
- To carry out clinical risk assessment and complete risk management plans relevant to the clinical group.
- Complete and implement incident reports on practices where risks are identified to ensure the management of clinical risk within own caseload and highlight risks at organisational level.
- To provide advice to Band 6 speech and language therapist, SLT assistant/support worker and to more junior colleagues/others regarding the management and care of people with communication and swallowing difficulties.
- To contribute to the development of the service through the promotion, adaptation and development of policies, procedures and guidelines using evidence-based practice.
- To comment on proposed service/policy developments as appropriate.
- To contribute to development of protocols/clinical guidelines as appropriate.
- To propose service/policy developments as appropriate to the Lead Speech & Language Therapist.
COMMUNICATION
- To communicate relevant medical/social information, assessment details, advice and recommendations across agencies following local and professional guidelines for sharing information and consent.
- To frequently communicate sensitively with patients and their carers who may have high levels of anxiety, fear, or aggression due to the highly complex or sensitive nature of the information to be discussed. Provide support to other staff with such matters.
- To frequently be able to interact appropriately, with patients and relatives who may be experiencing depression, difficult family circumstances or poor prognosis. To facilitate therapeutic treatment through empathic and sensitive use of motivational skills. Provide support to more junior staff with such matters.
- To communicate complex and sometimes distressing information in an understandable form where there are barriers to communication, and to assist with assessment of capacity to inform decisions of consent and management of care in the persons best interest.
- Use advanced and innovative interpersonal skills of negotiations, persuasion and conflict resolution to patients that may be unwilling to participate in treatment. Barriers may include (but not limited to): dementia, mental illness, pain, delirium and brain injury.
- To demonstrate negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations.
- To deal with initial verbal complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation, attempting to resolve where possible and following HSCs Complaints Process.
- To modify communication appropriately to facilitate patient/client communication (e.g., use of total communication, augmentative and alternative communication etc.)
- To maintain close lines of communication with senior and supervising staff regarding patient, governance, professional or other issues relating to the role.
- To effectively utilise a wide range of complex verbal/non-verbal skills to negotiate and engage with people from all backgrounds.
- To work in a co-ordinated, collaborative, interdisciplinary manner, communicating effectively with other team members and the wider clinical network involved in client care.
TRAINING & EDUCATION
- To maintain registration with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT).
- To be responsible for maintaining own competency to practice, through Continuous Professional Development (CPD) activities, and maintaining an accurate portfolio reflecting personal development.
- To recognise own professional and clinical boundaries and competencies and seek advice, support and training, when necessary, with an individual performance review framework.
- To provide formal and informal clinical education and teaching to staff (AHP, Nursing, Support Workers), GPs and the third sector.
- To provide advice and education to client, carers and relatives based on clinical evidence and identified need.
- To provide highly specialist advice, teaching and training to patients and/or members of the MDT within the scope of your own practice.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in Speech and Language Therapy with a Certificate to Practise
- Certified membership with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
- Registration with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Level C RCSLT Dysphagia competencies.
- Level 3 RCSLT VFSS competencies.
- RCSLT Tracheostomy competencies
Desirable
- A minimum of five years post-registration experience in adult setting.
- Experience working with a voice caseload.
- Experience working with post chemo/radiotherapy caseload and surgical voice restoration.
- Level 1-2 FEES
- Member of relevant SIG
- Experience as a student practice educator
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of specialist range of assessment and treatment interventions with relevant post graduate courses in one or more area of adult acquired SLT e.g., counselling, MBSImp, FEES, LSVT, Voice Craft, AAC, dysarthria, dysphasia.
- Knowledge of alternative and augmentative communication systems e.g., hi and soft tech
- Able to demonstrate a range of information technology skills i.e., an ability to effectively use IT equipment and critical software including Apps for therapy.
Desirable
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in Speech and Language Therapy with a Certificate to Practise
- Certified membership with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
- Registration with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Level C RCSLT Dysphagia competencies.
- Level 3 RCSLT VFSS competencies.
- RCSLT Tracheostomy competencies
Desirable
- A minimum of five years post-registration experience in adult setting.
- Experience working with a voice caseload.
- Experience working with post chemo/radiotherapy caseload and surgical voice restoration.
- Level 1-2 FEES
- Member of relevant SIG
- Experience as a student practice educator
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of specialist range of assessment and treatment interventions with relevant post graduate courses in one or more area of adult acquired SLT e.g., counselling, MBSImp, FEES, LSVT, Voice Craft, AAC, dysarthria, dysphasia.
- Knowledge of alternative and augmentative communication systems e.g., hi and soft tech
- Able to demonstrate a range of information technology skills i.e., an ability to effectively use IT equipment and critical software including Apps for therapy.
Desirable
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).
