Speech and Language Therapist Specialist in Adult

To provide assessment, diagnosis and management of people with a range or communication and swallowing disorders. To support and supervise less experienced therapists and assistant practitioners treating people on these caseloads. To keep Lead Speech and Language Therapist advised of any changes or developments that may affect planning. To be responsible and accountable for the independent prioritisation and management of own clinical caseload.

To make a differential diagnosis of communication and swallowing difficulties on the basis of specialist formal and informal clinical assessments; to ensure that all interventions are based on accurate, appropriate and sufficient assessment. To support and facilitate all patients in expressing their own views and needs, to enable them to take an active part in the planning of treatment. To use clinical assessment of patients communication skills to support decision making about a patients capacity to consent to interventions and make decisions affecting future management. To develop clear individual care plans based on clinical guidelines and established best practice.

To use appropriate outcome measures, such as Care Aims, to evaluate personal clinical effectiveness. To provide programmes of therapy activities and demonstrations of those activities to those concerned (family, staff, visitors), to enable carry over and generalisation of new skills into the wider communicative environment. To consider the need to adapt clinical practice to meet the needs of patients and carers, including issues relating to disability, culture and educational attainment e.g. the format of written advice, wheelchair access and interpreters.

To ensure smooth and appropriate handover of care from one agency to another; to provide reports, reflecting specialist knowledge and interpretation of specialist assessments, to other health professionals, including GPs and Hospital consultants as requested; to make and/or recommend onward referrals to other professionals or agencies, as appropriate. To maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT professional standards and local guidelines and policies. To submit activity data using SystmOne, accurately, regularly and promptly, in accordance with agreed guidelines and policies. To share information with others, observing data protection guidelines.

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 and portable I.T. equipment. To take responsibility for ensuring that equipment and assessment tools and other essential supplies are requested in a timely manner. To participate in development of SLT Service risk management, quality standards setting and Clinical Governance/audit projects, advising clinical lead of any changes or developments that may affect service planning and policy.

To participate in undergraduate clinical and observational placements for all relevant disciplines. To supervise the work of less experienced SLTs, students and assistants and ensure that those to whom tasks are delegated, e.g. unqualified Speech and Language Therapy staff, have the appropriate level of competence. To have regard for your own personal safety and that of the people, carers and any staff or colleagues under your direction, in particular with regard to moving and handling of people or equipment in order to ensure the safe positioning of self and others.

To maintain a high standard of professional practice as set out by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) in the professional code of conduct, the Health Professions Council (HPC) and service standards, including maintaining continuing professional development (CPD). To work within Speech and Language Therapy Operational Policy and Clinical Guidelines.