Highly Specialised Speech and Language Therapist

Experience and skills in the assessment and management of swallowing disorders and a range of communication impairments following a Stroke are essential.
The community stroke unit provides Allied Health Professional (AHP) led specialist rehabilitation to people with difficulties following stroke. Therapy takes place on the community stroke unit (in-patients) and is supported by a team of experienced multi-disciplinary AHP’s, nursing staff and rehabilitation assistants. The team works closely with the Acute Stroke Unit based in Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS foundation Trust and the Stroke Early Supported Discharge Team (ESDT), the Community Neurology Service (CNS) as well as AHP’s based in the ICTs (Integrated Community Teams) and community hospitals.
The Speech and Language therapists contribute to the MDT rehabilitation of relevant patients and assist in the day to day running of the team, including training, referral management and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of self and others.
We are looking for an enthusiastic clinician to work in this collaborative multi-disciplinary team who shares a philosophy of empowering patients to be more independent and active in their recovery.
To act as Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) within the Specialist Stroke rehabilitation unit supporting service provision and embedding best practice in a community hospital setting
To independently manage a highly specialist and complex caseload of adults with acute, complex acquired disorders of swallowing, voice and communication following Stroke
To work closely with the Therapy Lead for Stroke and head of profession for SLT in the ongoing development of the SLT service in the inpatient Stroke rehabilitation setting
To be involved in and leading complex discharge planning for patients with language or swallow impairment
To be an integral member of the ward team providing professional support and advice and acting as a resource to others and to link with acute SLT colleagues
To ensure that evidence-based practice is inherent in all aspects of care and treatment
To undertake specific evaluation and quality initiatives in line with local and national drivers and contribute to the strategic development of the Stroke Service
The post holder has supervisory and teaching responsibility for multidisciplinary staff, more junior staff, apprentices, students and rehabilitation assistants
Day to day operational and supervisory responsibility for Rehabilitation Assistants and Band 6 SLT
To support self and service development through active participation in Continuing Professional Development and by undertaking audit or research within the service
We have a skilled and dedicated workforce of over 5000 colleagues working in a diverse range of services over 55 sites and within people’s homes. We strive to enable a welcoming workplace culture that builds and celebrates civility, inclusivity and diversity, while providing a sense of belonging and trust.
Annual staff surveys, regular Pulse surveys and other engagement opportunities provide our people with lots of opportunity to tell us about their experiences of working with us. In the latest staff survey, 61% of colleagues gave us their views. It was great to hear that:
72% of colleagues would recommend the Trust as a place to work, ranking us 1st for Provider Trusts in the South West region on this question.
76% would recommend the standard of care provided in our services if a friend or relative needed treatment, also ranking us 1st in the South West region.
81% said that care of patients and service users is the Trust’s priority, compared with an average in comparable NHS Trusts in England of 64%.
This high-level overview shows we are in a healthy position, with higher scores than average for comparable organisations, alongside a great response rate, indicating good staff engagement. However, we also know we have plenty of room for improvement in many areas. To that end, we continue to prioritise and invest in our commitment to genuinely becoming a Great Place to Work with consistent top-quartile performance in the annual staff survey and Pulse surveys.
Clinical
- To provide highly specialist differential diagnosis, clinical advice, as well as safe and effective care plans/therapy to clients with communication / swallowing difficulties; this includes analysis of facts and a comparison of a range of options for appropriate intervention, implementing specialist programmes where appropriate.
- To be responsible and accountable for the management of own highly specialist clinical caseload of patients with complex communication and/or swallowing difficulties.
- To manage clinical risk and to decide priorities for own work area, balancing other patient related and professional demands.
- To assess patients’ capacity, gain valid informed consent to treatment and where such capacity is lacking/absent to work within a legal framework in the management of the patient.
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