Speech & Language Therapist

Community Business Unit

Community Services 0.5 WTE - Band 6 Speech and Language Therapist within Community Stroke Team

24 hours per week

We are looking to recruit a passionate Speech & Language Therapist to join our Community Stroke Rehabilitation Team in Gateshead. You will mainly contribute to the delivery of a high-quality service within the specialist area of stroke by working into people’s homes as part of the Community Stroke Team to provide responsive specialist advice, treatment and support for patients with disorders of communication and swallowing following hospital discharge after Stroke.

You will be a registered Speech & Language Therapist, ideally with significant experience of stroke/ adult neurology. You must be passionate about Stroke rehabilitation with a keen interest in disorders of communication and swallowing following stroke. You will be qualified in identifying, assessing and managing dysphagia.. You will be required to demonstrate excellent communication and organisational skills.

To contribute towards the provisions of flexible and timely services, this role may include working across a seven-day week.

For further information please contact

Charlotte Hall, seconded team lead

0191 4452851

To assess and treat aphasia, acquired motor speech disorders, and other disorders of communication and swallowing. There are strong links with the Adult Speech and Language Therapy Departments in Gateshead, and opportunities for linked working e.g. in Videofluroscopy and Acute Stroke ward may be available. Participation in audit and research and innovation is actively encouraged.

There is a strong commitment to continuing professional development; we offer excellent professional development, appraisal, and clinical supervision.

You will be able to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team of nurse, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapist and technical instructors to provide high quality care to patients in the community and be supported by our friendly, experienced team of therapists, assistants and secretary based in our main office at Bensham Hospital.

You will need to travel in the community for appointments and therefore must be able to meet the travel requirements of the role.

Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.

Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.
- To provide an specialist speech and language service (assessment, differential diagnosis and implementation of specialist SLT treatment) to adults following stroke who present with a range of speech and language and swallowing disorders including those who have complex and/or severe difficulties.
- To input into the specialist service for community stroke patients as part of the stroke MDT.
- To supervise the work of SLT assistants/Technical Instructors /nursing and care staff and students.
- To participate in research in specialist area as required.
- To work in close collaboration with other professionals and as part of the stroke MDT to provide an integrated approach to each client’s specific difficulties.
- To provide excellence in clinical care and working to achieve the highest level of patient safety.
- To continuously develop the service and constantly strive to improve.
- To act as a source of specialist clinical information/advice for the Trust.
- To provide appropriate clinical supervision and in-service training for speech and language colleagues, assistants and students.
- To contribute towards service evaluation and demonstration of efficacy and efficiency.