Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

We have an exciting opportunity for a motivated speech and language therapist to join our Community SLT (Speech and Language Therapy) service within the Ealing borough of London, as a Band 7. We are looking for an enthusiastic SLT with proven experience of working with adults with neurological conditions and within the community. You will join our dynamic & friendly team working with a Band 8a SLT, other B7 SLT's, B5 & B6 SLT's and SLT Assistant's to assess, manage and treat patients in the borough of Ealing who have either swallowing or communication difficulties.
This post offers you the opportunity to develop your leadership and supervision skills. You must have experience in assessment and management of swallowing and communication disorders in adults with acquired neurological conditions including Stroke, Head Injury and progressive neurological conditions; frailty & general medical conditions. This must include highly specialist skills in dysphagia management with relevant post graduate qualifications. The Speech and Language Therapy team are part of a larger MDT specialist neurological team including OT, PT, Rehab Assistants, Nursing and Specialist MS/PD Nurses. There are great opportunities for joint working, joint goal setting and regular in-service training.
This post is within the Ealing Community Adult SLT Team, based at Clayponds Hospital Ooutpatient service.
In Ealing, the Community Adult SLT offer a service encompassing, Clayponds Rehabilitation Hospital, Enable Long Term Conditions Team, Community Stroke Team, Nursing Home Service and Outpatient SLT.
The caseload covers patients with acquired neurological disorders including, progressive, degenerative, long-term conditions as well as, the frail elderly and dementia populations. There is close working with SLT colleagues across all our teams and with members of the wider MDT and partnership organisations, ensuring the seamless transfer of care for our patients and adherence to excellent care pathways.
The post-holder will be well supported to manage a varied, often complex, caseload and will be clinically supervised and supported by the 8a Community Adult SLT Team Leader.
Whether you are a B7 therapist wishing to consolidate or broaden your skills base or, a B6 therapist looking for their first B7 post you will be nurtured, facilitated and empowered to achieve your full potential in this role.
The Ealing Adult SLT Team form part of the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust portfolio of services and we work closely with our colleagues within West London NHS Trust.
**We can offer you**:
An opportunity to participate in innovative new work models
An excellent support and supervision structure, including a Trust, SLT Lead
Excellent professional development and ongoing training opportunities both internal and external.
An interesting, manageable, caseload and waiting list
Access to Talking Mats training
Access to a department budget for resources and equipment including a specific Communications Aids Budget
Fast, effective, IT and technology
Excellent MDT working opportunities
Good links to the Acute environment and access to VF
Work from a purpose built location with free staff parking
The opportunity to negotiate your work hours
Due to careful planning we aim to keep travelling times, when required, to a minimum.
If you meet the person specification criteria and have the appropriate clinical skills, together with commitment, energy and experience, then we would welcome hearing from you.
To demonstrate specialist knowledge within this clinical specialism, underpinned by current evidence based practice.
To manage a complex and specialist caseload independently demonstrating evidence of sound clinical judgment and outcome measures.
To reflect on practice with peers and identify strengths and needs.
To provide specialist second opinions and advice to more junior colleagues and other professionals in the field.
To write appropriate reports and case notes, reflecting specialist knowledge.
To communicate verbally and in writing with client/carer, assessment findings, diagnosis and therapy intervention plan reflecting specialist knowledge. This will include breaking bad news in a sensitive manner e.g. explaining to a stroke patient why they may not ever be able to eat or drink again.
To negotiate with clients/other professionals around case management and to recognise potential breakdown and conflict when it occurs and resolve.
To employ negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations.
To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible.
To employ excellent communication and advocacy skills to enable clients/carers to access statutory agencies and exercise statutory rights eg enabling patient and solicitor to understand each other.
To attend and contribute to relevant Speech and Language Therapy Team meetings and lead in small team projects.
To take a proactive role in team-building