Speech and language therapist

Job summary

Are you passionate about working in stroke? Do you want to build on your knowledge and skills within a specialist team? Would you like flexible working to support your work/life balance?

If you answered yes, we've got the perfect role for you

MCH are looking for a self-motivated and dynamic Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join our friendly stroke team.

This exciting opportunity working with adults with communication and swallowing problems following a stroke has arisen due to expanding our team. This post will be based at Sheppey Community Hospital and will also include community work in the Swale area.

The role covers diverse communities across Medway and Swale and gives you the chance to work with your patient from hospital discharge to home. The stroke pathway consists of inpatientStroke Rehabilitation Units (SRU) at Harmony House and Sheppey Community Hospital, as well as Early Supported Discharge Team (ESD) and Stroke Community Assessment Rehabilitation Team (SCART) for longer term rehab. You will have the opportunity to support your patients to achieve their goals for as long as clinically indicated.

Main duties of the job

To assess, diagnose, treat and manage own specialist caseload of patients and maintain associated records. To provide specialist intervention and evaluate outcomes. To work with colleagues in an interdisciplinary manner for the benefit of stroke patients and the service, towards national and key service objectives. To train and support the carers of patients and participate in appropriate specialist training of colleagues. To advise and provide clinical support to therapists/staff on Speech and Language Therapy issues. To supervise the work of assistants, technical instructors, students and other staff working with the post holder. To be able to work within own scope of practice and engage fully in the supervision and performance development review processes.

About us

So what else?

This is your chance to join a progressive and innovative service in a social enterprise that is patient and staff focused - you'll even have the opportunity to become an MCH shareholder.

We encourage staff to get involved in exploring new ways of working and service development.

We'll provide well established, in-service training, one to one supervision, and appraisals with regular support.

You'll be able to develop your skills in a friendly and supportive team.

Would you like to work flexibly?In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important work life balance is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.

The small print

Informal visits can be arranged on request.

We will offer you the choice of two pension schemes; the NHS Pension scheme and the scottish widows group pension scheme.

MCH encourages all staff to be double COVID vaccinated to protect themselves, their colleagues, their family and their patients.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Communication and relationship skills To work alongside other speech & language therapy colleagues providing support and professional exchange of ideas and experience. To attend appropriate meetings within stroke services & adult SLT team. To liaise with the lead stroke speech and language therapist and manager of stroke services To liaise with the area team lead clinician regarding day to day management of with in stroke services To liaise with the appropriate acute speech & language therapists at the acute sites regarding day to day management of the acute caseload To contribute to specialist clinical teams by discussing own and others input around clients needs ensuring a well co-ordinated care plan To communicate complex condition related information from assessment to clients, carers, families and members of the multidisciplinary team/other professions To communicate condition related information to clients who have communication problems themselves requiring tact or persuasive skills To work closely with clients, carers and families, agreeing decision making relevant to the client management To demonstrate empathy with clients, carers and families and colleagues, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understand exist To demonstrate skills in motivating clients and carers to engage in the therapeutic process To demonstrate negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations To deal with initial complaints sensitively and to process according to organisational policy To form productive relationships with others who may be under stress and/or have challenging communication difficulties To employ excellent verbal and written communication skills To represent the speech & language therapy within stroke services. To be aware of, adhere to and implement service and team plans and policies including integrated/multi-agency working To provide specialist advice to other parties as appropriate To explain the role of speech & language therapy in work settings

Internal

Patients, relatives and carers

Referrers

Medical and nursing colleagues

Discharge co-ordinator

AHP colleagues

SCART

Stroke services

Head and members of the adult speech and language therapy team

Speech and language therapy peers in Medway

External

Royal college of SLT and special interest groups

Colleagues in acute NHS trust and therapy teams

Colleagues in intermediate care teams and social care

AHP colleagues in referring/receiving hospitals

Equipment services: TCES, wheelchairs, prosthetics, orthotics.

Knowledge, training and experience Recognised speech & language therapy degree qualification or equivalent Registered members of royal college of speech & language therapist Health professions council licence to practice Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses including acquired adult neurology and stroke Experience of wide range of clinical settings and communication difficulties Relevant experience in acquired neurological difficulties including stroke Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy skills Negotiation and problem solving skills Demonstrates good analytical and reflection skills Well developed concentration skills Good organisational skills and prioritisation skills Experience of giving training and presentations Highly developed auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically Well established specialist knowledge of assessment tools and therapy management techniques underpinned by evidence based practice that are relevant to communication and swallowing problems in stroke Well established knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to adults and stroke (including vulnerable adults and mental capacity act) Understanding of the roles of other professionals Knowledge of standards of record keeping To have experience of working independently as well as part of a team To identify personal and professional development evidence by a personal development plan as part of the appraisal process To maintain professional standards by attending appropriate training including specialist short courses and development relating to the clinical specialism to maintain up to date HPC and RCSLT registration To demonstrate knowledge of and adherence to RCSLT professional clinical guidelines and standard as set out in communicating quality 3 and HPC To demonstrate a working knowledge of the principals of clinical governance/audit and their application to professional practice. To keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and maintenance of evidenced based practice in specialist clinical field Analytical and judgement skills To analyse complex information regarding client care and compare a range of options for intervention To refer on to other specialist services as appropriate To make appropriate clinical decisions following specialist assessment, including recognising potential breakdown To make a differential diagnosis on the basis of evidence form specialist assessment To demonstrate the ability to reflect on practice with peers/clinical supervisor To identify training needs within the team To demonstrate that ability to reflect on and evaluate training provided Planning and organisational skills To manage and priories own specialist caseload independently To manage and prioritise own workload To participate in the development and delivery of specialist training of other professional groups and carers Physical skills To demonstrate the ability to reflect on auditory, visual and kinaesthetic aspects of the clients communication and to identify appropriate strategies to facilitate and enhance communicative effectiveness To use highly developed auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically To demonstrate precise physical skills in carrying out oral facial tract examinations, cervical auscultation and the use of augmentative and alternative communication devices where appropriate To work in an interdisciplinary way to provide comprehensive assessment of patients with a wide variety of presentations and conditions; using clinical reasoning skills and assessment techniques to formulate individualised treatment plans and programmes. Responsibility for patient / client care To provide specialist differential diagnosis, clinical advice and care plans/therapy to clients with communication and/or swallowing problems in the specialist area of stroke implementing specialist programmes as a specialist member of the speech & language therapy and stroke services teams To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence based practice and outcome measurers To determine the clinical need for videofluoroscopy and/or FEES (fibre endoscopic evaluation of swallowing) assessment for clients and assist in the assessment and analysis to devise an appropriate management plan To be responsible for devising and delivering a specialist package of care (including the use of tracheal suctioning where appropriate) which is appropriate to the client group and the individual client circumstances based on best practice integrating psychosocial, physical, emotional, cultural, linguistic and environmental factors within an holistic patient centred approach To ensure that clients and carers are involved in the planning and implementation of their specialist care plans To advise and liaise with carers and other agencies regarding the management and care of the client with communication and/or feeding and swallowing difficulties To monitor blood pressure in clients on the stroke services caseload To refer on to other specialist services if required Responsibility for policy and service development implementation To participate in the development of local clinical guidelines informed by evidence of clinical specialism To use specialist knowledge to inform service/policy developments within own specialist area To contribute to interagency/multidisciplinary team building Responsibilities for financial and physical resources To monitor and request equipment within each location To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained including equipment loans to clients To ensure the safe use of any equipment by clients/carers Responsibilities for human resources (HR) To provide preceptorship for newly qualified speech & language therapists in adult team To liaise with and work alongside care staff, support staff, assistants and volunteers To direct and supervise the work of stroke rehabilitation assistants To provide specialist advice to other parties as appropriate To provide and supervise full placements for speech & language therapy students and prospective speech & language therapy students To participate in the organisational wide appraisal process To provide and supervise the adult speech & language therapy post graduate dysphagia training programme Responsibilities for information resources To undertake general administrative and client related administrative tasks in line with stroke services operational policies To maintain client records in accordance with RCSLT professional standards and local organisational operational policies and quality standards To provide accurate statistical information as required To produce reports reflecting specialist knowledge regarding clients needs and devise care plans To share specialist and complex information with others observing data protection guidelines

Please see the JD attached for further information

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

As per Person Specification

Experience

Essential

As per Person Specification

Special knowledge/expertise

Essential

As per Person Specification

Disposition, attitude

Essential

As per person specification

Practical skills

Essential

As per person specification

MCH Values

Essential

Caring and compassionate, delivering quality and value, working in partnership

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