AAC Consultant - Speech & Language Therapist

NHS; Abingdon; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an AAC Consultant to join a passionate multidisciplinary team dedicated to enhancing communication for individuals with disabilities. In this role, you will conduct assessments, deliver training, and provide vital support to clients and their families. You will collaborate with various professionals to develop tailored AAC solutions, ensuring that every individual receives the best possible care and support. This position offers a unique opportunity to make a significant impact in the lives of those you serve while working in a compassionate and collaborative environment. If you are driven by a desire to help others and are looking for a fulfilling career, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Benefits

Compassionate work environment

Personal and professional development opportunities

Access to company pension scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Professional degree or equivalent and HCPC registration required.
• Experience with individuals with communication disabilities is essential.

Responsibilities

• Conduct AAC assessments and deliver training to clients and professionals.
• Provide impartial advice and contribute to service development.

Skills

Communication Skills

Empathy

Multidisciplinary Team Collaboration

Training Delivery

Assessment Planning

IT Proficiency

Education

Professional Degree or equivalent

HCPC or equivalent professional registration

Tools

MS Office

Data Management Systems

Job description

AAC Consultant - Speech & Language Therapist

Full-time position. Part-time considered, minimum three days per week.

Whilst there is no such thing as a typical day at Ace Centre, as an AAC Consultant you can be sure that you'll be doing work that you love, that challenges you, and that helps to make a massive difference to people's lives.

You will work collaboratively as part of a supportive and passionate multi-disciplinary team including Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Teachers, Engineers, and Assistant Practitioners. You will be supported by an experienced and dedicated team of clinical administration, technical and shared services colleagues, working in a person-centred environment with a wide variety of professionals in a multitude of settings.

Meeting different people with different needs in different settings, no two days are the same but every day we put people at the heart of all we do and seek to make a positive impact. If this sounds like your idea of a great place to work, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

These include:

• AAC Assessments: Planning, preparing, and contributing to assessments; liaising with local support teams; completing reports and documentation; organising follow-up actions and training.
• Training: Assisting in the research and development of training activities; supporting delivery of training programs across various platforms.
• Advice and Information: Providing impartial advice and up-to-date information on AAC to clients, families, and professionals.
• Projects and Service Development: Contributing to projects and service reviews as needed.
• Wider Representation and Awareness Raising: You will have opportunities to attend, exhibit and present at national and international conferences/events/exhibitions, helping to highlight Ace Centre's services and resources, supporting your own learning and knowledge, and building wider connections with other relevant services and providers.

You will work collaboratively with your colleagues to:

• assess clients' communication needs, adopting a person-centred approach.
• identify appropriate AAC solutions to support their communication.
• install and set up recommended equipment.
• deliver training to clients and those who support them regarding AAC.
• provide general advice and information to wide audiences.

About us

Ace Centre is a renowned national charity dedicated to providing comprehensive Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) services. We support individuals with physical and communication impairments, along with their families and caregivers, to enhance their quality of life.

Our locations: We operate from two regional offices, one in Oldham, Greater Manchester and one in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. Under a contract with NHS England, we deliver specialised AAC services across both of these regions.

Based in our Abingdon office, this position involves supporting clients in various settings across the Thames Valley & Wessex region. This role will involve travel across the region and occasional overnight stays.

What do we offer?

At Ace Centre, we believe that our staff are our most important asset. As part of our offer, we provide a wide array of benefits and support including:

• A compassionate and collaborative work environment.
• A commitment to your personal and professional development, with many and varied opportunities for continuing professional development (CPD).
• Access to company pension scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme.

Job responsibilities

As an AAC Consultant, you will contribute to the development and delivery of Ace Centre's specialised Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) services as a member of a multidisciplinary team.

Your key tasks will include:

AAC assessment of individuals:

• planning and preparing prior to the assessment.
• contributing to the assessment to reach appropriate recommendations.
• liaising with the team supporting the client at a local level (this may include families, carers, and other education, health and social care professionals).
• completing the required assessment report and other documentation in a timely manner.
• contributing to any follow-up action including organizing and setting up loan equipment/resources and training individuals, families, carers, and local education, health and social care professionals in the set up and use of the equipment/resources provided.

Training:

• assisting with the research and development of a variety of training activities planned by Ace Centre or requested of our organisation by others.
• supporting the delivery of Ace Centre's training programme across a range of platforms, in a range of settings, and to a variety of audiences.

Advice and Information:

• providing impartial advice and up to date information relating to AAC to clients, families and professionals.

Projects and Service Development:

• contributing to projects and service reviews as required.

Data Management:

• maintaining comprehensive and confidential client records using a range of software and data management systems.

You will be required to:

• Maintain and develop your knowledge of AAC resources and strategies in order to deliver Ace Centre services.
• Travel across the Thames Valley and Wessex area to deliver assessment and training activities.
• Have a full UK driving licence, access to your own vehicle, and business class car insurance.
• Perform some manual handling to safely transport equipment.
• Comply with all Ace Centre policies and procedures.
• Complete an enhanced DBS certificate.
• Work occasional flexible hours, including overnight stays.
• Attend appropriate CPD opportunities as identified in your induction, supervisions and Personal Development Planning (PDP) sessions.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Professional Degree or equivalent.
• HCPC or equivalent professional registration.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Ability to identify the needs of individuals with disabilities within a multidisciplinary assessment team context.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with the use of IT, including MS Office.
• Ability to develop and deliver training appropriate to a variety of audiences in a range of settings.

Personal attributes

• Empathetic to, and understanding of, Ace Centre's client group.
• Ability to work flexibly when required.
• Car driver with own use of own car and appropriate business class car insurance.

Experience

• Experience of working with individuals with physical and/or communication disabilities, their families and professionals who support them.
• Experience of delivering AAC assessment, training, advice and information services.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£30,559 to £39,513 a year NJC Pay Scale 6 to PO1 (depending on experience)