Senior Clinician Speech and Language Therapist (Inpatient)

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust; West Wick; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is seeking a Senior Clinician Speech and Language Therapist (Inpatient) to specialise in dysphagia and communication within the acute setting at Royal Blackburn Hospital. The post offers structured and competency-based support, with a potential B5/6 transition.

The role involves delivering SLT services to adults with neurological disorders, leading care pathway design, and improving services in collaboration with the community team.

Qualifications

• HCPC registration with current licence.
• RCSLT membership and active clinical status.
• Completion of a recognised training course awarding relevant degree/diploma approved by the RCSLT and HCPC.
• Evidence of attendance on short courses post qualification.

Responsibilities

• Deliver specialist Speech and Language Therapy to adults with acquired neurological disorders of communication and swallowing in hospital settings.
• Promote understanding of clinical disorders and speech and language therapy services.
• Undertake Videofluoroscopy to level of competence.
• Support the Clinical Team Lead in design and delivery of the inpatient clinical care pathway.
• Lead and engage in continual improvement projects to meet clinical demand and collaborate with community teams.

Skills

Clinical skills

Dysphagia management

Videofluoroscopy competence

Interprofessional collaboration

Audit and quality improvement

Communication skills

Education and training

Microsoft Office 365

Education

HCPC registration

RCSLT membership

Recognised degree/ diploma (RCSLT approved)

Short courses post qualification

Tools

Videofluoroscopy equipment

FEES pathways

Job description

Senior Clinician Speech and Language Therapist (Inpatient)

We are looking for someone who is ready to specialise in dysphagia and communication in the acute setting. Our expanding inpatient service covers acute and medical wards at Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Our inpatient team has a strong everyday improvement focus and recognises the value of speech & language therapy services in supporting right care, right place initiatives, and enabling a seamless pathway and collaboration between hospital and community.

We have established videofluoroscopy and FEES pathways and the successful applicant will have the opportunity to observe these clinics and have access to both objective and instrumental assessments for patients on their caseload.

We welcome applications from current band 5 SLTs with a minimum of 6 months experience, with relevant skills, looking to grow their experience with structured and competency-based support. A B5/6 transition post will be considered.

Main duties of the job

To work as part of the staff team delivering specialist Speech and Language Therapy Services to:

• Adults with acquired neurological disorders of communication and swallowing in hospital settings.
• To promote an understanding of clinical disorders and speech and language therapy services.
• To undertake Videofluoroscopy to level of competence.
• To support the Clinical Team Lead in the design and delivery of the inpatient clinical care pathway.
• Actively lead and engage in continual improvement projects within the service with a strong focus on working differently to meet the clinical demand, peripheral hospital site management and preventable and avoidable admissions in collaboration with our community team.

This service operates over six days (Mon-Sat).

About us

Established in 2003 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) is a large integrated health care organisation providing high quality acute secondary healthcare for the people of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen.

Our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 700,000 patients a year from the most serious of emergencies to planned operations and procedures. We employ over 8,000 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work and achievements.

The SLT service has an experienced team of clinical leads - Critical Care, Dysphagia, Voice, Head & Neck, Stroke, FEES, Videofluoroscopy, Neurorehabilitation and Community (including progressive disease).

Actively involved in a range of service and workforce initiatives across the Lancashire and South Cumbria IC S and research including collaborations with ELHT & AHP Professor in Neurorehabilitation and Stroke.

The service is well equipped and is supported by a team of administrators and Therapy Assistant Practitioners. Regular team meetings, an annual SLT Showcase of best practice, SLT, Stroke and Neuro Improvement Showcase and continual improvement is embedded in our daily work and service improvement initiatives.

We are committed to continuing professional development and this is underpinned by supervision, regular line management and an annual appraisal system.

Qualifications

• Completion of a recognised training course awarding relevant degree/diploma approved by the RCSLT and HCPC
• Registered with the HCPC
• Member of the RCSLT
• Evidence of attendance on short courses post qualification

Experience

• Individual and group treatment skills
• Minimum of 6 months clinical experience working as a Band 5 Speech and Language Therapist
• Experience of delivering training to colleagues in health and/ or other relevant agencies
• Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Experience of undergraduate student and/or support staff supervision
• Contribution to clinical education of junior staff/students/ assistants
• Experience of contributing to quality improvement projects for safe, personal and effective care
• Involvement in audit, research and evidence-based practice

Knowledge and Skills

• Knowledge of a range of communication and swallowing difficulties and their management relevant to the post.
• Knowledge of a range of Alternative and Augumentative systems of communication.
• Knowledge of assessment tools relevant to the client group.
• Knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to the client group.
• Knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic
• Awareness of principles of clinical governance/audit.
• Awareness of the roles of other professionals relevant to the client group.
• Awareness of standards of record keeping
• Awareness of confidentiality as relating to the NHS
• Awareness of how to critically appraisal research articles.
• Excellent interpersonal skills - including, listening and empathy skills.
• Negotiation and problem solving skills.
• Good analytical and reflection skills.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office 365

Other

• Access to private vehicle to be able to travel across ELHT sites, including to patient's usual place of residence, where required
• Ability to travel between sites in a timely manner as required in accordance with the agreed job plan

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.