SLT Support Worker

North Bristol NHS Trust; Bristol; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 22,000; Full time

Job summary

An NHS healthcare provider is seeking a Speech and Language Therapy Support Worker to assist registered therapists in providing care to patients with communication and swallowing difficulties. This role supports therapy activities, preparation of materials, and administrative tasks while fostering effective communication with patients and multidisciplinary teams. A keen interest in speech and language therapy is essential, and previous experience is not required. The position is ideal for individuals passionate about supporting patient rehabilitation and care.

Qualifications

• Keen interest in Speech and Language Therapy.
• Awareness of the role of Speech and Language Therapy for adult outpatients.

Responsibilities

• Prepare therapy materials and assist SLTs.
• Carry out therapy activities with patients and families.
• Assist with administrative tasks and maintain equipment.

Job description

About the role

Would you like to join the Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Team at Southmead and Cossham Hospitals to play a vital role in supporting our work with people who have communication or swallowing difficulties? A Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Support Worker supports registered SLTs to meet patient needs.

The SLT Support Worker provides assistance and therapy to patients as delegated by the registered practitioner and directed by the appropriate team leader. The SLT Support Worker will be expected to undertake a range of duties under direction and will be required to report back on those delegated duties to an SLT. The SLT Support Worker will be competent to provide compassionate assistance and therapy to agreed quality standards. The SLT Support Worker will be supported and expected to acquire and develop skills appropriate to this post.

This post would include the following:

• Preparing therapy materials.
• Carrying out speech and language therapy related activities with the patients, family and staff (some face to face in outpatient setting, patients home or care home, and some over the telephone or video calls).
• Assisting with administrative tasks (e.g. scanning, photocopying, data entry, supporting therapy group bookings).
• Maintaining equipment and communication aids.
• Occasional need to accompany SLTs on patient home visits.
• Participating in patient assessment (under the direction of and after appropriate delegation from the SLT), to deliver high standards of care.
• Following individual treatment plans and reporting any changes immediately to the SLT.
• Working effectively as part of a team.
• Helping individuals maintain swallow and communication function and participating in rehabilitation programmes where appropriate.
• Maintaining effective communication with patients, relatives and members of the multi-disciplinary team regarding all aspects of care demonstrating a range of appropriate communication skills.

Candidate profile

Previous support worker experience is not necessary, but we are looking for someone with a keen interest in this area of work and an awareness of the role of Speech and Language Therapy for adult outpatients.

Working for our organisation

North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff providing healthcare to the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset from our award-winning hospital building at Southmead. Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered. North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti‑discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all under‑represented groups.

If you apply for this vacancy and have not received a communication from North Bristol NHS Trust within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful. Please note that North Bristol NHS Trust does not reimburse travel expenses relating to interview attendance. If you feel you meet the requirements of the Disability Act / Two Ticks scheme and require further support/advice, please contact us on tel [phone]. North Bristol NHS Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

The successful applicant(s) will normally commence at the minimum of the scale unless they have previous NHS service at the same band. Progression through the scale is by annual increments. At North Bristol Trust (NBT), we know diverse and inclusive environments lead to happier and healthier teams and improved patient care and outcomes. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are currently underrepresented in NBT's workforce at Band 8a and above. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people and LGBTQIA+ people. Please note that stringent pre‑employment checks are undertaken on all successful applicants prior to commencement in post.