Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

North West Borough Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Knowsley; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Part time

Job summary

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust invites applications for a Band 6 Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (0.8 WTE) to join the Adult Speech and Language Therapy Service. You will work with adults experiencing communication and/or swallowing difficulties arising from neurological, physical and mental health conditions.

Join a well-established team delivering high-quality, person-centred care across Knowsley and St Helens, with opportunities for professional development, supervision and

Qualifications

• Accredited Speech and Language Therapy qualification (BSc).
• Registration with HCPC is mandatory.
• Experience in adult dysphagia or communication disorders is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist SLT assessment, diagnosis and intervention for adults with communication and/or swallowing difficulties.
• Manage a complex caseload across community and inpatient settings.
• Deliver evidence-based dysphagia management plans and recommendations.

Skills

SLT qualification

HCPC registration

Driving licence

Education

BSc SLT (Hons)

Job description

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust celebrates diversity and promotes equal opportunities; we are committed to challenging and eliminating racism and other forms of discrimination and advancing and promoting equality of opportunity in the provision of services and creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.

We take positive action to support disadvantaged groups and also particularly encourage applications from ethnically diverse, disabled and LGBTQIA+ people that are under-represented in our workforce. Furthermore we welcome applications from reservists and ex-armed forces personnel as we recognise the benefits of the values, skills, training and experience that they bring to their work with us. We encourage all applicants to share their equality information with us.

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Job overview

Are you an enthusiastic Speech and Language Therapist looking to develop your specialist skills in adult communication and dysphagia within a supportive and experienced team?

We are seeking a motivated Band 6 Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (0.8 WTE) to join our Adult Speech and Language Therapy Service. This is an exciting opportunity for a therapist with dysphagia competencies to work with adults who have communication and/or swallowing difficulties arising from a range of physical and mental health conditions.

You will be part of a well-established team delivering high-quality, person-centred care across community settings across Knowsley and St Helens, including outpatient clinics, care homes, patients' own homes and adult mental health wards. The role offers a varied caseload, excellent opportunities for professional development and access to regular clinical supervision from experienced senior clinicians.

We are committed to supporting innovation, continuous learning and staff wellbeing, making this an ideal opportunity for a therapist looking to further develop their skills and contribute to service improvement.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide specialist Speech and Language Therapy assessment, diagnosis and intervention for adults presenting with communication and/or swallowing difficulties.

1. Managing an independent caseload of adults with communication and swallowing disorders.
2. Undertaking specialist dysphagia assessments and implementing evidence-based management plans.
3. Providing assessment and intervention within a range of community and inpatient settings.
4. Working collaboratively with patients, carers, multidisciplinary teams and partner agencies to deliver person-centred care.
5. Contributing to waiting list management and service prioritisation.
6. Providing advice, training and support to carers, support staff and healthcare professionals.
7. Supporting service development, clinical audit and quality improvement initiatives.
8. Supervising Speech and Language Therapy assistants and students as required.

Working for our organisation

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder will:

1. Provide specialist Speech and Language Therapy assessment, diagnosis, treatment and evaluation for adults with communication and swallowing difficulties associated with neurological, physical and mental health conditions, including Stroke, Parkinson's Disease, Motor Neurone Disease and Dementia.
2. Independently manage and prioritise a complex caseload, ensuring timely and effective intervention in accordance with clinical need and service priorities.
3. Assess and manage dysphagia, including the development and implementation of evidence-based eating and drinking recommendations to minimise clinical risk and promote patient safety.
4. Deliver care across a range of settings including outpatient clinics, care homes, patients' own homes and adult mental health wards.
5. Develop, implement and review person-centred treatment plans, ensuring interventions are outcome-focused and evidence-based.
6. Maintain accurate, comprehensive and contemporaneous clinical records in line with professional and organisational standards.
7. Provide specialist advice and support to patients, families, carers, multidisciplinary teams and partner organisations.
8. Contribute to the management and prioritisation of referrals and waiting lists to ensure equitable access to the service.
9. Support the assessment, provision and implementation of alternative and augmentative communication strategies where appropriate.
10. Deliver education, training and support to healthcare professionals, care staff and carers regarding communication and dysphagia management.
11. Supervise, support and delegate work to Speech and Language Therapy assistants as appropriate.
12. Participate in clinical supervision, appraisal and continuing professional development activities.
13. Contribute to service development, audit, quality improvement projects and implementation of best practice.
14. Actively promote collaborative team working and contribute positively to the ongoing development of the Adult Speech and Language Therapy Service.

This role offers an excellent opportunity to develop specialist clinical skills while contributing to the delivery of safe, effective and compassionate care for adults with communication and swallowing difficulties.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Accredited Speech and Language Therapy qualification (BSc)
• Registration with HCPC

Desirable criteria

• Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist (RCSLT)
• Post graduate training/qualification in Dysphagia

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience with provision of supervision and delegation to junior members of staff
• Experience of use of outcome measures for clinical evaluation
• Driving License
• Basic IT Skills (Microsoft Software: Excel, World, Power Point, MS Teams)

Desirable criteria

• Experience of providing clinical supervision (to students or SaLT staff)

Skills

Essential criteria

• A demonstrated understanding of Equality and Human Rights
• Ability to convey information and skills to direct care staff
• Good time management and organizational skills
• Flexible approach skills towards service change, demands and pressure

Desirable criteria

• Experience of providing clinical supervision (to students or SaLT staff)

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• A philosophy and approach that empowers people
• Knowledge of alternative and augmentative communication and dysphagia
• A person-centred approach to service delivery
• Understanding of current NHS changes

Values

Essential criteria

• Continuous improvement - committed to making improvements to our services for the benefit of all
• Accountability - taking ownership to anticipate, develop and deliver high quality care
• Respect - how we treat others in an inclusive and supportive way
• Enthusiasm - demonstrate our passion and pride for what we do and how we do it
• Support - actively supporting others with compassion and courage