Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Integrated Care System; Southall; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Southall is looking for a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to enhance mental health outcomes in inpatient units. The role involves comprehensive assessments and the opportunity for further qualifications. Candidates must have a relevant degree and HCPC registration, with strong clinical and communication skills. The salary ranges from £44,485 to £52,521 per annum, including a 15% HCAS.

Qualifications

• Broad range of experience with communication and swallowing difficulties.
• Supervision & training of assistants or students.
• Managing caseload with daily interaction with relevant parties.

Responsibilities

• Daily assessment on patients' wellbeing and participation.
• Plan and run clinical groups for the ward.
• Ensure compliance with legal requirements using electronic records.

Skills

Communication skills

Clinical knowledge of mental health

Teaching and training ability

Problem-solving skills

Time management

Education

B.Sc. (hons.) or MSc in Speech and Language Therapy

Current registration with HCPC

Member of the RCSLT

Tools

Electronic patient record system (RIO)

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Few SLT jobs offer such a wide variety caseload that includes speech, language, communication and dysphagia, plus the ability to complete further qualifications in dysphagia and other areas. You will be supported with in-service training opportunities both within speech and language therapy and cross-discipline learning and preceptorship and will have the opportunity to supervise speech and language therapy students, junior staff and apprentices.

A Speech & Language Therapist is needed to improve physical health outcomes across our inpatient mental health units, ensuring a holistic approach when helping our patients recover.

The units consist of separate high secure wards for older adults, men and women with differing levels of acuity.

As this clinical area may be new to you, we would like to reassure you that full support, training, supervision and joint working is offered by your peers & supervisor, giving you the opportunity to treat patients independently in a clinical setting.

Main duties of the job

You will be responsible for a specific area, getting a daily sitrep on patients' wellbeing and ability to participate that day.

You will liaise with team colleagues and peers on the ward to assess your daily caseload and plan your day.

You will undertake the appropriate assessment, treatment or review of your caseload.

Using your knowledge of specific treatments available to you, you will analyse and make a treatment plan for each patient.

You will plan and run any clinical groups for the ward.

You will offer advice to colleagues on eating safety.

You will have regular contact with catering staff to ensure food is of the correct consistency, culturally suitable and varied.

You will keep your peers and supervisor informed of any risks or issues as they arise and if you require any help that day.

You will offer support to your peers as required.

You will ensure that your notes are written within legal requirements using our electronic patient record system, RIO.

About us

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.

Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.

The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.

The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.

Job responsibilities

The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached

The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

• B.Sc. (hons.) or MSc in Speech and Language Therapy
• Current registration with HCPC
• Have completed / willingness to complete the Preceptorship supervisory course within agreed timescale
• Clinical Supervisory Skills course (or willingness to undertake within agreed timescale).
• Member of the RCSLT
• Mental health training

Experience

• A broad range of experience working with communication and swallowing difficulties with adult and elderly populations.
• Supervision & training of assistants or students.
• Managing caseload of an area/ward including daily communication/interaction with all relevant parties with support from a senior member of staff
• Application of a variety of outcome measures.
• Working with adults with dysphagia equivalent to RCSLT Level A,B
• Previous Band 6 experience in the NHS
• Working with service users with mental health conditions or learning disabilities
• Experience or training in behaviour change models/approaches (e.g. coaching skills, Motivational Interviewing, Bridges Self-Management).
• Undertaken or participated in a service delivery project, quality improvement project or audit
• Using an electronic patient record system

Knowledge

• Sound therapeutic and clinical knowledge about common mental health conditions.
• Sound therapeutic and clinical knowledge about adults with dysphagia.
• Sound therapeutic and clinical knowledge about adults with communication difficulties.
• Knowledge and application of Augmentative and Alternative Communication principles
• Demonstrate the use of standardised and non-standardised assessments across swallowing and communication disorders.
• Accurate and concise written and verbal communication skills with compliance to regulatory patient record keeping.
• IT literacy and presentation skills (including Microsoft, word and PowerPoint)
• How to work in a multidisciplinary team in a supportive, respectful and constructive way using Trust Values.
• Experience or training in behaviour change models/approaches (e.g. coaching skills, Motivational Interviewing, Bridges Self-Management).

Skills

• Self-motivated and able to work under pressure
• Ability to effectively recognise and manage clinical and non-clinical complications and risks
• Able to provide teaching/ training to variety of audiences e.g. colleagues within and outside the service, patients and their carers.
• Ability to formulate clear problem lists, treatment plans and goals.
• Proven time management skills and ability to organise and prioritise own caseload whilst managing others/ other service needs.
• Highly developed skills to motivate and effect complex behaviour change in service users, who may be mentally unwell, distressed and anxious; cognitively impaired; ambivalent to treatment. This requires communicating complex or sensitive information using persuasion, motivation and reassurance to achieve co-operation.
• Evidence of good initiative and problem-solving skills.
• Able to travel independently across relevant sites.
• Understanding own personal learning needs and actively participating in Personal Development Programme
• Able to reflect and critically appraise own performance and accept and respond positively to feedback from supervision

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.

£44,485 to £52,521 a yearper annum inclusive of 15% HCAS