Specialist Speech & Language Therapist – Adult Community Neuro

Integrated Care System; Woolwich; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

An opportunity has arisen for a Specialist Speech & Language Therapist to join a multidisciplinary team and provide vital services to adults with communication and swallowing difficulties. You will be involved in delivering therapy in the community, supervising junior staff, and engaging in ongoing professional development.

Qualifications

• Professional qualification in Speech and Language Therapy.
• Registered with the HCPC and RCSLT.
• Evidence of ongoing professional education and LSVT qualification.

Responsibilities

• Provide speech and language therapy services to adults with impairments.
• Work autonomously in community settings.
• Supervise therapy assistants and students.

Skills

Excellent communication

Interpersonal skills

Self-motivation

Knowledge of AAC systems

Basic IT skills

Education

Professional Speech and Language Therapy Qualification

HCPC Registration

Qualification in Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT)

Job description

Specialist Speech & Language Therapist – Adult Community Neuro

This post will enable the successful post-holder to develop their skills across 3 caseloads:

• Community SLT (non-neuro)

We offer extensive support both from the SLT team and the wider multidisciplinary team. There is a well-developed supervision structure in place.Our service actively encourages ongoing professional development and you will be given the opportunity to attend a wide variety of internal and external training. You will have the opportunity to be involved in appraisal, development and supervision of junior staff and students.

You will have the opportunity to refer, attend and develop competency in video fluoroscopy and FEES.You will also have the opportunity to facilitate communication groups and carry out innovative rehabilitation programmes including ICAP, EMST and sEMG.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide a speech and language therapy service to adults with communication and swallowing difficulties. Experience working independently in assessing and treating people with dysphagia is essential for this role. We have access to videofluoroscopy and FEES at our local acute hospital, and independently carry out videofluoroscopy. Experience working in the community would be a distinct advantage.

You will be working as part of a multi-disciplinary team which includes Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Neuropsychologists, Specialist Nursing and Rehabilitation Assistants to manage those with neurological and non-neurological conditions including Stroke, Parkinson's Disease, Motor Neurone Disease, Dementia and COPD.

The team provides a service to the person in the place most suited to their current need (their place of residence, day centre, place of work, clinic). We also offer groups which are held in a clinic setting.You will need to be able to travel around the Borough of Greenwich independently.

About us

Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children's centres, schools and people's homes.

We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.

Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:

• We're Kind
• We Listen
• We Care

Job responsibilities

• To provide specialist speech and language therapy input to clients with communication and swallowing impairments due to acquired neurological disorders, as part of the Greenwich Neurorehabilitation Team. This may be Early Supported Discharge, general neurology, or general community SLT input.
• To work as a lone and autonomous practitioner in the community.
• To manage a specialist caseload, including those with complex needs. Duties will include assessment, diagnosis, and therapy, planning therapy programmes and discharging patients.
• To work with specialist nurses and other health and social care practitioners to manage those with long term neurological conditions.
• To supervise therapy assistant practitioners and Speech & Language Therapy students, and if required, band 5 Speech & Language Therapists

Person Specification

Education & Qualifications

• Professional Speech and Language Therapy Qualification
• Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registration
• Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
• Evidence of commitment to post graduate continuing education
• Qualification in Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT)

Experience

• Experience in a Neuro setting which demonstrates the competencies to meet the role requirements outlined in the JD
• Experience working in a multidisciplinary setting
• Experience of participating in videofluoroscopy clinics
• Experience in a community setting
• Experience of supervising SLTs, assistants or students
• Experience organising and delivering therapy in group settings
• Experience providing training on speech and language therapy related topics

Skills/Abilities/Knowledge

• Completion of Level B Dysphagia Competencies
• Knowledge of a range of appropriate assessment tools and therapeutic interventions relevant to the client group (communication and swallow)
• Knowledge of evidence base for effective treatment for adults with communication and/or swallowing disorders
• Knowledge of supported communication and AAC systems
• Awareness of impact of communication/swallow impairments on service users/carers
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Basic IT skills including email, MS word, excel and PowerPoint
• Evidence of engagement in self-reflection and continuous personal development

Effort and Environment

• Ability to work with service users with complex social, mental and physical health issues in a variety of community locations including service user's own homes
• Ability to prioritise own caseload with support
• Self-motivated
• Physically fit to meet requirements of post
• Experience of lone-working

Other

• Ability to travel between clinical venues in a timely manner
• Agree to participate in weekend work if required
• Car owner/driver

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.