Speech and Language Therapist Band 6

The Community Neuro post offers an exciting opportunity for a Speech and Language Therapist to develop and consolidate specialist skills and knowledge working with adults with neurological conditions in a community setting. We are looking for innovative and enthusiastic Speech and Language Therapists to join our friendly and supportive team working within the London Borough of Newham.

The post holder will be joining a well-established MDT, consisting of occupational therapists, physiotherapists, rehabilitation support workers, a psychologist, and other speech and language therapists. The Community Neuro Service provides assessment, treatment and management to adults with stroke and other neurological conditions, such as Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson's Disease and traumatic brain injury. The service provides early supported discharge for stroke, community stroke and neuro rehab pathways, and sees clients in their own homes and other appropriate community locations.

The post holder will work closely with the wider Adult Speech and Language Therapy team, and will have access to regular clinical supervision, and an established SLT and multidisciplinary CPD programme, as well as opportunities for additional internal and external training.

Part time applicants will be considered.

For further details / informal visits, please contact:

Victoria Bedford Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist Community Neuro Service

Main duties of the job

1. To provide a specialist SLT service to clients after stroke, demonstrating a high level of competence in the management of acquired disorders of communication and swallowing, and an in-depth knowledge of the physical, psychological and emotional consequences of stroke.

2. To work effectively across stroke and neuro pathways by supporting and working with the inpatient stroke and neuro multidisciplinary team.

3. To manage and prioritise a complex clinical caseload.

4. To provide advice and support to clients, carers and volunteers on communication and swallowing difficulties after stroke and other neurological conditions.

6. To provide advice, support and supervision to colleagues on SLT interventions for clients with stroke other neurological conditions and assist in the development of skills through continuing professional development activities.

7. Work collaboratively with local and regional non-statutory agencies to develop longer term support options for stroke survivors with communication difficulties after stroke, in line with Long Term Support Commissioning Guidelines (Commissioning Support for London).

8. To develop and evaluate training for carers and team members on SLT interventions as appropriate.

9. To contribute to sharing best practice and research updates with Speech and Language Therapy and CNS MDT, by establishing links with other SLTs working in the field of stroke.

About us

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Job responsibilities

To assess, develop and implement specialist SLT treatment, evaluate outcomes and make specialist clinical decisions following assessment of cases and write reports reflecting specialist knowledge.

To provide appropriate specialist intervention and evaluate outcomes.

To provide advice to others regarding the management and care of patients/clients with communication and/or feeding and swallowing difficulties.

To ensure that patients are involved in the planning and prioritisation of their care plans wherever possible

To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence based practice and outcome measures. This requires maintaining knowledge of current research and agreed best practice in working in the field of specialism.

To adapt practice to meet individual patients circumstances, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences

To demonstrate skills in dealing with complex issues to generate appropriate strategies for caseload management.

To develop ideas of innovative practice in working in the promotion and development of adult clients communication and swallowing needs in specialist area.

To adhere to inter-agency child protection and vulnerable adults policies.

To provide a service which takes account of the needs of clients froma range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

To independently manage and prioritise own complex caseload.

To contribute to monitoring and evaluating own specialist service, liaising with key professionals as required.

To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries, seeking advice as appropriate.

To work within defined departmental and national protocols/policies and professional code of conduct.

To work independently, accessing appraisal within an Individual Performance Framework at pre-determined intervals.

To reflect on clients communication and swallowing needs, to identify appropriate strategies to facilitate and enhance communicative/swallowing effectiveness.

Person Specification Education

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree qualification or equivalent.
• Health Professions Council - License to Practice.
• Registered Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
• Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses.
• Membership of relevant Special Interest Groups / Clinical Excellence Networks.

Experience

• Experience of working within the NHS.
• Post-registration experience of working with adults with acquired communication and swallowing difficulties.
• Experience of independently managing clients with dysphagia.
• Experience of teaching / education (planning, delivering and evaluating training to others).
• Experience of working successfully within a multidisciplinary team.
• Experience of working in a community setting.
• Experience of use and interpretation of videofluoroscopy swallow assessment.
• Experience of assessment for and use of alternative and augmentative communication systems.
• Experience of supervising less experienced staff and SLT students.

Knowledge and Skills

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including observation, listening and empathy skills.
• Negotiation and problem solving skills.
• Demonstrates good analytical and reflection skills.
• Good presentation skills, both written and verbal, including the ability to write clear and concise reports.
• Good organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Demonstrates ability to be a good team member.
• Awareness of the roles of other professionals relevant to the client group.
• Ability to work independently as appropriate.
• Well established knowledge of assessment tools relevant to the client group.
• Well established knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions for acquired communication and swallowing difficulties.
• Understanding of the principles of clinical governance.
• Awareness of the standards of record keeping.
• Awareness and sensitivity to the needs of clients from a range of ethnic and linguistic backgrounds.
• Working knowledge of relevant information technology.

Other

• Willing and able to travel within Newham by public transport / bike / own car in the course of daily work.

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.

Interim Clinical Lead Community Neuro Service