Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

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Professional & Clinical 

Adhere to safeguarding policies/procedures.

Be responsible for evidence-based speech and language therapy input comprising assessment, diagnosis and intervention to a highly specialist adolescent mental health caseload.

Provide consultative input around service users’ speech, language and communication needs both within local multi -disciplinary teams and within multi agency professional meetings, providing recommendations to locality teams.

Engage and communicate clearly, respectfully, effectively and compassionately with young people, their families and carers under challenging and emotive circumstances.

Set appropriate treatment aims and objectives in negotiation with the service user, carers and the MDT, with respect to wider clinical priorities.

Guide the MDT in the adaptation of information to service users’ needs, facilitating engagement between service users, their carers and professionals and resolving barriers to communication where possible.

Devise Speech and Language Therapy programmes of care and equip others to implement them, monitoring and revising implementation as appropriate.

 Discharge service users when intervention is complete and/or refer service users on to relevant services when appropriate.

 Produce, disseminate and update verbal and written reports /recommendations regarding individual assessment, diagnosis and care in a timely manner with adherence to information governance. Reports to be produced in appropriate format for a variety of purposes, (including statutory reports). 

Integrate assessment findings into multidisciplinary formulation of the service user’s presenting needs.

 Adapt practice to meet service users’ cultural, linguistic, cognitive, physical and mental health needs.

 Support service users and carers to express their needs, priorities, concerns and opinions to other professionals and involve advocacy workers as appropriate.

 Work with interpreters as necessary.

 Work safely adhering to individual risk assessment and risk management plans.

 Be familiar with and adhere to relevant legislation, local and national policies/procedures and quality standards and governance.

Plan and deliver specialist speech, language and communication related training where appropriate.  

 Participate in training and evaluation of students. 

 Provide and receive peer support.

 Deal with complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible.

    Service Planning, Development and Delivery

Take a lead role in the development and delivery of clinical services and pathways. This will be directed by and in consultation with the Senior Leadership team. 

Manage own workload, balancing patient related demands with other professional responsibilities e.g. CPD, administration, meetings and to ensure priorities remain in accordance with the service as a whole.

 Recommend policy changes in own specialist area.

   Professional Development, Education, Training and Research

Identify and work towards personal development needs and departmental objectives, set in conjunction with the line manager, as part of the annual personal development.

Attend relevant training to develop and maintain the skills and knowledge required of a Highly Specialist Therapist.

Ensure that all clinical work is underpinned by evidence. 

Take responsibility for keeping abreast of professional developments and research relevant to clinical work.

Demonstrate highly specialist knowledge and disseminate information acquired from courses and literature and networking to colleagues within SLT and other professions. This may for example take the form of case study based or clinical topic presentation      s . 

Design and carry out small research studies and audit projects in own specialist area or to contribute to such projects according to the departmental clinical governance agenda e.g. around waiting times, case note recording, referrals.

Communication, Leadership and Management

 Provide clinical leadership within own specialist area.

 Form and maintain effectively functioning relationships with partnership organisations and agencies. 

 Lead by example, displaying the trust values.

 Coordinate and supervise the work of small groups of staff such as students, assistants, volunteers and junior colleagues in the delivery of care, where appropriate.

Facilitate the development of others’ problem-solving / negotiation skills within the context of peer support and review.

Provide second opinions to Speech and Language therapy colleagues on request within own area of expertise.

 Provide appraisal for a small number of junior staff.

Adhere to trust procedures and policies regarding line management.

Analytical and Judgmental Skills

Assess clinical conditions which may be complex or compounded in nature both directly with the service user and by the gathering of clinically relevant information from a range of professionals and carers.

Use highly specialist clinical reasoning skills to assimilate information, considering cognitive, emotional, environmental, cultural and social issues, to contribute to clinical formulation/differential diagnosis and decide intervention and case management.

Consider the sensory, environmental, social, behavioural aspects of client’s communication and identify appropriately responsive strategies to enhance communication.

Negotiate with service users, carers and professional colleagues around individual case management.

Tailor formal and informal training to the needs of participants and evaluate the content and delivery.

Recognise potential breakdown and conflict when it occurs and seek advice and support to resolve.

Reflect on practice with peers/clinical supervisor and identify own strengths / development needs.

Planning and Organisational Skills

Manage and prioritise a specialist caseload, seeking advice from senior colleagues on complex cases.

Coordinate case management activities with other involved professionals across Health, Education, Social Services or Voluntary Sector.

Be instrumental in setting up additional clinical initiatives, which enhance individual patient management in consultation with Team Leader.

Physical

Sit or stand in for substantial periods of time.

Adhere to local, trust and national requirements around personal safety and the safety of others.

Apply Moving and Handling training knowledge to risk assessment when transporting clinical equipment between sites.

Emotional

Impart potentially distressing and unexpected information of a diagnostic and prognostic nature to service users and carers, in a sensitive and supportive manner.

Respond in a sensitive, calm and transparent manner to the disclosure of potentially distressing information from others while acting in accordance with professional responsibilities (e.g. information sharing and/or safeguarding).

Use available support to care for own wellbeing while providing a caring service to people who have experienced abuse and/or pose a risk to themselves or others.

Mental

Maintain concentration for prolonged periods.

Maintain the cognitive processing of large quantities of information throughout the workday - filtering, prioritising, assimilating, evaluating, concluding and planning in relation to workload requirements.    

Be flexible and responsive to a dynamic work environment.

Working Conditions

Engage in sessions and meetings both remotely and in person across a range of sites.

Assess risk alongside colleagues ahead of offsite visits, share risk information with colleagues and adhere to existing risk management plans.

Adhere to infection control and health and safety procedures.

Financial and Physical Resources

Monitor the suitability of the working environment and report significant short fallings which impact safety and wellbeing.

Identify and request necessary and suitable clinical equipment.

Ensure that equipment is maintained in a secure and safe condition including meeting standards of infection control.

Information resources

Use Trust Information Technology systems and software to record data in accordance with local and national Information Governance stipulations.

Maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT professional standards and local Trust policies.

Share information with others, observing data protection requirements.

Freedom to Act

Be responsible for organising and prioritising caseloads across clinical areas, maintaining accountability for own independent, professional action and recognising own professional boundaries, seeking advice and support as appropriate through supervision.

Monitor and evaluate own highly specialist service delivery and provide progress reports.

Apply relevant national and local policies, protocols, procedures and codes of conduct in consultation with line management and other team members.

Access appraisal within an Individual Performance Framework at pre-determined intervals.

Trust mandatory requirements

Comply with all Trust policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines, seeking clarification where necessary and working in accordance with the Trust’s strategic goals.

Understand the need to safeguard children and vulnerable adults and adhere to all principles in effective safeguarding.

Carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity principles and policies.

Access and share only that information which is authorised to you and within the duties of your role and with appropriate permissions.

Maintain high standards in record keeping, ensuring recorded information is accurate, appropriate and up to date.

Report any incident, accident or near miss by means of Trust systems and in accordance with Trust policy.

Take responsibility for your own learning and development by recognising and taking advantage of opportunities to learn in line with appraisal and supervision.

To undertake any other reasonable duty requested by an appropriate Trust manager.