Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Swydd-ddisgrifiad a phrif gyfrifoldebau manwl

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification on this advert for further info. 

CLINICAL

To use highly specialist clinical skills to manage a complex caseload of adults with communication and/or swallowing difficulties for patients residing in care homes.

To provide specialist assessment of communication and swallowing problems, formulate a hypothesis using a high level of clinical reasoning, and develop and implement appropriate interventions/ rehabilitation to be delivered in patient’s home.

To provide appropriate specialist intervention and evaluate outcomes.

To write comprehensive reports that are accessible to a range of professionals reflecting specialist knowledge.

To develop clear care plans, advice and information, based on best practice and to use specialist knowledge to inform clinical judgments for care management.

To ensure that patients and/or carers are involved in the planning and prioritisation of their care plans and wherever possible facilitate patients with communication and/or cognitive difficulties to participate in the process to ensure meaningful outcomes.

To provide advice and training to other professionals, carers and relatives regarding the safe management and care of patients with communication and/or swallowing difficulties to maximise the patient’s skills and reduce clinical risk.

To work collaboratively and liaise with a wide range of other professionals across a variety of locations and agencies

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

To reflect on auditory, visual and kinaesthetic aspects of patient’s communication and to identify appropriate strategies to facilitate and enhance communicative effectiveness. 

To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence based practice and outcome measures, and maintain knowledge of current literature and developments within the specialist clinical field of adult neurology (including stroke, progressive neurological conditions, and dementia). 

To demonstrate specialist knowledge and use of high and low technology communication aids with a range of patients 

To undertake and interpret videofluoroscopies on care home residents as required.

To manage risk when dealing with people who live in care homes and who have swallowing difficulties, to promote choice by providing information about the risks and to contribute to moral and ethical decision making about oral and/or alternative feeding choices

To clinically co-supervise students.

TEAM WORKING

To attend Multidisciplinary Team Meetings, and to actively promote and contribute to MDT working, maintaining effective communication and client centred focus.

To support the MDT when undertaking capacity assessments for people who can benefit from supported communication techniques.

To work with the MDT when dealing with patients who are on risk acknowledged feeding plans and collaborate with them in advanced care planning for these residents.

To assume delegated tasks as requested by line manager, including participation in other working groups, policy development groups, and to contribute to interagency/multi-disciplinary team building and policy development.

To work closely with patients, carers and other community healthcare professionals where appropriate.

COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIP SKILLS

To employ excellent communication skills

To communicate complex condition related information from assessment to clients, carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions

To work collaboratively with clients, carers and families, agreeing decision making relevant to patient management

To employ counselling and listening skills when discussing clinical and emotional aspects of client care and form productive relationships with others who may be under stress and/or have challenging behaviour

To demonstrate empathy with clients, carers and families and colleagues, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understanding exist

To routinely overcome barriers to communication during assessment and intervention. This includes the use of augmentative or alternative communication, as well as accessing interpreter services where patients do not have English as a first language.

To demonstrate negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations

To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible

To recognise potential breakdown and conflict when it occurs, and seek advice and support to resolve

To actively build links with relevant local support / community groups

To facilitate continuity of care through appropriate liaison with relevant agencies and services on transfer or discharge of clients from service

To provide training to a variety of audiences on aspects of Speech & Language Therapy and area of specialism

MANAGEMENT OF SERVICE

To co- lead the Adult SLT service in regards to the management of patients with dysphagia in the community.

To triage and direct SLT community/outpatient referrals to the appropriate service.

To help develop and collate a bank of resources for assessment and treatment of adult neurological patients in the care home population.

To help develop care protocols/ training packages relating to adult neurology to improve patient care.

To advise line manager of issues of service shortfall or pressure

To monitor stock levels in own service area and request new equipment as required. 

To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of SLT equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained – including equipment loaned to clients

To advise on and record the loan of equipment / communication aids to patients

To evaluate own delivery and to be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries seeking advice as appropriate.

To work independently accessing appraisal within an Individual Performance Review framework.  To develop a professional portfolio developed within the appraisal framework to include objectives relating to clinical work area.

To attend specialist short courses, CENs and advanced training in specialist areas, and to demonstrate knowledge of these areas underpinned by current evidence based best practice

To enhance clinical expertise through self-reflection and analysis to identify own strengths and development needs

To provide mentoring, advice and support (including second opinions) to more junior Speech and Language Therapists, assistants and volunteers, and to participate in the supervision and training of Band 5/6 SLTs.

To facilitate the development of others problem solving/negotiation skills within peer review/support 

To provide support to students from other health professional groups as appropriate and to explain the role of Speech and Language Therapists to visitors, students and volunteers

To actively provide input to Team and Departmental meetings

To assist with the identification of training needs within the team, community, and Trust as a whole, and to target training (formal and informal) appropriately, and to develop the ability to reflect on and evaluate training provided