Job summary
The Community Neuro Rehabilitation Service is seeking an enthusiastic and innovative Speech and Language Therapist to join the team on a temporary basis, working 32 hours per week.
You will be part of a supportive multidisciplinary team, providing specialist Speech and Language Therapy assessment and intervention for adults with neurological conditions. The role is predominantly community-based, delivering care in patients' own homes, with some clinic-based appointments.
The successful candidate will have specialist knowledge and experience in the assessment and management of dysphagia and complex communication disorders. You will demonstrate excellent communication skills, a flexible and adaptable approach, and a commitment to delivering high-quality, person-centred care in line with professional standards and national guidelines.
You will receive monthly clinical supervision from a senior Speech and Language Therapist and will have responsibility for supervising Therapy Assistants. There will be opportunities to contribute to and participate in regular in-service training, alongside a range of continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities to support your ongoing learning and career development.
The service operates over six days, Monday to Saturday. Saturday working is undertaken on a rotational basis, with enhanced pay applicable for weekend shifts.
Main duties of the job
To provide a safe, effective and consistently high quality Speech and Language Therapy service at Stockport Foundation Trust.
Manage a delegated caseload within the specialist area of stroke and neuro rehabilitation. To assess, plan and implement patient centred, evidence-based interventions
To provide evidence-based care, education and information to patients, carers and health care professionals.
Contribute to the training and development of Speech and Language Therapy students, as well as supervising and supporting Speech and Language Therapists and Speech and Language Therapy Assistants.
To support and develop the Community Neuro Rehab service within specialist clinical areas.
About us
We hold a unique position in the Stockport community as the provider of healthcare and we are one of its largest employers.
Our mission is to make a difference every day. Our values are that we care, we respect, and we listen.
We believe that the best organisations are those that reflect the communities they serve. We are therefore seeking to improve the diversity of our workforce to make it truly representative of our local population.
We actively encourage applications irrespective of race, age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage & civil partnership, or pregnancy or maternity. Recognising those communities that are underrepresented within our workforce, we would particularly welcome applications from you.
We recognise that flexible working is important. We take requests for flexible working seriously, consider any request we receive and try to work with you, so we can explore if your request may fit with the needs of the service.
The salary for the role is only one part of the excellent package of benefits we offer to you:
- Between 27-33 days of annual leave plus bank holidays
- NHS pension scheme membership
- Salary sacrifice schemes for lease cars, home electronics and more, to make your salary go further
- NHS Staff discounts
- Cycle to work scheme
- Salary finance - for loans, savings, budget planning and tips on managing debt
- Stockport Credit Union- for local financial advice
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide specialist assessment and management of swallowing and communication disorders to delegated caseload of patients referred to the service, using evidence based, patient centred principles to assess, implement and evaluate interventions.
- Regularly evaluate treatment plans to ensure they are safe and effective.
- To support and develop the Community Neuro Rehabilitation Service and act as a clinical specialist alongside the MDT.
- To provide advice on communication strategies, swallowing and the use of modified diet and fluid consistencies as required.
- Act as an independent practitioner and be professionally accountable and responsible for aspects of own work. Decide priorities for own work, balanced patient related and professional demands in consultation with Team Leaders.
- To work alongside consultants, other Allied Health Professionals and specialist nurses to provide specialist treatment plans as part of holistic patient care.
- To attend MDT meetings and best interest meetings as needed.
- Provide training to healthcare professionals regarding communication and swallowing problems and interventions, including presentations.
- Contribute to developing advice sheets and new teaching materials.
- Collect all data necessary to meet local requirements for service monitoring.
- Work in conjunction with colleagues on development and implementation of local policies based on national guidance.
- To identify and undertake clinical audit.
- Maintain professional competence and expertise, keeping up to date with current research, working practices and models of working.
- Participate in personal and professional development through objective setting and regular job review.
- Provide clinical supervision and support to Therapy Assistants.
- Work as a committed and effective member of the Sercice and wider MDT Teams in order to maximise the potential of the service and profession.
- Support other specialist Speech and Language Therapists with caseloads in their absence. As required to offer support to other clinical areas to ensure all patients are seen in a timely manner.
- Observe the provisions of, and adhere to, all Trust policies and procedures.
- Comply with professional guidelines and Code of Conduct.
Please see attached job description for further details of the role
The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and promote safeguarding by implementing the Trusts policies and procedures, acting promptly on concerns, communicating effectively and sharing information appropriately.
If successful this vacancy will require an enhanced DBS check at a cost of £54.50. This cost will be deducted from your first Trust salary
In addition to this it will be a condition of your employment that you will join the DBS update service and pay the annual subscription fee of £16.
Person Specification
Education & Qualifications
Essential
- Degree level qualification in Speech and Language pathology/therapy.
- Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
- Post graduate training and experience in dysphagia.
- Post graduate training in specialist area
Desirable
- Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (R.C.S.L.T.).
- Competencies in working with patients with tracheostomies.
- Competencies in the interpretation of videofluoroscopy.
Knowledge
Essential
- Highly specialised knowledge of the head, neck and thorax.
- Maintenance of clinical knowledge base/level of professional competency across the range of acquired communication and swallowing disorders to ensure evidence-based practice.
- Specialist knowledge relevant to stroke/neuro conditions
- Awareness of the potential uses of videofluoroscopy and FEES in dysphagia management and patient referral criteria.
Desirable
- Awareness of range of software available for therapeutic. purposes.
- Awareness of SSNAP (The Sentinel Stroke National Audit Program).
Experience
Essential
- Experience of prioritising a clinical caseload and ensuring service delivery standards are met.
- Experience in providing therapy to patients following a stroke.
- Experience of providing therapy to patients with neurological conditions
- Experience of supervising junior colleagues
- Experience of working collaboratively with the MDT
- Managing a clinical caseload and prioritising tasks.
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Competent in the assessment and management of a range of swallowing and communication disorders.
- Highly developed interpersonal skills to facilitate therapeutic relationships.
- Ability to communicate complex and potentially distressing information to clients, carers and other professionals in a sensitive manner.
- Able to manage the emotional consequences of working with communication impaired clients and their relatives, in distressing situations, such as late stage terminal illness or coming to terms with disability.
- Able to recognise own clinical/experience boundaries and seek support when appropriate.
- Able to contribute to complex discharge decisions, advising the MDT on the safety of potential discharges in terms of communication and swallowing
- Able to identify areas for own personal/ professional development
- Excellent written communication skills.
- Able to keep accurate records of therapy and up-to-date patient notes.
- Able to produce detailed, accurate, timely reports.
- Excellent observation skills.
- Able to train/teach students, other professionals and assistants.
- Able to analyse and evaluate results of formal/informal assessments of communication and swallowing.
- Able to evaluate outcomes and modify approach to maximise outcome.
- Ability to reflect on practice with peers/supervisor(s).
- Advanced problem solving skills.
- To be flexible to the demands of the environment including unpredictable work patterns, deadlines and frequent interruptions.
- Able to carry out assessment in physically restricted situations e.g. at the bedside.
- IT skills (word-processing, e-mail; internet, intranet searches, presentation skills).
Desirable
- Presentation skills training for staff
Work Related Circumstances
Essential
- Able to apply policies to own work area and identify potential difficulties.
- Able to implement infection control guidelines on a daily basis when dealing with bodily fluids e.g. sputum and phlegm whilst engaged in swallowing assessments.
- Prepared to work in a highly pressured acute ward setting
- To employ appropriate strategies to manage aggressive behaviour within the workplace.
- Car driver/ drivers licence
- Occupational Health clearance
Desirable
- Previous community experience
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Poplar Grove
Stockport
SK2 7JE
United Kingdom
Employer's website
This listing was aggregated from publicly-available sources. The employer holds an A-rated sponsor licence at the time of this listing, but sponsorship of this specific role is not guaranteed — the employer's offer and UK Visas and Immigration are the final authority. Details may have changed since our last update — verify with the employer via the Apply link.