An exciting opportunity has arisen for a motivated and enthusiastic Speech and Language Therapist to develop their skills working with people living with dementia. You will be based in Carmarthen but will see people living across Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.

The Dementia Wellbeing Community Team (DWCT) is a friendly and enthusiastic team, who are passionate about improving the lives of people living with dementia and their families and carers. The DWCT was created to provide direct access to professional expert support for People and their Families/Carers Living with Dementia. The team also aims to set and represent best practice standards across our respective professional groups for the working with people living with dementia.

The intention is that this team innovates across traditional boundaries, flexibly sharing their expertise, extending influence both into people's own homes, withinother care environments and primarily care homes.

Specifically, the DWCT will pro-actively address what is often perceived as 'challenging behaviour', stress and distress in its context. They will seekto help those around the person living with dementia to develop a person-centred action plan of action. In addition, the expectation is that the professionals in this team will champion equality and rights for this client group and their carers- both locally and nationally.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will:

• Keywork a small, complex caseload of people living with dementia, under the supervision of the Lead SLT for dementia
• Bring SLT expertise to the wider Dementia Wellbeing team's caseload
• Provide advice and support to the wider SLT team in their management of people living with dementia
• Work with the Lead SLT for dementia to further develop the service, its resources and training

The successful post holder will be working with people with communication and eating and drinking needs and will have completed dysphagia competencies.

They should have the ability to travel within the Hywel Dda region and be able to manage and prioritise their own workload. They must be self-motivated and happy to work independently, albeit with access to a friendly team as needed.

Applicants must have current HPC and RCSLT registration and be able to show evidence of CPD.

About us

Hywel Dda University Health Board is the planner and provider of NHS healthcare services for people in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and its bordering counties. Our 11,000 members of staff provide primary, community, in-hospital, mental health and learning disabilities services for around 384,000 people across a quarter of the landmass of Wales. We do this in partnership with our three local authorities and public, private and third sector colleagues, including our volunteers, through:

Four main hospitals: Bronglais General in Aberystwyth, Glangwili General in Carmarthen, Prince Philip in Llanelli and Withybush General in Haverfordwest

Seven community hospitals: Amman Valley and Llandovery in Carmarthenshire Tregaron, Aberaeron and Cardigan in Ceredigion and Tenby and South Pembrokeshire Hospital Health and Social Care Resource Centre in Pembrokeshire

48 general practices (four of which are managed practices), 47 dental practices (including three orthodontic), 99 community pharmacies, 44 general ophthalmic practices (43 providing Eye Health Examination Wales and 34 low vision services) and 17 domiciliary only providers and 11 health centres

Numerous locations providing mental health and learning disabilities services

Highly specialised and tertiary services commissioned by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee, a joint committee representing seven health boards across Wales.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The successful post holder will contribute to the provision of speech and language therapy for the population of Hywel Dda University Health by providing high quality, efficient and effective speech and language therapy services, within available resources and in accordance with the Registration Codes of HCPC and RCSLT.

They will:

• Function independently with a developed level of clinical expertise and fulfil the core responsibilities identified.
• Take full SLT student placements, including the assessment of students on examination placement.
• Supervise the work of Band 3 and 4 support staff as needed.
• Contribute to the induction, mentoring and support of junior SLTs.
• Manage own time and prioritise tasks.
• Bring SLT expertise to the wider Dementia Wellbeing teams caseload.
• Facilitate clinical case discussions as part of peer review, particularly related to area of clinical expertise.
• Manage a defined caseload independently.
• Hold a small, complex caseload of people living with dementia, under the supervision of the Lead SLT for dementia.
• Demonstrate evidence based, clinically effective practice and keep abreast of new practice development, particularly related to area of clinical expertise.
• Contribute to DWCT and SLT service development, in conjunction with the Lead SLT for dementia.

You will be able to find a full job description and person specification attached within the supporting documents.

The Health Board is committed to supporting its staff to fully embrace the need for bilingualism thereby enhancing patient and service user experiences. In our commitment to increase the number of staff who are able to communicate in Welsh with patients and professionals, we welcome applications from Welsh speakers.

The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for this post. If you do not meet the Welsh Language requirements specified, the Health Board offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal desirable requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Interviews will be held on 26/09/2024

Person Specification

Qualifications and Knowledge

Essential

• Degree in Speech and Language Therapy.
• HCPC registration
• RCSLT membership
• Member of relevant CEN
• Successful completion of specialist short courses relevant to area of clinical expertise to postgraduate diploma level
• Knowledge of a wide range of specialist assessment tools and procedures to evaluate communication and/or eating and drinking skills, particularly relevant to the specialist caseload.
• Knowledge of key characteristics leading to a specialist differential diagnosis relevant to an area of clinical expertise.
• Knowledge of selecting, setting and evaluating specialist treatment goals.
• Knowledge of a specialist range of therapeutic interventions demonstrating the evidence base for these approaches.
• Knowledge of multidisciplinary team approaches.
• Knowledge and understanding of key documents and legislation relating to specialist area
• Well established knowledge of legal and professional issues of confidentiality.
• Well established knowledge of legal and professional issues of confidentiality.
• Knowledge of health and safety issues.
• Basic understanding of the principals of clinical governance / audit.
• Highly developed auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically.

Desirable

• Student Supervision training - introductory Level
• Basic Counselling Well established
• Knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to area of clinical expertise
• Knowledge of approaches to mentoring less experienced SLTs and support staff.
• Basic qualitative and quantitative research approaches.

Experience

Essential

• Considerable post registration clinical experience relevant to the advertised post/specialist area including: o Supervision of support workers o Meeting patient/service user needs through collaborative working with families, carers other professionals and the wider workforce.

Desirable

• Full SLT Student placement, inclusive of assessment.
• Support of junior staff.
• Delivery of specialist training to a range of audiences.
• Working with groups.

Language Skills

Desirable

• Welsh speaker (Level 1)

Employer details

Employer name

Hywel Dda University Health Board

Address

St David's Park

Jobswell Road

Carmarthen

SA31 3BB

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

100-AHP098-0824