Do you bring passion and commitment to delivering high quality care? Do you understand the clinical and sensory needs of people with a Learning Disability and or Autism? If so this role will provide you with a rare and exciting career opportunity to be part of our new service implementation.

Avon and Wiltshire Partnership (AWP) are looking for an exceptional person to provide leadership to deliver our vision for excellent care for people with a learning disability and autistic people in our specialist acute inpatient mental health service and outreach team.

We are working with SW NHSE to provide a new inpatient unit as part of the transformation of end to end pathways in the region. We aim to be a centre of excellence. The services are being designed and developed with clinicians and people with lived experience. We expect to open in 2025. Until then, you will be employed to work as a core member of the project team until opening. You will be instrumental in the development, implementation and delivery of the clinical and operational model for the inpatient service.

We will support you to develop your knowledge and skills and to further develop your operational and management leadership skills as part of the expanding expertise in learning disabilities and neurodiversity within AWP making this an exciting career opportunity .

Main duties of the job

We are looking to recruit an experienced and highly specialist Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) as part of an innovative and purpose-built new unit for people with a learning disability and autistic people who require specialist inpatient mental health services.

The new unit will form part of a regional service and you will work closely with speech and language therapists within AWPs existing network as well as colleagues across the South West region. As part of a new service, you will be involved in developing and evaluating the speech and language therapy service to deliver high quality including participation in audit, research, and clinical governance.

You will offer assessment and intervention for people who have complex communication needs as well as working with the wider team to share skills, identify training needs, and provide input into formulation. You will independently manage and prioritise a complex, highly specialist caseload of dysphagia including delivering training to the wider MDT. A strong clinical background in learning disability, autism, and mental health will be supported by ongoing CPD opportunities in addition to providing clinical and managerial supervision of junior colleagues.

About us

We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.

We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B& NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.

At AWP we activelyencourage applicants from all backgrounds we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people fromBlack, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the full Job Description and Person specification attached to this advert which will provide further information on this role.

Qualifications

Essential:

Recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree qualification or equivalent.

Registration with Health Professions Council as a speech and language therapist.

Registered member of RCSLT.

Recognised post-graduate dysphagia qualification or accredited training and competency Level C of the RCSLT Dysphagia Competency Framework (Specialist level dysphagia practitioner)

Desirable:

Membership of relevant CEN

Experience

Essential

Experience of working with adults with a learning disability and autistic people

Experience of working with complex mental health presentations

Significant post graduate experience of working in dysphagia with a range of client groups.

Experience of managing complex risk presentation and contributing to risk management plans

Experience of working within a multicultural framework of assessment, formulation and treatment/intervention

Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team

Experience of compiling and using accessible information and appropriate range of IT skills to support this

Evidence of audit

Evidence of training/ presenting

Desirable:

Attendance at conferences /courses in area of specific interest

Experience of supporting less experienced staff/assistants

Experience in working in inpatient mental health settings

Experience of coproduction

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Highly specialist knowledge of adult acquired communication and swallowing impairments in relevant specialist area
• Highly specialist knowledge and use of up-to-date assessment and interventions
• Specialist knowledge of dealing with complex cases in terms of multiple mental and physical health diagnoses, presentation and the effects of the environment.
• Knowledge of relevant national and RCSLT policies on competencies/role of SLT in learning disability, autism, and mental health
• Knowledge and understanding of relevant models of care e.g. positive behaviour support (PBS).
• Understanding of clinical governance and risk management
• Sound knowledge of current national guidance / pathways relating to mental health, learning disability, and autism.
• Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
• Ability to work with a high level of autonomy, within professional boundaries, seeking support from more senior clinicians where necessary.
• Ability to recognise and manage challenging situations in a calm, empathetic and professional manner.
• Highly specialist analytical, problem solving and clinical reasoning skills.
• Excellent Presentation skills
• Good Time management
• Advanced communication skills
• Clinical supervision skills
• Standard IT skills word processing, internet, data inputting

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• recognised speech and language therapy degree qualification
• registered member of qulaification RCSLT
• dysphasia
• experience of working with adults with a learning disability and autistic people
• experience of working with complex mental health presentations

Desirable

• evidence of training/presentating
• knowledge of understanding the relevant models of care eg PBS

Employer details

Employer name

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Blackberry Hill Hospital

Manor Road

Bristol

BS16 2EW

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

342-SS149-0924