Specialist Speech & Language Therapist-Full time 37.5 Hours per week (Part time would be considered)

We have an exciting opportunity for a dynamic and motivated Speech and Language Therapist to join Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust Community SALT team as a Band 6.

The successful applicant will join a supported and experienced team of 6.9 WTE SALT and wider multidisciplinary team of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and therapy assistants.

The successful candidates will share our commitment to excellence and ensure high standards of evidence based therapy practice. You will have experience of working with adults with acquired disorders and will be able to demonstrate established competence in both dysphagia and communication disorder management.

To provide specialist Speech and Language Therapy assessment and management of swallowing and communication disorders in patients under the care of the LATT team - a multidisciplinary service for residents of Lewisham.

The post-holder will provide assessment, diagnosis and rehabilitation as appropriate and liaise closely with colleagues in acute and community services to ensure continuity of care for clients.

Main duties of the job

We are a large, friendly service, covering a wide range of clinical areas, shadowing and joint working across our whole service is supported and encouraged and we work closely with MDTs in our areas. We value audit and quality improvement to better refine and develop our services and you encouraged to complete and participate in projects of this nature as part of your role.

Our teams are supportive, professional and patient centred. We will recognise your talents and help you expand and develop your skills to benefit you and us.

We offer regular supervision within a structured environment, individual performance review and in-house and external CPD. In addition to this there will be opportunities for peer supervision.We have strong links with other acute and community Speech & Language Therapy services within the Trust.

Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust serves a diverse and multicultural local community. Our hospitals and community bases are easily accessed from central London by overland rail, DLR and bus.

About us

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development

Widening access (anchor institution) and employability

Improving the experience of staff with disability

Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development

Making equalities mainstream

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary:

To provide a specialist Speech and Language Therapy service of assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of patients into a multidisciplinary, client focused therapy service for adults with neurological conditions within their own homes and/or community settings.

To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner

To undertake advanced assessment, differential diagnosis and treatment of clients with a wide range of speech and language impairments and swallowing disorders. These clients may have diverse presentations and complex physical, cognitive and psychosocial conditions.

To participate and advise in the management and development of the multidisciplinary adult therapy team, so that it continues to meet the needs of the client group and responds to Government initiatives

With the team, to participate in evidence based audit/research activity to further the teams clinical practise.

Key Result Areas & Performance:

1 Clinical

• To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of your own work,

including the management of patients in your care.

1.2 To undertake a comprehensive, and holistic, assessment of patients including

those with complex presentations / multi-pathologies

1.3 To use assessment techniques and clinical reasoning skills

to provide an accurate diagnosis of patients' conditions and identify their

problems.

1.4 To assess patients' understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed

consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment.

1.5 To use clinical assessment and reasoning skills combined with a specialist

knowledge and clinical experience of evidence-based practice and treatment strategies to provide an effective treatment plan and goals in collaboration with the patient.

1.6 To evaluate patients' progress, re-assess and alter treatment programmes as

required.

1.7 To demonstrate ability to provide a service to clients whose medical condition is terminal, including appropriate management of swallowing disorders, showing sensitivity to clients individual wishes, and to the ethical and moral dilemmas surrounding swallowing, feeding and enteral nutrition.

1.8 To be responsible for the introduction of communication devices to the patient, their friends and family to ensure safe and competent use of the device.

1.9 To have current knowledge and skills in dysphagia caseload management, including knowledge of videofluoroscopy and other objective techniques for evaluating the integrity of the swallow. To liaise closely with the acute SLT service and other colleagues to provide seamless management of clients swallowing needs.

1.10 To plan, set up and monitor treatment programmes carried out by rehabilitation assistants within the team, for clients on own caseload.

1.11 To use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication skills to communicate effectively with patients during assessment and treatment. This will include patients who have difficulties in communicating, e.g. patients who are depressed, deaf, blind, have cognitive and/or communication impairments, require interpreters, or those who are unable to accept their diagnoses.

1.12 To use active listening and optimum communication skills to discuss patients

concerns, worries and prognoses with them and their families, for example patients who have progressive, degenerative or terminal illnesses and those with newly acquired disabilities.

1.13 To communicate appropriately at all times with all individuals in a respectful

manner, e.g. people who may be confused or hold different cultural beliefs.

1.14 To work within Trust, departmental and RCSLT and HPC guidelines, ensuring a good working knowledge of national and local standards.

1.15 To work autonomously and independently on a daily basis in a range of community settings, without immediate access to professional support. To be aware of when support is needed and of professional boundaries.

1.16 To ensure your practice meets the required high professional standard of speech and language therapy practice.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
• Registration with HPC & RCSLT (A)
• Membership of relevant CENs (A)

Desirable

• Advanced dysphagia Course (A)

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable experience of working with adults with acquired neurological disorders, including a range of disorders in order to make detailed SLT diagnoses and management plans. (A/I )
• Previous experience working successfully as part of a multidisciplinary team (A& I)

Desirable

• Experience of working in both hospital and the community (I)
• Experience of working in a multi ethnic and cultural setting (A)

Employer details

Employer name

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Address

University Hospital Lewisham

Lewisham Community Therapies, Honor Oak Health Centre, SE4 2LA

London

SE13 6LH

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

197-UT5819