Senior Speech and Language Therapist: Critical Care

Job overview

We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated Band 6 Senior Speech and Language Therapist with relevant experience to join the Critical Care team on the Denmark Hill site. This post is a 6 month fixed term, 0.8 wte post.

The successful candidate will support and provide the critical care speech and language therapy service across a range of critical care wards on the DH site. They will also be expected to contribute towards ongoing audit and service improvement projects within the team.

Main duties of the job

This Speech and Language Therapy post is a part time, fixed term post working across the Critical Care units & following patients through to ward step-down on the King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill site.  The post holder will provide a specialist service to adults who have communication and/or swallowing disorders including those on ventilators and with tracheostomies in situ.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical Duties and Responsibilities:

• To manage an autonomous caseload on critical care units & acute wards, which will include assessment, contribution to differential diagnosis, and specialist SLT management for patients with acute, acquired communication and swallowing disorders, following King's College Hospital (KCH) Speech and Language Therapy evidence based guidelines and abiding by KCH Speech and Language Therapy service standards.
• To assess, diagnose, treat and manage patients with tracheostomies in a critical care setting and on the general wards in accordance with KCH multidisciplinary Tracheostomy Trust Guidelines and provide feedback for the tracheostomy ward round weekly as required.
• To identify barriers to effective communication within the environment and suggest and implement solutions where feasible.
• To introduce low and high tech communication aids as appropriate and train the patient, their family and friends and the staff on using alternative and augmentative communication aid systems or to refer on to the communication aid therapist at Bowley Close.
• To co-ordinate and promote communication developments under the guidance of a senior therapist e.g. mental capacity act issues, developing and delivering training on supporting communication, advising on environmental changes that support those with communication difficulties.
• To maintain and develop the use of AAC techniques and equipment across the team.
• To discuss, advise and plan appropriate patient goals with clients, carers and the multidisciplinary teams.
• To act as a key worker where appropriate.
• To document SLT information on EPIC, including assessment conclusions and management plans/recommendations.
• To provide clinical support and advise to junior therapists within the team.
• To provide complex and sensitive clinical information to patients and carers in clear, accessible and empathetic format, both in written and verbal form.
• To work as part of the multidisciplinary team negotiating appropriate therapy packages, length of stay and discharge arrangements.
• To attend ward rounds and MDT meetings as appropriate.
• To liaise on a regular basis with relevant hospital and community therapy teams.
• To liaise with other agencies to ensure appropriate follow up and care arrangements for patients.
• To develop and deliver training regarding communication and swallowing to carers, relatives and staff.

Supervision, Training and Education:

• To pursue, maintain and record an active programme of continuing professional development, including feeding back to colleagues on any courses or conferences attended.
• To be an active member of relevant special interest groups.
• To participate regularly in the evaluation of the effectiveness of intervention and models of service delivery, maintaining up to date knowledge of relevant clinical practice and research.

Managerial and Administrative:

• To maintain full, accurate and contemporaneous records within EPIC.
• To provide timely and accurate reports including transfer and discharge reports.
• To maintain clinical equipment in good order and carry out inventory checks as requested.
• To undertake mandatory King’s College Hospital training
• To contribute to the infection control and cleanliness of the hospital by ensuring cleanliness of own equipment, undertaking mandatory training, abiding by the hand washing policy and other policies related to barrier nursing.
• To provide full, accurate and timely statistical data.

Research and Audit:

• To participate in relevant audit activity within King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
• To participate in research initiatives in the relevant area.
• To contribute towards service development and governance.
• To contribute to departmental audit and research where appropriate

General

The post holder has a general duty of care for their own health, safety and wellbeing and that of work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital, in addition to any specific risk management or clinical governance accountabilities associated with this post.

• To observe the rules, policies, procedures and standards of King's College Hospital NHS Trust together with all relevant statutory and professional obligations.
• To live and role model the King’s Values of:

• To observe and maintain strict confidentiality of personal information relating to patients and staff.
• To be responsible, with management support, for their own personal development and to actively contribute to the development of colleagues.
• This job description is intended as a guide to the general scope of duties and is not intended to be definitive or restrictive. It is expected that some of the duties will change over time and this description will be subject to review in consultation with the post holder.
• All employees must hold an 'nhs.net' email account which will be the Trust's formal route for email communication.

• -        Kind -        Respectful -        Team
• Staff may be required to work across multiple sites dependent upon the needs of the service.  This includes both static and rotational posts.

Safe Guarding

The Trust takes the issues of Safeguarding Children, Adults and addressing Domestic Abuse very seriously. All employees have a responsibility to support the organisation in our duties by;

• attending mandatory training on safeguarding children and adults
• familiarising themselves with the Trust's processes for reporting concerns
• reporting any safeguarding child or adult concerns appropriately

Infection Control Statement

The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene procedures and requirements when in clinical areas.

The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to make to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene requirements of this role.

These requirements are set out in the National Code of Practice on Infection Control and in local policies and procedures which will be made clear during your induction and subsequent refresher training.  These standards must be strictly complied with at all times.