Senior Speech and Language therapist - Inpatient rehabilitation

Job overview

This role is an exciting opportunity for an existing Band 6 speech and language therapist (SLT), or a Band 5 SLT looking to progress to the next step in their career.

Come and join us in the Magnolia Unit, an inpatient bedded rehabilitation setting, where a range of service users are supported in their rehabilitation including those post stroke,  with other neuro and multi-pathology presentations.

You will be supported by the B7 SLT, and will work alongside a friendly and knowledgable multi-discipiinary team, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, and a neuropsychologist.

You will be part of an even wider team of SLTs, to support you in your progression and delivery of an excellent SLT service across our inpatient wards. There will be frequent opportunities for CPD, clinical supervision, development of your clinical skills and involvement with service development initiatives.

Main duties of the job

To deliver a high standard of Speech and Language therapy services to adult inpatients on Magnolia unit with a range of neurological conditions including Stroke & multipathology (non – neurological) presentations.

To perform comprehensive speech & language therapy assessment of patients with diverse presentations and complex physical and psychological conditions. To use this assessment to provide a clinical diagnosis and develop and deliver an individualised treatment programme.

To hold responsibility for own caseload and, working without direct supervision but together with the other members of the MDT, deliver a comprehensive package of  care to patients and their carers.  Supervision takes the form of regular individual and small group sessions, feedback and clinical discussion groups, peer review, case review and case conferences.  Access to advice and support from a more senior speech & language therapist is available.

To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.

With support and guidance from more senior staff, to undertake evidence-based audit and or research projects to further own and team’s clinical practice. Make recommendations to therapy lead of service for changes to practice by the team and be part of quality improvement.

To be part of the Integrated inpatient bedded rehabilitation SLT team and provide cover for other speech and language therapists within the service as required.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work and that work delegated to support staff.

• To undertake a comprehensive assessment of patients presenting with acquired communication and swallowing difficulties, including those with diverse or complex presentations/multi pathologies: using a high level of clinical reasoning and assessment techniques to provide an accurate clinical diagnosis.

• To identify and refer patients for video fluoroscopy and other objective swallowing assessment techniques.

• To utilise an extensive knowledge of evidence-based practice and treatment options to select and deliver a specialised speech & language therapy programme to individual patients and plan their successful discharge.

• To take responsibility for a delegated caseload, ensuring that the MDT is fully involved as required

• To ensure that patients and carers are involved in the planning of their care and rehabilitation, using negotiation skills as appropriate

• To assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.

• Use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients and carers to progress rehabilitation and treatment programmes. In this patient group SLT work will always include skilled interventions for patients who have difficulties in understanding or communicating.

• To be responsible for maintaining accurate comprehensive patient treatment records in line with the Royal College of Speech & language Therapist (RCSLT) /HCPC standards of practice and RFH policies and to communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters.

• Represent speech & language therapy service and/or individual patients at the multi-disciplinary team meetings, to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service, and integrate speech & language therapy treatment into the treatment programme.  This will include discussion of patient care, patient progress and involvement in discharge planning.

• Provide specialist clinical speech & language therapy advice to others regarding the management and care of patients.

11 To offer supervision and support to more junior qualified staff ,  assistant and Therapy technician staff within the service as required and to alert line manager if any significant concerns are identified.

• To use relevant clinical outcome measures to demonstrate efficacy of intervention.

• Apply a sound knowledge of clinical governance and risk management both to own caseload and that delegated to support staff.