Senior Speech and Language Therapist

Job overview

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is a large and busy teaching hospital across multiple sites, with a unique profile of strong local services and a focused set of specialist services. Based within the Therapies team, the Speech & Language Therapy department has over 40 staff providing inpatient and outpatient services across a wide and diverse range of specialities across our 3 main sites.

We are looking for a suitable candidate to join our highly regarded Inpatient Neurosciences team working within the specialties of Neuro- Oncology and Neurosurgery.

The Denmark Hill Speech and Language Therapy team works closely with SLTs on all King’s sites and the wider multidisciplinary teams, with whom they are co-located.  Led by the Head of Speech & Language Therapy and Band 8A Clinical Leads, the service offers an established supervision system, including action learning groups, plus a range of opportunities for learning and participation in both self and service development.

For further information please contact Hilary Wren Team Lead SLT Neuro-Oncology: [email protected] or Deborah Brown Clinical Lead SLT Inpatient Neurosciences: [email protected]

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide Speech and Language Therapy services within the Inpatient Neurosciences team covering Neuro-oncology and Neurosurgery.  This will allow them the opportunity to develop a wide knowledge base and range of skills within the team including training for Speech and language assessment for awake craniotomy.  Line management will be provided by the Lead neuro-oncology Speech and Language Therapist.

The post holder will provide a specialist service to adults who have communication and/or swallowing disorders including those with tracheostomies in situ.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities

1.         To manage an autonomous caseload within inpatient neurosciences, which will include assessment, contribution to differential diagnosis, and specialist SLT management for patients with 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.

2.         To identify barriers to effective communication within the environment and suggest and implement solutions where feasible.

3.         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.

4.         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.

5.         To maintain and develop the use of AAC techniques and equipment across the team.

6.         To discuss, advise and plan appropriate patient goals with clients, carers and the multidisciplinary teams.

7.         To act as a key worker where appropriate.

8.         To provide complex and sensitive clinical information to patients and carers in clear, accessible and empathetic format, both in written and verbal form

9.         To work as part of the multidisciplinary team negotiating appropriate therapy packages, length of stay and discharge arrangements

10.       To attend ward rounds and MDT meetings as appropriate

11.       To liaise on a regular basis with relevant hospital and community therapy teams.

12.       To liaise with other agencies to ensure appropriate follow up and care arrangements for patients

13.       To develop and deliver training regarding communication and swallowing to carers, relatives and staff.

Administrative Responsibilities

• 1.    To maintain full, accurate and contemporaneous records within EPIC 2.    To provide timely and accurate reports including transfer and discharge reports. 3.    To prepare for and participate in an annual job appraisal which includes a 6 monthly review with the SLT acute clinical lead. 4.    To attend King’s College Hospital Speech and Language Therapy team meetings. 5.    To provide full, accurate and timely statistical data.

Leadership

• 1.    To provide clinical support and advise to junior therapists within the team.

Education and Training

• 1.    To participate in nurse dysphagia screen training programme run by the SLT department. 2.    To take part in the clinical training for SLT students as agreed and appropriate including preparation for and participation in practical exams. 3.    To participate in the SLT Department in service training programme. 4.    To pursue an active programme of continuing professional development including feedback to the team on any courses or conferences attended.

Governance / Quality Control

• 1.    To maintain and record an active programme of continuing professional development, including feeding back to colleagues on any courses or conferences attended. 2.    To make recommendations on service development and governance. 3.    To be an active member of relevant special interest groups. 4.    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 5.    To undertake specific departmental audit projects and contribute to departmental research where appropriate

Research and Service Development

1.         To participate in relevant audit activity within King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

2.         To participate in research initiatives in the relevant area

3.         To publish and disseminate information which results from research and audit activity.

People Management and Performance

• Lead, coach and manage the performance of the team in line with good people management practices. Ensuring excellence is recognised and underperformance is addressed.
• Participate in regular performance appraisal meetings and ensure each member of the team has a clear set of objectives and development plans.
• Ensure the team is compliance with all statutory, mandatory training together with any professional training requirements, ensuring they are up to date and fully compliant.
• Manage team absences including sickness in line with Trust policy ensuring the appropriate return to work meetings occur, e-roster is updated and productivity is at keep to the highest possible level.
• Identify and fill any vacancies that arise within the team in line with the Trust’s recruitment policy and process.
• Identify talent and support the internal talent management process in order attract and retain and succession plan for your people.
• Review skills mix at regular intervals in order to identify any potential opportunities to maximise resource utilisation / allocation, ensuring job descriptions are kept up to date.
• Ensure overall wellbeing of the team is maintained. Continuously support in improving the morale of the team and implementing a culture of zero-tolerance for bullying and harassment.

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 Foundation Trust together with all relevant statutory and professional obligations.
• We want to be an organisation where everyone shares a commitment to delivering the very best care and feels like their contribution is valuable and valued.
• At King’s we are a kind, respectful team:

Kind. We show compassion and understanding and bring a positive attitude to our work

Respectful. We promote equality, are inclusive and honest, speaking up when needed

Team. We support each other, communicate openly, and are reassuringly professional

• 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.
• Everyone is responsible for promoting inclusion no matter their role or team. At King’s, we want to create an environment where everyone feels valued, respected and welcomed

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.