Specialist Speech and Language Therapist - TransPlus

Job overview

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been commissioned to provide TransPlus at 56 Dean Street, the first integrated gender, HIV and sexual health service by NHS England. Our vision is for an innovative and patient-centred service, based on the principle that patients must have equal access to services whatever their gender identity with reasonable adjustments to the delivery of care to match the individual’s needs and circumstances.

The post holder will provide a speech and language therapy service, also known as “voice & communication therapy” or “voice coaching” for trans and gender expansive people at TransPlus, a gender dysphoria service based at 56 Dean Street as well as remotely.

Main duties of the job

In collaboration with the Senior Speech and Language Therapists and the TransPlus multi-disciplinary team, the post holder will assess, treat and manage their own caseload as well as providing clinical support to others on speech and language therapy issues. The post holder will contribute to the development, implementation, monitoring and adjustment of a care pathway for service users.

The post holder should have a service user-led ethos, with insight into developing collaborative, respectful and culturally sensitive care plans for trans and non-binary service users.

The post holder will independently manage a complex caseload, with supervision from the Senior Speech and Language Therapist. The post holder will employ evidence-based practice (EBP), promoting this approach to all staff, volunteers and students. EBP includes the specialist skills of the practitioner, the evaluation and application of published peer-reviewed research and the service user perspective and culture.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To provide specialist Speech and Language Therapy assessment, diagnosis and management to people wishing to reduce gender dysphoria in association with their voice
• To demonstrate and maintain evidence based clinical practice
• To participate in the development, collection and collation of outcome measures
• To develop clear and effective management plans based on best practice
• To monitor and review patient progress, adapting management plans as appropriate
• To reflect on all aspects of a patients / carers communication, adapting according to their needs. This includes identifying and respecting cultural, religious, linguistic and differences and implementing appropriate strategies to facilitate communicative effectiveness
• To maintain contemporaneous patient records, including reports, reflecting specialist knowledge, ensuring they meet department standards and are in line with Trust policy and HCPC / RCSLT professional standards
• To ensure patients and carers are involved in care planning wherever possible
• To work closely with colleagues in the management of complex cases. This will include liaison with the multi-disciplinary team (demonstrating empathy and ensuring that effective communication is achieved)
• To work collaboratively with interpreters during assessment and on-going intervention with families for whom English is an additional language