Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Job overview

We are delighted to be advertising a specialist Speech and Language Therapy role within our Assessment and Treatment to Independence in the Community Pathway.

The Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and learning disability Trust providing a range of services to people across Sandwell, Dudley, Walsall and Wolverhampton. Our vision is to improve health and well-being for people of all ages across the Black Country.

Our clinicians provide outstanding specialist care closer to home, proactively supporting patients away from a hospital setting wherever possible and supporting the reduction of inpatient stays to the minimum.

The Intensive Support Team has had excellent results in avoiding hospital admissions for people with acute mental health and/or behaviours that challenge. Our assessment and treatment inpatient service is undergoing redevelopment and redesign to include a small number of Learning Disability meds, co-located with selected Mental Health wards.

We are looking for an experienced and strategic Speech and Language Therapist committed to assessing and supporting acute and/or complex communication needs, enabling capable communication environments using multi-disciplinary shared formulation and working closely with colleagues in the locality community teams for smooth transitions.

We look forward to receiving applications from HCPC registered Speech and Language Therapists.

Main duties of the job

• Collection of detailed case history information
• Informal assessment and observation
• Undertakes clinical work with individuals and groups of clients
• Uses formal standardised assessment and informal assessment procedures
• Reads and abides by risk assessments relating to patients of the service.
• Communicates assessment and therapeutic findings within the multi-disciplinary team.
• Completes contemporaneous case notes and written clinical information completion according to Trust procedures.
• Undertakes clinical work with individuals and groups of clients with guidance from senior SLT.
• Develops coordinated multidisciplinary programmes of care / care packages.
• Makes decisions leading to SLT review or discharge of clients and/or referral to other services, as appropriate.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• 1) Develops/maintain specialism in communication disorders in people with learning disabilities including the ability to analyse and compare clinical information derived from assessment of a complex caseload seeking guidance from the relevant SLT lead when required due to complexity. 2) Contributes to audit, research and developments in the clinical field and service as directed by service leads. 3) Provides advice in relation to care of clients with specific communication and swallowing needs to the multi-disciplinary team. 4) Provides both direct and indirect intervention, consultation, advice and support; working within a multi-disciplinary model to a complex caseload in order to ensure that the inter-agency needs of clients are met, seeking highly specialist support and second opinions from senior clinical leads for the most complex patients. 5) Promotes, supports and integrates the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist’s guidance and standards into all clinical work. 6) Actively participates and supports MDT intervention by regularly attending patient MDT meetings and clinical reviews/CTRs. 7) Liaises both orally and in writing with any significant others involved in the management of the client, within and outside the NHS, to ensure the client’s needs are met effectively and efficiently. 8) Functions as a fully integrated multi-disciplinary team member supporting and facilitating communication within the therapeutic process including MDT clinical formulation and reflective practice 9) Provides specific communication and/or dysphagia training alongside more senior colleagues to the MDT, the patient and their environment as part of clinical intervention.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.