Speech and Language Therapist (Acute)

Job overview

We are seeking enthusiastic and motivated Band 5 speech and language therapists to join our acute medicine/stroke service based at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, Wigan. This is a permanent full time post (37.5 hours) to be worked across Monday to Friday.

This exciting post offers you the opportunity to work in a varied and fast-paced environment with patients presenting with a wide range of medical and surgical conditions focusing on the specialist field of dysphagia. Our Acute Stroke Unit is a well-established multi-disciplinary unit with Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists and support staff working closely together to ensure safe and timely discharge for stroke patients. The team also works closely with the Greater Manchester Neuro rehabilitation and Integrated Stroke Delivery Network to continually review and improve stroke services and there are opportunities therefore to be involved in service improvements.

NHS experience is essential (voluntary/placement/employment). An ability to work independently with dysphagia clients would be beneficial but in-service dysphagia training can be provided if required.

Main duties of the job

To provide a high standard of speech & language therapy service to patients on the wards at RAEI.

To act as a source of knowledge on the management of acute medical conditions providing an advisory service to patients, relatives, speech & language therapists, medical staff and other healthcare professionals.

To take a role in the specialist assessment and treatment of patients within the speciality who may have complex and/or chronic presentation, and to determine clinical diagnosis and speech & language therapy treatment indicated and to maintain records as an autonomous practitioner.

To hold responsibility for own case load and be responsible for a defined area of the acute Speech & Language Therapy service. Supervision takes the form of regular formal training and clinical reasoning sessions, peer review, case conferences. Access to advice and support from a senior speech & language therapist is available if required, clinical work is routinely evaluated.

To assist the Team Leader and Therapy Lead in planning, co-ordinating, delivering and evaluating the speech & language therapy service provided to the acute wards on a day-today basis.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key results from the job holder

• To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work including dysphagia and to maintain overall accountability for delegated duties of treatment to junior staff for patients on your caseload.
• To plan, prepare and undertake client assessments for a designated caseload in line with professional and national standards and guidelines.
• To maintain a professional portfolio of Continuing Professional Development recording learning outcomes through participation in internal and external development opportunities.
• To use clinical judgement in order to prioritise caseload in line with clinical guidelines and protocols.

Planning and Organisational Duties

• To accept clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of patients, and to organise this effectively and efficiently with regard to clinical priorities and use of time.
• To formulate and deliver an individual speech & language therapy treatment programme based on a sound knowledge of evidence based practice, and treatment options using appropriate clinical assessment, reasoning skills and knowledge of treatment skills e.g. acquired communication difficulties and dysphagia interventions including tracheostomy management and videofluoroscopy
• To accept partial responsibility for any tasks delegated to less senior qualified or unqualified staff.
• To support the team leader in developing policy changes within acute speech & language therapy team.
• To participate in the staff appraisal scheme and Personal Development Plan (PDP) as both appraiser and appraisee.
• To demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management and apply to work situation.
• To be responsible for a designated area of work, as agreed with the team leader, and to plan and organise efficiently and effectively with regard to patient management and use of time.
• To decide priorities for own work area, balancing other patient related and professional demands, and ensure that they remain in accordance with those of the team as a whole.
• To be responsible for ensuring the effective selection and use of all assessment and treatment modalities available.
• To demonstrate appropriately developed dexterity, co-ordination, palpatory and auditory senses for assessment and treatment of patients.
• To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date documentation, in line with legal and departmental requirements and communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in form of reports and letters.
• Post holders are required to work independently, guided by defined clinical and professional guidelines. Access to a more senior member of speech & language therapy staff is available when necessary. Clinical work is evaluated on a regular basis.
• To undertake the measurement and evaluation of your work and current practices through the use of Evidence Based Practice projects, audit and outcome measures, either individually or with the team leader. Use information gained to make recommendations for change.
• To comply with the organisational and departmental policies and procedures.
• To undertake any other duties that might be considered appropriate by the Team Leader, Therapy Lead, or the Head of Therapy Services.

Communications and Key Working Relationships

• To communicate effectively with patients and carers to maximise rehabilitation potential and to ensure understanding of condition. Use communication skills such as persuasion, motivation explanation to encourage patients to undertake their management programme.
• To use communication tools (verbal and non-verbal) to gain informed consent with patients where there will often be barriers to effective communication e.g. loss of hearing, altered perception, expressive and receptive dysphasia, pain, fear etc.
• To assess capacity, gain valid informed consent and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
• To communicate complex patient-related information (as well as non-patient information) effectively and work collaboratively with medical, nursing and therapy colleagues to ensure the delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service.

Responsibility for Human Resources

• To undertake the supervision of junior staff as delegated by senior staff.
• To regularly supervise, evaluate and assess speech and language therapy students to include negotiating learning contracts and setting objectives.
• To comply with annual IPR and appraisal system.

Responsibility for Health & Safety

• Compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 – the post holder is required to fulfil a proactive role towards the management of risk in all of their actions. This entails the risk assessment of all situations, the taking of appropriate actions and reporting of all incidents, near misses and hazards, and a statutory duty of care for their own personal safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.

Responsibility for Teaching

• To educate patients, relatives and carers in conditions and their effects in order to adapt to an appropriate lifestyle.
• To receive, plan and deliver in-service training for own profession and others.
• To participate in the planning, evaluation and audit of practices, clinical pathways and protocols within your clinical area.
• To participate with other team members in measurement of and evaluation of work and current practice through use of outcome measures and audit.