Team Lead Speech and Language Therapist, Neurorehabilitation

Job overview

This Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) post is based within the Neurorehabilitation service at Orpington Hospital.  The successful applicant will provide a highly specialist SLT service to adults who have communication and/or swallowing disorders following acquired neurological impairment.  Supported by a full time Band 8a, the Team Lead provides day to day leadership to the Neurorehabilitation SLT team on Frank Cooksey Rehabilitation Unit (FCRU) and Ontario Ward.

We would be happy to consider any B6 Speech and Language Therapist well experienced within this specialism who is keen to further specialise and develop into the B7 role.

Main duties of the job

Both inpatient services provide multidisciplinary specialist neurorehabilitation for adults with complex acquired brain injury, including head and spinal injury, stroke and progressive neurological disorders. This post offers great opportunity for development within the speciality supported by close working relationships cross the disciplines and within the SLT department as a whole.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities

• To manage an autonomous caseload for the Neurorehabilitation service on Frank Cooksey Rehabilitation Unit and Ontario ward, which will include assessment,  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.
• To provide highly specialist input into policies and protocols regarding the management of patients seen by the Speech and Language Therapy Neurorehabilitation team and wider service.
• To act as a link between all SLT’s involved in treating patients in Neurorehabilitation beds and jointly lead the team in order to ensure the patient receives treatment from the most appropriate therapist and that knowledge and resources are shared across the service.
• To work closely and in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team in Neurorehabilitation in assessment, the planning and provision of rehabilitation goals and programmes, negotiating length of stay and discharge arrangements as appropriate.
• 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.
• To act as Rehabilitation Coordinator as appropriate.
• To provide complex and sensitive clinical information to patients and carers in clear, accessible and empathetic format, both in written and verbal form.
• To contribute to instrumental assessments (VF/FEES) and assist in the training and supervision of other SLT staff in these assessments as appropriate.
• 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.

Please see job description attached for all the information regarding main duties