Suffolk Communication Aids Resource Centre (SCARC) is a unique and exciting service offering communication aids to young people aged 0-25 across Suffolk. SCARC is part of Integrated Community Paediatric Services (ICPS) within West Suffolk Foundation Trust. The role of Communication Aids Assistant (CAA) is an amazing opportunity to work within and help develop the SCARC service. This role focuses primarily on developing the training service in SCARC. SCARC offers training to families and a range of professionals post communication aid provision and you will develop your skills in preparing and presenting training support to those supporting young people with communication aids. You will also develop your skills in setting up and programming communication aids ready to support the communication needs of young people in Suffolk. If you are a team player and have excellent communication skills – this is the role for you. It will give you a unique opportunity to help give young people a voice in Suffolk and develop the skills of those who support them. You will have experience of supporting young people with communication and/ or learning disabilities (LD) and experience working as part of an education, health or care team. We are an engaging and hard-working Multidisciplinary Team made up of an Administrator, speech and language therapists, communication aids practitioner and occupational therapist and we are looking forward to welcoming you on board.
The postholder contributes to the provision of the Suffolk Communication Aids Resource Centre (SCARC), which delivers communication aids services throughout Suffolk as part of Integrated Community Paediatric Services (ICPS).
The postholder has a key role in supporting the training and equipment branch of SCARC by providing training sessions for those people supporting young people with communication aids to support and develop their use of a communication aid. In addition, the postholder will support the SCARC communication aids practitioner (CAP) with the setting up of communication aid equipment for our patients.
The postholder will help provide technical support for equipment on loan to young people up to age 25. Our patients present with a range of physical disabilities, learning disabilities and severe communication problems.
The postholder will be a member of the SCARC multi-disciplinary team (MDT) and will work under the direction of the SCARC MDT which includes an occupational therapist (OT), speech and language therapists (SLT), CAP and administrator.
The postholder’s base will be at SCARC’s office located at Thomas Wolsey Ormiston Academy (TWOA), Ipswich and will travel out to client’s homes, educational or care settings across the whole of Suffolk to provide training, support and advice for parents/carers/education and support staff of the young people with a communication aid. SCARC has a pool car which can be accessed by the postholder.
#BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community
We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.
Adult and paediatric community services (of which SCARC is part of), is provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.
We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and team work guide how we work and behave as a team.
With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.
We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyone's voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.
Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?
Job summary
The postholder contributes to the provision of the Suffolk Communication Aids Resource Centre (SCARC), which delivers communication aids services throughout Suffolk as part of Integrated Community Paediatric Services (ICPS).
The postholder has a key role in supporting the training and equipment branch of SCARC by providing training sessions for those people supporting young people with communication aids to support and develop their use of a communication aid. In addition, the postholder will support the SCARC communication aids practitioner (CAP) with the setting up of communication aid equipment for our patients.
The postholder will help provide technical support for equipment on loan to young people up to age 25. Our patients present with a range of physical disabilities, learning disabilities and severe communication problems.
The postholder will be a member of the SCARC multi-disciplinary team (MDT) and will work under the direction of the SCARC MDT which includes an occupational therapist (OT), speech and language therapists (SLT), CAP and administrator.
The postholder will need to keep up to date with the latest equipment, technology and resources in supporting users with a communication aid.
The postholder’s base will be at SCARC’s office located at Thomas Wolsey Ormiston Academy (TWOA), Ipswich and will travel out to client’s homes, educational or care settings across the whole of Suffolk to provide training, support and advice for parents/carers/education and support staff of the young people with a communication aid. SCARC has a pool car which can be accessed by the postholder.
The postholder independently prioritises workload and meets deadlines, in keeping with service standards
Job responsibilities
1. Communication:
- To develop and maintain positive relationships with speech and language therapy (SALT) services and other key professionals, working in the field of alternative and augmentative communication (AAC).
- To link with regional communication aids services, communication aid suppliers and hardware/software providers and keep up to date with developments in communication aids technology.
- To be able to adapt information around technology of aids to a range of people supporting users with a communication aid, as part of training sessions.
- To communicate with parents/carers who may have linguistic/cultural differences
- To use interpreter services effectively to communicate with clients and families when offering training and technical support.
- To support families, education and care settings and other community environments to engage with, and develop the use of, communication aids.
- To communicate effectively and appropriately using a range of methods including face to face, video/virtual, telephone and email.
- To deliver clinical & technical training and support to parents/carers and groups of staff in relation to programming, maintenance and use of communication aids, with the support of the MDT at SCARC.
- To provide support to other staff and NHS volunteers, to develop awareness of communication aids and support staff induction.
- To be able to work alone in the absence of the SCARC MDT and use own initiative.
- To record clinical information in a young person’s case notes from all clinical based contact with a young person and their support team.
- To be polite and helpful when dealing with members of the public and other professional services.
- To demonstrate empathy with clients, carers and staff who usually have no previous experience or knowledge of people with severe speech or language difficulties or of electronic communication aids.
- To be a representative of the SCARC team when dealing with members of the public and other professional services.
2. Analytical and judgemental:
- To evaluate and review training support (with CAP) provided by SCARC and update any options for improvement and development to the principal speech and language therapist.
- To problem solve and provide technical solutions in relation to communication aids.
3. Planning and organisational Skills:
- To deliver face to face and remote training and develop an implementation plan in liaison with the parents/carers, local MDT and education/setting teams about the introduction of alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) systems.
- To programme and update communication aids and change and adapt them to the need of each communication aid user.
- To support the CAP at SCARC in keeping up to date with communication aids hardware and software.
- To have a secure understanding of technology and how these systems influence and support communication aid users.
- To take responsibility for the development and maintenance of own level of skills by attending training courses, study days and visits and feedback relevant information to speech and language therapy staff/other interested professionals.
- To work collaboratively with a range of different people supporting users with a communication aid
- To support the setup of communication aids, including assembly and adaptations, load software, user settings and vocabularies in liaison with the SCARC team.
- To support the organisation, maintenance and review of communication aids under the care of SCARC.
- To monitor SCARC’s stock of equipment and feedback to relevant members of SCARC.
- To back up and upgrade communication aid software/apps and vocabularies.
- To safely dispose of communication aids which are broken or no longer fit for purpose.
- To support the system for equipment needing to be returned for repair, to suppliers and local repair services
- To repair basic communication aids on site, where device warranty allows under the guidance of SCARC team.
- To assemble equipment in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
- To have good time management skills
4. Clinical Duties:
- To carry out visits to client’s homes, residential settings, educational provision and day services, to provide support and advice about how to use the equipment on loan, in a specific context in liaison with the SCARC team.
- To deliver training courses to clients, parents/carers and the local team about how to programme and use their communication aid. To develop and formally record a robust plan about the introduction of the communication aid.
- To work with the SCARC team to provide clinical and technical support for communication aids assessments and reviews.
- To provide ongoing technical support for the communication aid on loan to clients using a range of methods including telephone, video, face to face and email.
5. Governance:
- To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries, seeking advice as appropriate.
- To operate in accordance with the policies, guidelines and standards of West Suffolk Foundation Trust and to attend training sessions as required.
- To be involved in departmental projects, e.g. clinical audit, clinical governance as required.
- To have due regard for your own personal safety and that of clients/carers, in particular to have regard to moving and handling regulations to ensure the safe positioning of self and others.
- To comply with the Trust Child Protection Policy including co-operations with statutory child protection agencies in ensuring the safety and well-being of children.
- To attend professional meetings.
- To adhere to Health and Safety policies of the Trust.
- To attend departmental and other meetings, as appropriate.
- To ensure mandatory training is current and up to date.
- To be fully conversant with the WSFT policies and procedures.
6. Information Resources:
- To be responsible for own administrative work; input to report writing and case notes adhering to Safeguarding, Data Protection and Confidentiality Polices.
- Input to requests for statistics/information as required.
- To observe confidentiality in all aspects of work and respect the patient’s privacy and dignity at all times.
