An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Adult Speech and Language Therapy team within Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. We are looking for an enthusiastic and collaborative multi-disciplinary team player with excellent inter-personal and communication skills. The successful candidate will have experience of working with adults and skills in the assessment, diagnosis and management of swallowing and communication disorders. This post is on a permanent part time basis (30 hours per week).
Our SLT team delivers high quality services to adults with acquired communication and swallowing problems across Northumberland and North Tyneside. We have well established video-fluoroscopy and FEES services as well as VLE and cough clinics in a number of settings. We pride ourselves in providing a joined-up service for clients which involves team-working at all levels of service delivery.
Please note we reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the closing date once the required number of suitable applications have been received.
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This post has a strong dysphagia focus and will be predominately based across hyper-acute and acute base site hospitals. You will have significant experience of working with adults with swallowing and communication difficulties from a wide range of aetiologies and will have advanced skills in the assessment and management of complex swallowing disorders including critically ill, end of life and complex respiratory patients. Skills in FEES and experience working with ventilated or tracheostomised patients are desirable . Our SLT service focuses on streamlined, connected, patient centred care with heavy emphasis on collaborate interdisciplinary team working . This is a highly specialist clinical post that also includes providing leadership in dysphagia management.. In addition, there is the potential for day-to-day co-ordination of the service at a specific site. The post holder will have the opportunity to develop skills with a complex dysphagia caseload within the context of a supportive SLT team and as part of a cohesive and collaborative MDT. You will be supported to develop high level clinical competencies in areas such as critical care, complex respiratory care and end of life dysphagia and communication assessment, diagnosis and management. You will have access to videofluoroscopy and FEES with the support of senior colleagues. Structured support and supervision is provided.
We manage three major locality hospitals at North Tyneside, Wansbeck and Hexham, plus a number of smaller community hospitals and clinics from Tynemouth to Berwick on Tweed, covering one of the largest geographical areas of any NHS trust in the country. Leading in innovation and quality – opening a state of the art Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, the first of its kind in England. Do you want to work in one of the best performing NHS organisations in England? Work in an organisation that supports its staff and focuses on staff experience as much as it does the experience of its patients? You can live and breathe in an area that has the cleanest air, cost effective living, great nightlife, some of the best schools with a wealth of history available on your doorstep. Sound too good to be true? Well it isn’t, this is what you get when you work for Northumbria Healthcare, this is the Northumbria Way! Please read ‘applicant guidance notes’ before submitting your application.
The main responsibilities of the post include:
Independently assess, diagnose and manage a high volume and rapidly changing highly specialised caseload of patients/clients and maintain associated records.
Participate in research and SLT service development in your specialist area.
Participate in the ongoing development of the complex dysphagia caseload offering advice to other therapists/staff on SLT issues.
Participate in the ongoing education and awareness-raising of MDT staff working with patients with complex swallowing and communication difficulties.
To improve and maximise the eating, drinking, swallowing and communication skills of service users through liaison and joint working with staff, internally, externally and across agencies to enable creation and maintenance of local flexible service provision
Supervise the work of assistants/volunteers/junior staff and others working with the post holder.
Contribute to the induction, mentoring and support of other more junior staff and may be required to facilitate clinical case discussions as part of peer review.
Take full SLT student placements, contributing to their assessment and examination.
Due to the nature of this role, it is an essential that the post holder has a valid driving license and can meet the travel requirements of the post.
Essential Criteria:
Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree qualification or equivalent
Health and Care Professions Council - Licence to Practice
Registered member of the Royal College of Speech and Language
Therapists
Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses or equivalent experience in the management of acquired swallowing and communication conditions
Car driver
