We are seeking an experienced and motivated Speech and Language Therapist to join the Community Adult Speech and Language Therapy team based at Leigh Town Hall (WWL AHP Team of the year 2024). The post holder will work 22.5 hours a week between Monday-Friday.
This exciting post involves working in the community of Wigan in patients' own homes, care homes, day centres, clinic and covering the community wards. There are opportunities for agile working and we offer virtual assessments and interventions. The post holder will have access to a laptop, electronic patient records, iPad and other resources required to carry out their duties.
The post holder will work with patients with a range of medical conditions resulting in dysphagia and/or communication impairments. There will be opportunities to develop knowledge and skills in this field through in-service training, peer supervisions, group supervisions, 1:1 supervisions, access to request CPD funding for courses, and appraisal.
Within the community SLT Team, we continuously strive for best evidence based practice and we run outpatient videofluoroscopy and FEES clinics. The team are involved in audit and research and there are opportunities to take forward new initiatives.
This post is open to existing NHS Band 5-6 clinicians and is not suitable for newly qualified therapists. Where required, support will be given to help the post holder develop the competencies required for Band 6.
To provide a high standard of speech and language therapy service to patients in Wigan.
To act as a specialist speech and language therapist within the Adult Community Speech and Language Therapy Team working with service users with complex dysphagia and/or communication needs.
Provide specialist speech and language assessment, intervention, advice and training to adults, their carers and other professionals and agencies involved with the person.
To independently manage a defined caseload using evidence based / client centred principles to access, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
Be responsible for the prioritisation of a clinical caseload.
Provide specialist clinical support to other therapists.
Work as part of the team, contributing to development and evaluation of the services provided
To provide leadership and clinical supervision for other junior staff as delegated by manager and/or professional supervisor
Provide clinical education to SLT students from local Universities
Have a responsibility for CPD and to support and deliver their work in line with ‘best practice’.
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are the proud providers of acute hospital and community services to the people of the Wigan Borough and surrounding areas. At WWL, we value our staff believing that ‘happy staff, makes for happy patients’.
WWL are committed to placing the patient at the heart of everything we do, and in the provision of safe, effective care that acknowledges and ensures dignity. With this in mind we are seeking to recruit people who share our values and beliefs.
At WWL we value the benefits a rich and diverse workforce brings to our community and therefore welcome applications from all sections of society.
Key results from the job holder
- To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work, including the management of patients in your care, and to maintain overall accountability for delegated duties of treatment to junior staff for patients on your caseload.
- To complete detailed assessments using knowledge of specific assessment tools relevant to the client group, differentially diagnose, develop care plans and identify goals appropriate to knowledge of prognosis, and plan, implement and evaluate detailed programmes of specialist SLT treatment for the designated caseloads.
- To ensure interventions take place in the most appropriate setting, e.g. hospital, virtually, day centres, care homes or clients’ homes.
- To ensure that clients, families and other carers are involved in the planning and prioritisation of care plans.
- To use specialist clinical knowledge to inform sound clinical judgement and decision making for case management.
- To provide a flexible and person-centred service to these client groups.
- To deliver therapy on a 1:1, group and programme/care plan basis.
- To use a range of approaches to meet the needs of individuals, including reflecting on global aspects of a client/carer communication and adapting the environment to enhance communication.
- To adapt practice to meet individual circumstances, including cultural and linguistic differences.
- To write reports reflecting specialist knowledge.
- To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice and outcome measures.
- To maintain a professional portfolio of Continuing Professional Development recording learning outcomes through participation in internal and external development opportunities.
- To be responsible for continuing developing knowledge and competence in the ability to apply a range of approaches within intervention / therapy.
- To make discharge decisions involving clients following departmental procedures.
- To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance.
Planning and Organisational Duties
- To plan, prepare and undertake client assessments for a designated caseload in line with professional and national standards and guidelines.
- To use clinical judgment to prioritise caseload in line with clinical guidelines and protocols.
- To be responsible for ensuring the appropriate and effective selection of treatment modalities and sites for delivery of interventions i.e., in a community or hospital setting or virtual.
- To maintain comprehensive and contemporaneous clinical records in line with national and local standards.
- To work on local policies and procedures regarding client group management.
- To adhere to National (RCSLT and HCPC) and local standards and guidelines relating to clinical and professional practice.
- To be aware of and adhere to service and team plans and policies.
- To take part in departmental service development and inform policy developments as appropriate.
- To initiate policy development in specialist areas.
- To input into the business planning process and local delivery plan as appropriate.
- To seek the views of and involve clients and carers in service developments by feeding views back to the appropriate manager.
- To participate in clinical audit projects and statistical data collection within the SLT department.
- To participate in departmental research projects.
- To participate and develop innovation in areas of risk management, quality standards setting and clinical governance/audit projects within the service.
- To collect and provide research data as required.
- Participation in the modernising of the community/hospital services following evidence based and other good practice.
- To develop a working knowledge of relevant procedures including safeguarding children, working with vulnerable adults and other legal frameworks.
- To be aware of and adhere to the current legislation related to the client groups treated.
- To be aware of the Trust complaints policy and procedure.
- Respond sensitively and appropriately to initial complaints.
- To inform the Manager immediately of any likely and / or actual complaints.
- To keep up to date with current trends, literature, research as appropriate.
- To demonstrate specialist knowledge in clinical specialism underpinned by current evidence-based practice.
- To adhere to Trust policies.
- To maintain HCPC and RCSLT registration.
- To inform Manager of any difficulties in ability to maintain or achieve departmental or professional standards.
- To be accountable for own professional actions and recognise professional boundaries seeking advice as appropriate.
- To work independently, accessing appraisal within the appraisal framework at determined intervals
- To demonstrate the ability to reflect on practice with peers and mentors and identify own strengths and development needs.
- To attend relevant Departmental and Trust meetings.
- To explain the role of Speech & Language Therapy Assistant to visitors, students and new staff, etc.
- To maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT professional standards and record keeping policy.
- To share information with others, observing data protection guidelines.
- To gather activity data accurately, ensuring the provision such information promptly within local Trust guidelines.
- To input data into relevant IT systems as required.
Communications and Key Working Relationships
To prioritise and organise own workload on a day-to-day basis
To work independently in the community.
To communicate a clients’ diagnosis e.g., dysphagia/ dysphasia / dysarthria to professionals, carers and clients.
To assess capacity, gain valid consent and have the ability to work within a legal framework with clients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
To ensure consent of the service user; carers, and other professionals is gained, ensuring that their understanding is complete. To consider the emotional psychological and / or physical conditions / presentations and implications.
To ensure the involvement and motivation of a communication impaired client in understanding and participating in the assessment, diagnosis, intervention and therapy process.
In liaison with clients, to use relevant supportive communicative skills such as using pictures, signs, gestures, AAC technology and simplified language appropriate to the client’s needs.
To liaise regarding specific clients and client groups and work jointly with other members of the multi-disciplinary team
To provide up-to-date advice and information to the multi-disciplinary team, family and carers, regarding specific client’s communication needs and what strategies are advised to enable effective communication
To work closely with clients, carers and families in agreeing care plans for the relevant management of the client.
To liaise as appropriate with other members of the SLT team; including peers, managers, assistants and admin & clerical staff intervention and therapy process.
To recognise potential breakdown and conflict across a range of clinical situations for example in nursing homes with nurses and families etc. and seek to resolve it.
To relay complex and sensitive assessment findings to carers and other professionals.
To demonstrate empathy where appropriate
To form productive relationships with others who may be under extreme stress and / or have challenging communication difficulties.
To make onward referrals as appropriate.
To attend and contribute to case conferences, annual reviews and multi-disciplinary team meetings relating to specific clients on the caseload.
To be aware of and access more specialist support relating to individual cases where necessary.
To provide written and verbal advice detailing the needs and recommended future management of clients.
To use a consultative model of delivery to enable non-SLT staff/carers to carry out therapy programmes and support communication in a range of settings.
To work collaboratively with carers to promote the use of strategies/activities to facilitate language learning and communication skills.
To provide advice to carers/other professionals and other SLT’s on complex speech, language, and communication difficulties.
To act as an advocate for clients’ needs when necessary.
To participate as a member of both the Speech & Language Therapy and Integrated Community Services teams, liaising with other team members as appropriate. To attend and contribute to team meetings as appropriate.
Responsibility for Finance
- To use and maintain expensive equipment.
- To monitor stock levels and request new equipment as appropriate.
- To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained – including equipment loaned to clients.
- To maintain an accurate record of income and expenses.
- To advise, assess and prescribe appropriate equipment for patient use within resources available in Health, Social Services and Education.
- To develop appropriate skills in order to manage conflicts situations in the workplace.
- May encounter occasional distressing and emotional circumstances
