Southport Hospital has the exciting opportunity to advertise a Speech and Language Therapy post which will offer a stimulating and challenging role in the assessment and management of inpatients with dysphagia and who are recognised as living with frailty and ageing.
The successful candidate will join a growing, supportive, and innovative team of Speech and Language Therapists with a diverse set of skills, who take pride in offering the very best care for our patients. The SLT team is comprised of a consultant SLT, Highly Specialised SLTs, Specialised SLTs, Newly Qualified SLTs and SLT assistants.
Interview date: TBC
The successful applicant will provide specialist assessment and management of patients living with frailty and ageing at any stage of their hospital journey, including A&E admission, during their inpatient stay, and assisting safe and timely discharge.
This will include specialist SLT input to the Frailty Assessment Unit, working alongside Frailty Practitioners, Medical Registrar and Consultants in Geriatrics.
You will have opportunities to develop skills in areas such as frailty/ elderly care, emergency medicine, respiratory medicine, and neurological disorders, while working closely with SLT and MDT colleagues.
The post holder will independently provide a comprehensive specialist clinical service specifically to adults admitted who are living with frailty and ageing, and who have communication and swallowing disorders. They will provide training, direct, and indirect support to other professionals relating to communication and swallowing disorders and will participate in the development and implementation of care pathways, departmental policies, and protocols.
At Southport Hospital we hold regular Video fluoroscopy clinics and are implementing the MBSImP protocol. We also have a newly established FEES service. For the right candidate there is potential for development opportunities in this area.
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 9000 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.
Our Services:
Acute Care
Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
Primary Care
Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
Community Services
Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation, freeing up space for more unwell patients. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.
Specialist Regional Services
We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.
Achievements:
• Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
KEY DUTIES
· To undertake specialist therapy assessment, clinically diagnose and implement
treatment plans for patients with dysphagia and communication disorders in a
manner that respects people’s privacy, dignity, and individuality.
· To liaise with members of the Multi-Disciplinary Team and external agencies to
ensure the effective management of patients care, communicating patient
information in relation to their care as required.
· Manage a clinical caseload ensuring patients are see in a timely manner.
· To ensure effective internal and external 2-way communication with patients,
carers and all other Health and Social Care Professionals regarding all aspects
of patient care.
· To provide and receive complex information which requires empathy and
reassurance. Communicating where there may be barriers to understanding and
where skills such as motivational interviewing and counselling are required.
· Able to formulate and implement individualised care plans, reviewing progress
and adapting as required.
· To be involved in the production and evaluation of resources produced by the
department e.g. information and training packs, advice leaflets etc, providing
specialist advice.
· To provide cover for leave and sickness to the clinical service as appropriate.
· To be a member of the multi-disciplinary team and actively participate in M.D.T.
meetings.
· To contribute to the development of departmental / organisational procedures
and guidelines.
· Ensure the safe use of appropriate medical devices required to carry out
treatment in line with departmental procedures.
· To participate in shift patterns to support the delivery of 6/7 day service as
Required.
· To provide training sessions for other health care professionals and patient/carer
groups.
· To work autonomously but recognise own limitations and when to escalate issues or refer to more senior therapist for advice and support.
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
· To develop and maintain accessible patient information, equipment, and resources.
to complement Rehabilitation.
· To be responsible for the timely and accurate collection of such statistics / records
as are required nationally and departmentally and to ensure that confidentiality is
maintained.
TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES
· To develop knowledge and skills in specific therapy practice through a
competency based programme led by the team leader.
· To develop knowledge and skills in specific therapy practice through a
competency based programme led by the team leader.
· To participate in service training, keeping up to date with relevant practice and
maintaining CPD portfolio.
· To identify own personal development needs with supervisor through supervision
and Personal Development Plans.
· To actively contribute to Trust/Departmental activities in relation to Clinical
Governance and audit in service area as requested by clinical supervisor.
This advert closes on Sunday 26 Jan 2025
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident .