• Are you an enthusiastic newly qualified speech and language therapist or an experienced band 5 looking for a new role?
• Are you looking to develop your skills working both as a team and autonomous practitioner in clinical settings and patient's homes?
If you answered yes, we have got the perfect role for you!
Medway community healthcare provides a wide range of high quality community health services for Medway residents. The Medway towns are within easy reach of London, the famous Kent countryside with its areas of outstanding natural beauty, the coast and the continent.
Given the nature and requirements of this post we offer a strong preceptorship framework and newly qualified clinicians are invited to apply.
This role is based within our local acute hospital and will focus on inpatient working. However, there is an opportunity to work with community colleagues since we provide both acute and community services within Medway.
• To assess, diagnose and treat own workload of clients and maintain associated records as part of the adult speech & language therapy (SLT) service.
• To train and support the carers of clients and participate in appropriate training to other colleagues.
• To provide comprehensive, current and accurate information and enable involvement of clients and carers.
• To liaise closely with colleagues across the organisation, acute trusts, social services and voluntary organisations.
So what else?
· This is your chance to join a progressive and innovative service in a social enterprise that is patient and staff focused - you’ll even have the opportunity to become an MCH shareholder.
· We encourage staff to get involved in exploring new ways of working and service development.
· We’ll provide well established, in-service training, one to one supervision, and appraisals with regular support.
· You’ll be able to develop your skills in a friendly and supportive team.
Would you like to work flexibly? In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important work life balance is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.
The small print
· Informal visits can be arranged on request.
· We will offer you the choice of two pension schemes; the NHS Pension scheme and the scottish widows group pension scheme.
· MCH encourages all staff to be double COVID vaccinated to protect themselves, their colleagues, their family and their patients.
1. Communication and relationship skills
• To work alongside other adult SLT colleagues providing support and professional exchange of ideas and experience.
• To attend appropriate meetings within the adult SLT service.
• To liaise with the adult SLT lead and leads for community & acute teams.
• To contribute to clinical teams by discussing own and others input around clients’ needs ensuring a well-co-ordinated care plan.
• To communicate condition related information from assessment to clients, carers, families and members of the multidisciplinary team/other professions.
• To communicate condition related information to clients who may have communication problems themselves requiring tact or persuasive skills
• To work closely with clients, carers and families, agreeing decision making relevant to the client management.
• To demonstrate empathy with clients, carers and families and colleagues, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understanding exist.
• To develop skills in motivating clients and carers to engage in the therapeutic process.
• To develop negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations.
• To deal with initial complaints sensitively and to process according to organisation policy.
• To form productive relationships with others who may be under stress and/or have challenging communication difficulties.
• To employ excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• To represent the adult SLT service.
• To explain the role of SLT in work settings.
2. Knowledge, training and experience
• Recognised speech & language therapy degree qualification or equivalent.
• Health and care professions council (HCPC) - licence to practice
• Registered member of royal college of speech & language therapists (RCSLT)
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Negotiation and problem solving skills.
• Good analytical and reflection skills
• Well-developed concentration skills and organisational skills
• Good presentation skills both written and verbal.
• Good auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically.
• Knowledge of assessment tools relevant to adults
• Knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to the client group.
• Knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions used with adults
• Awareness of the roles of other professionals.
• Awareness of standards of record keeping.
• Experience of wide range of clinical settings and communication difficulties arising in adults.
• To identify personal and professional development evidenced by a personal development plan as part of the appraisal process.
• To maintain professional standards by attending appropriate training and development for own clinical field to maintain up to date HCPC and RCSLT registration.
• To demonstrate knowledge of and adherence to RCSLT professional clinical guidelines and standards as set out in communicating quality 3 and HCPC.
• To keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and maintenance of good practice in own clinical field.
• To develop a working knowledge of relevant procedures including safeguarding vulnerable adults, mental capacity act and other legal requirements.
• To develop a working knowledge of the principles of clinical governance and audit and their application to professional practice.
3. Analytical and judgement skills
• To make appropriate clinical decisions following assessment, including recognising potential breakdown.
• To make a differential diagnosis on the basis of evidence from assessment.
• To demonstrate the ability to reflect on practice with peers/preceptor
• To refer on to other specialist services as appropriate
4. Planning and organisational skills
• To demonstrate good prioritisation skills
• To manage and prioritise a defined caseload independently.
• To manage and prioritise own workload.
• To contribute to the training of adult SLT colleagues, other professional groups and carers.
5. Physical skills
• To develop the ability to reflect on auditory, visual and kinaesthetic aspects of the clients communication and to identify appropriate strategies to facilitate and enhance communicative effectiveness.
• To develop precise physical skills in carrying out orofacial examinations, cervical auscultation and the use of augmentative and alternative communication devices where appropriate
• To use advanced sensory skills to listen to and transcribe speech phonetically
6. Responsibility for patient / client care
• To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence based practice and outcome measures.
• To assess, diagnose and treat communication impaired people as a member of the adult SLT team.
• To be responsible for devising and delivering a package of care appropriate to the client group, the individual client circumstances incorporating cultural and linguistic differences.
• To ensure that clients and carers are involved in the planning and implementation of their care plans.
• To advise and liaise with carers and other agencies regarding the management and care of the client with communication and/or feeding and swallowing difficulties.
• To refer on to other specialist services as appropriate.
• To assess, diagnose and treat swallowing problems in adults using a range of techniques in consultation with more senior or experienced colleagues.
7. Responsibility for policy and service development implementation
• To be aware of and adhere to service and team plans and policies including integrated/multi-agency working.
• To participate in proposed service/policy developments as appropriate.
• To adhere to organisation and adult SLT policies and procedures and implement within own clinical practice.
8. Responsibilities for financial and physical resources
• To recognise and advise on the equipment needs within each location.
• To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained – including equipment loans to clients.
• To ensure the safe use of any equipment by clients/carers.
9. Responsibilities for human resources (HR)
• To participate in CPD via the adult SLT service preceptorship programme and other developmental activities
• To liaise with and work alongside care staff, support staff, assistants and volunteers.
• To supervise the work of adult SLT technical Instructors.
• To provide advice to other relevant parties as appropriate.
• To participate in the adult SLT service’s in-service training programme.
• To provide and supervise observational placements for adult SLT students and prospective SLT students.
10. Responsibilities for information resources
• To undertake general administrative and client related administrative tasks in line with adult SLT service operational policies.
• To maintain client records in accordance with RCSLT professional standards and local organisation operational policies and quality standards.
• To provide accurate statistical information as required
• To produce reports circulated to a wide range of professional colleagues across agencies, clients and carers regarding clients’ needs and summarising proposed care plans.
• To share information with others observing data protection guidelines.
11. Responsibilities for research and development (R&D)
• To participate in clinical governance and audit projects within local service.
• To participate in the collection of research data as required.
• To participate in developments in areas of risk management, quality standards and clinical effectiveness
• To ensure the views of service users and carers are regularly sought to influence own practice and contribute to the planning and delivery of the adult SLT Service
12. Freedom to act
• To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries seeking advice as appropriate.
• To manage and prioritise a defined caseload independently.
• To demonstrate adherence to RCSLT professional clinical guidelines and the professional code of practice as set out by the health and care professions council.
• To maintain professional standards by attending appropriate training and development for own clinical field to maintain up to date HCPC and RCSLT registration
This advert closes on Friday 20 Sep 2024
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