Speech and Language Therapist

Job Purpose The post holder will deliver Speech and Language Therapy care in a range of community environments to adults over 18 who are presenting with communication and swallowing difficulties. The team is unidisciplinary, but s/he will work with a range of other professionals, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, dieticians, nurses and medical consultants, social workers and a range of other carers and community personnel. S/he will encounter a wide range of physically and emotionally challenging conditions in clients homes and other environments in the community. Nottingham is a culturally diverse city with many multi-ethnic, bilingual, and multi-lingual speaking communities. These may provide potential barriers to communication, which could affect delivery of client care. Speech and language therapists will need to have an awareness of, and sensitivity to, social, cultural, and economic issues. To work as a specialised clinician, acting as an autonomous practitioner in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of adults with communication, cognitive and/or swallowing disorders arising from complex and/or chronic problems. To work with the adult services team contributing to the planning, developing and delivering an effective and efficient service, including auditing practice. Dimensions You will be working in a variety of community settings which may include a clients own home/residential home/nursing home and out-patient clinics setting up assessment, treatment including rehabilitation programmes for clients, carers, and families. To participate actively in the services training strategy, including in-service training. Trust and multi-agency training. Key Responsibilities Clinical Communicate highly complex and sensitive clinical information to clients, carers, and families in a clear, accessible and empathetic format, both in written and verbal form. Make differential diagnosis using complex information gathered from formal and informal communication assessments, medical notes and information from other agencies and professionals. Using this information to develop and implement/provide specialist packages of care and treatment, to meet the needs of the client group and evaluate outcomes. Develop and deliver a range of training packages for health and education professionals, other agencies and families. Manage and prioritise a specialist caseload independently. Use specialist knowledge to make sound clinical decisions/judgements following assessment of complex cases within specific specialist area. Accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries seeking more specialist advice as appropriate. Work independently within defined departmental and national protocols/policies and professional code of conduct. Plan and deliver training for other professionals related to the client group. Organise appointments and book clinics for individual and group therapy sessions. Responsible for keeping up-to-date client-based record/notes and inputting to electronic clinical information systems. Team Working Implement departmental plans and policies. Use specialist knowledge to contribute to development, evaluation and change of service/team plans and policies. Contribute to interagency/multi-disciplinary team building. Professional and Managerial To take an active role in maintaining own competency to practice through Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities, furthering specialist knowledge incorporating evidence-based practice, e.g. in-service training, reading, special interest groups and external training courses. Maintain a portfolio, which reflects personal development. To maintain and update clinical skills as agreed in an annual Performance Review and Development (PRD). Day-to-day supervision and direction for Speech and Language Therapy Admin, band 5 SLTs and Assistant Practitioners, as required Involved in the training of less experienced Speech and Language Therapists, students, outside agencies and parents/carers around specific specialist area. Provide advice in specialist area to more junior colleagues Offer clinical supervision for junior members of staff. Undertake regular clinical supervision/peer supervision as identified. This is not an exhaustive list of duties. Any substantive changes in the work undertaken will be carried out after consultation with the jobholder.