Speech & Language Therapy Assistant - Part Time
Come and join our team in this exciting time of change as we pride ourselves, our staff and our services on excellence.
At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust we put our patients at the heart of every element of health and care that we provide. The Trust works together as a community to deliver its vision which is “Working together to provide outstanding care for our community.”
We are Compassionate in our thoughts, words and actions
We are Aspirational and have a true desire to be dynamic and to innovate
We are Resourceful and responsible in the way we work and live
We are Excellent in our development, fairness and sharing best practice
Amazing things happen at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust; delivered by amazing people so why don’t you come and join us. We offer a range of learning and development for all employees may you be clinical or non-clinical.
Job overview
Speech & Language Therapy Assistant - Part time
Are you considering a career change? Are you wanting to experience a clinical role or explore a future career in Speech and Language Therapy? Want to work with an amazing, supportive team helping patients to maximise their therapy potential? The Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) at Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading are looking for an assistant and would love to work with you.
SLTs in hospitals support individuals who are experiencing difficulties with communication and swallowing. This post is based across two sites, including the Acute Stroke Unit at the Royal Berkshire Hospital and the Neuro Rehabilitation Unit in West Berkshire Hospital, providing a unique opportunity to work with patients in the acute stage of their recovery and longer-term rehabilitation.
The SLT team are incredibly supportive with a wide range of clinical interests and experience. In the neuro team, you will be joining 5 enthusiastic and dedicated clinicians (3.9 WTE SLT's and 0.5 WTE SLTA). We work within a strong multi-disciplinary team and have good relationships with our therapy colleagues.
Main duties of the job
The successful post holder will have strong communication skills and will be confident in conversing with a wide range of individuals. Computer and organisational skills are essential and previous experience of working with adults within a hospital or community setting is desirable.
You will be supported by the SLT team to learn admin systems and develop the skills necessary to complete the clinical/therapy aspect of the role. This includes delivering therapy programmes with the support of qualified SLTs. You will have regular supervision to help your development, including a peer supervision group for SLT Assistants.
Working for our organisation
We are one of the largest hospital foundation trusts in the country, and currently touch the lives of half a million patients in the west of Berkshire every year by providing high quality acute medical and surgical services for our local communities.The Trust strives to provide high quality, compassionate care for our patients and their families.
Our values:
- Compassionate
- Aspirational
- Resourceful
- Excellent
The town of Reading sits on the River Thames and is served by great road and rail links to London, Oxford, and Southampton. With excellent leisure and shopping facilities, and a thriving cultural scene, Reading is a wonderful place to live, work, and play and provides
excellent facilities for families, including some of the best state and private schools in the UK.
The CQC rated the care provided by the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust as good.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For further details please see the attached job description and person specification.
If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
In the event that we receive sufficient applications, this advert may close early.
Person specification
Education/Qualificiation
Essential criteria- GCSE or equivalent level education
- Good Standard of spoken and written English
- NVQ level 3 in Diagnostic and Therapeutic Support or equivalent
- CPD portfolio as evidence of attendance at short courses, formal training and experience in addition to NVQ level 3
Experience
Essential criteria- Basic understanding of the role of an SLT
- At least 2 years SLT assistant experience
Knowldge, Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria- Able to organise workload and manage time
- Ability to be a good team member
- Able to identify when to seek support
- Willingness to learn and develop
- Able to identify own strengths and needs
- Able to manage emotional consequences of working with clients with a range of communication disorders and disabilities
- Able to travel between a range of clinical locations
- Knowledge of standards of record keeping
- Flexible working opportunities and a strong emphasis on your work, life balance
- Annual leave – 27 days for new starters, plus bank holidays. Increasing to 29 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years NHS service. Pro rata for part time staff
- NHS pension scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Money Advice Service
- Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave for eligible staff
- On-site nursery (based at RBH)
- Full educational library services
- Cycle to work scheme, lockable storage for cycles
- Bus to work scheme
- Excellent rail and bus links
- A huge range of Health Service Discounts at hundreds of big brands from holidays to gadgets and restaurants to retail.
After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred Third party recruitment system (TRAC). All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, that as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website.
By applying for this post you are agreeing to Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are appointed to a post information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
Appointment to any position is conditional on the satisfactory completion of the core NHS Employment Checks Standards. Information disclosed in your application will be checked and any offer of appointment may be withdrawn if you knowingly withhold information or provide false or misleading information.All new appointments to the Trust, with the exception of executive positions, are subject to a 6 month probationary period.
The Trust may close any vacancy prior to the advertised closing date due to the high level of responses we receive for some of our vacancies.
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is committed to improving the health of its staff, patients and the wider community by providing a smoke free environment. A smoke free policy is in operation and smoking is not permitted on any of the Trust’s sites.
The Trust is also committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults.