Speech and Language Therapy Assistant Practitioner

Job overview

You'll be an integral part of making a difference to our community by providing assistance and therapy to patients, providing speech and language rehabilitation to stroke patients and supporting the team as delegated by the registered practitioner.

The SSARU at South Bristol Community Hospital is a rehabilitation unit for people in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire who have experienced a recent stroke. We provide focused therapy in a supported environment. The aim of the SSARU is to support those who’ve had a stroke to achieve their goals.

This position is based South Bristol Community Hospital (SBCH). Where you will be working in a supportive multi-disciplinary team that includes Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs), Nurses, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and other AHPs.

Main duties of the job

As a Speech and language Therapy (SLT) Assistance Practitioner, you will be expected to undertake a range of duties under the direction of Speech and language therapist, providing compassionate assistance and therapy to agreed quality standards.

• Rehabilitation working on exercises that promote speech, language as well as swallowing. You will providing a range of support that will include both direct and indirect patient contact while being supported by the SLT team.
• Supporting clinicians with patients who have communication, cognitive and swallowing difficulties, following stroke and working within a framework agreed by a registered SLT
• Monitoring patient response to SLT input, evaluating outcomes and adapting input as appropriate, liaising when necessary with therapy staff and other members of the multidisciplinary team. This will involve working under indirect supervision, reporting back patient progress and informing therapists of any problems.
• Providing administrative support for the SLTs teams in terms of preparation of materials, data collection, collation of clinical information, and handover to other teams

Working for our organisation

Ever dreamt about a career that sparks excitement and fosters your professional growth? Picture yourself waking up eager to make a real difference in our community, surrounded by teams who value your unique ideas.

We are Sirona care & health – England’s largest provider of Adult’s and Children’s Community Services and we’d love for you to join us in Bristol, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire.

Agenda for Change Salary, full NHS benefits, 27+ days’ annual leave, and participation in the NHS Pension Scheme – just a glimpse of the benefits you’ll receive.

We welcome and encourage all applicants. We are committed to having a workforce that reflects the communities we support and are proactively seeking to improve the diversity of our workforce. We know diversity fosters creativity and innovation.

We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We aim to draw upon the widest possible range of views and experiences to meet the changing needs of our colleagues, partners and communities we serve.

Whether you're starting your journey in healthcare, looking for a fresh challenge within the NHS, or contemplating a career change, don't be daunted by the prospect of something different – we create development opportunities for all our colleagues and apprentices.

Interested? View our benefits leaflet which you can find attached to this vacancy.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description for a full list of duties and responsibilities before applying for this position.

We are unable to provide sponsorship for this role and can only accept applications from UK based applicants.

If you are currently require a visa to work in the UK, there must be a minimum of 12 months from your start date until the expiry date.

Person specification

Qualification and training

• • Successful completion of relevant Foundation Degree modules / Diploma in Clinical Health and Social Care / diploma level 3 or equivalent experience as band 4 therapy support worker
• Qualifications in English and Maths GCSE A-C or equivalent

• CPD in neurology, stroke and aphasia/ dysphagia

Skills, Experience and Knowledge

• Previous experience of working with patients/ clients with communication difficulties in a health or social care setting
• Ability to work effectively and contribute as a member of a multi-therapy and multi-disciplinary team
• To be able to use IT for key team functions (e.g. MS Outlook, MS Teams, Excel) as well as specific clinical related uses as required
• The ability to manage, maintain and prioritise own case-load
• An understanding of the law surrounding data protection and confidentiality