Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT) are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics.
We are committed to recruiting to our values. Leading One Culture of Care underpins our values by creating an environment, tone and behaviours across all parts of the Trust that are fundamentally rooted in compassionate care.
We are open to considering a wide range of flexible working arrangements. There are opportunities to flex the days of the week, hours and times of work and place of work including: part-time, job-share, flexible working hours and the possibility to work from home when appropriate.Please talk to us during the interview process to discuss any flexibility that you may require.
We received our Silver Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme which is helping actively promote SaBRE - Supporting Britain’s Reservists and Employers. This means that we provided its statement of intent to support all Defence personnel and we welcome application to work for us.Find out more - Why Choose CHFT?
Our Future Plans
The Department of Health and Social Care has awarded capital funding to invest in local health services at both Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. This is a significant investment and an opportunity to enhance services for our populations in Calderdale and Huddersfield and West Yorkshire for generations to come.To find out more, please visit https://future.cht.nhs.uk/
Job overview
The Adult Speech and Language Therapy Service provides an assessment and management service to patients with communication and swallowing problems in the acute hospital settings (Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary) and the community areas of Calderdale.
Patients may have acute neurological conditions, long term neurodegenerative conditions, respiratory and ENT disorders and complex multi-pathology conditions, including patients with dementia.
The Adult Acute Team provides the service to the acute wards and stroke unit, and also provides the outpatient Voice Service and Videofluoroscopy Clinic.
The post holder will work primarily within Acute wards providing a comprehensive speech and language therapy service in the acute setting with acquired communication and swallowing disorders. The post holder will also support the Service’s Clinical Lead/s in evolving and embedding best practice within the clinical area and playing an active role in the ongoing development of less experienced Speech and Language Therapists, service support staff and the wider multidisciplinary team.
Main duties of the job- To carry out specialist assessment and treatment of adults with communication and/or swallowing disorders.
- To manage own specialist adult caseload.
- To work autonomously in line with Trust policies and within the scope of professional practice, maintaining accurate and comprehensive up to date records.
- To independently determine clinical diagnoses for patients of varying levels of complexity and to develop, implement, evaluate and modify individualised treatment programmes for these patients and/or provide specialist advice, ensuring appropriate pathways of care via liaison and referral to other agencies as required.
- To provide education and training of Speech & Language Therapists and qualified and non-qualified healthcare / social services / education staff including medical staff.
- To support the Clinical Leads / Team Leader in the day to day running of the Speech & Language Therapy service.
- To support and advise within the wider MDT on the delivery of the service in consultation with the Clinical Lead/s.
To work across a 7 day service including Bank holidays and weekends
Working for our organisation
We employ more than 6,500 staff who deliver compassionate care from our two main hospitals, Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary as well as in community sites, health centres and in patients’ homes. We also are incredibly proud to have almost 150 volunteers here at CHFT.
We provide a range of services including urgent and emergency care; medical; surgical; maternity; gynaecology; critical care; children’s and young people’s services; end of life care and outpatient and diagnostic imaging services.
We provide community health services, including sexual health services in Calderdale from Calderdale Royal and local health centres. These include Todmorden Health Centre and Broad Street Plaza.
We continue to modernise and invest in our health services to build on our strong reputation. Foundation trusts are public leaders in improving quality in health services. They are part of the NHS – yet decisions about what they do and how they do it are driven by independent boards.Boards listen to their Council of Governors and respond to the needs of their members – patients, staff and the local community.
Foundation trusts provide what the health service wants, yet are also free to invest quickly in the changes to the local community needs, in striving to be the best, and in putting their patients first.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities- To work within the Speech & Language Therapy service, developing effective clinical interventions in order to contribute to clinical practice in the team in line with current evidence base.
- To autonomously manage own clinical caseload of patients at a specialist level, assessing and treating patients and maintaining clinical records.
- To have proven specialist skills in acquired swallowing and communication disorders in acute onset and progressive neurological conditions, respiratory conditions and other presenting multifactorial medical conditions.
- Independently supporting complex decision making (e.g. supported communication in capacity assessments, involvement in decisions regarding feeding at risk)
- Discharge and transfer of care planning
- Training others
- Working autonomously and independently but also demonstrating awareness of when and how to access support from the Clinical Lead/s.
- Autonomous representation of Speech and Language Therapy in relevant clinical settings e.g. patient case conferences, board rounds and MDTs, discharge planning meetings, best interest meetings
- Prioritisation and delegation of day to day workload.
- To apply evidence based knowledge within the specialist clinical area acquired through experience and academic study to a specialist post graduate level.
- To act, within the Trust, as a resource and provide advice for Speech & Language Therapists and other professionals and colleagues within the MDT about the assessment, treatment, management and care of adults with communication and/or swallowing disorders.
- To work collaboratively with health and social care community and acute colleagues.
- To work with other members of the MDT to ensure effective care pathways and transfer of care / discharges.
- To proactively and appropriately facilitate a seamless transfer of care and continuing therapeutic management of adults with communication and/or swallowing disorders between care settings.
- To work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary manner within the MDT, being able to debate the blurring of boundaries across professions and where competent take on aspects of blurred boundary working, where appropriate.
- To develop specialist programmes of assessment, treatment and intervention for adults with communication and/or swallowing disorders, particularly following stroke
- To manage and prioritise the clinical workload as appropriate, working efficiently to manage professional time and delegate according to the training and competency levels of other team members to ensure the effective delivery of the service.
- To participate in the supervision process with staff on a daily basis and for students on placement within the team.
- To ensure a high standard of patient care is provided including implementing and reviewing clinical standards relevant to the work undertaken.
- To provide specialist assessment and advice for the multidisciplinary team and if appropriate actively participate in MDT clinical meetings.
Person specification
QUALIFICATIONS / TRAINING
Essential criteria- Relevant Degree/Diploma
- Registered with HCPC
- Evidence of Postgraduate Training
- Clinical Educator Training
- Member of Professional Body
- Successful completion of post-basic dysphagia course and completed & documented competencies from in-house dysphagia training
- Studied at Masters level or equivalent
- Training in instrumental assessment (eg FEES/Videofluroscopy/Nasendoscopy
KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE
Essential criteria- Recent experience demonstrating ability to assess, treat and evaluate therapy intervention in adults with communication and swallowing disorders.
- Good Clinical Reasoning skills
- Evidence of CPD, self-directed learning and Reflective Practice
- Awareness of relevant Legislation, NSF’S/ Local and National initiatives
- Understanding of Clinical Governance
- Critical Appraisal Skills
- Ability to maintain legible and accurate records
- Knowledge of relevant legislation, NSF’s and local/National initiatives
- Evidence of recent experience of working with adults with complex needs
- Post graduate training in specialist area, e.g. attendance at CENs in dysphagia, motor speech disorders, aphasia.
- Ability to carry out specialist assessments and treatments and evaluate intervention in terms of quality and outcomes.
- Evidence of up to date best practice
- Ability to organise, prioritise and delegate appropriately
- Experience of developing others
- Experience in dealing with complaints (e.g. diffusing complaint or investigating complaint)
- Experience in supervising and training others
- Carrying out PDR’s
- Teaching/Presentation skills
- Attendance at relevant Special Interest Groups
- Relevant Accredited Postgraduate Training
- Experience of delivering training packages
- Previous experience working at Band 6 level
COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS (INCLUDING MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES)
Essential criteria- Demonstrates positive attitude and behaviours
- Excellent Time Management skills
- Ability to identify and articulate own training needs
- Self motivated with ability to work independently and influence others
- Excellent Team Player
- Ability to work in a stressful environment and concentrate in conditions requiring emotional demands
- Ability to recognise own limitations and have a willingness to share and learn skills from others
- Ability to prioritise own and others caseloads
- Ability to make decisions and problem solve when dealing with routine situations
We take pride in the diversity of our workforce that’s why we encourage applications from all. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants.
Please ensure your application is submitted with referees who can verify your employment/education history over the last three years and include valid email addresses for them. We will request electronic Factual Employment References from your previous employers.These references will be requested before you are issued with an unconditional offer of employment letter.
If you are appointed to a post, information will also be transferred into the NHS Electronic Staff Records system. The Inter-Authority Transfer (IAT) process is a critical and beneficial component of ESR and following interview your previous NHS employment data, if applicable will be transferred from your current / most recent employer.
You may be required to undertake a DBS. The Trust will administer the DBS check on your behalf and will recover the cost (Enhanced £54.40, Standard £26.40 or Basic £26.40) from your salary when you commence in post (including Internal staff).You will also be required to participate in the DBS Update Service and pay the £16 cost per year. This is a condition of your employment.
CHFT is part of the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), a collaborative of the NHS hospital trusts from across West Yorkshire and Harrogate working together to provide the best possible care for our patients.
If you have any questions please contact [email protected] for assistance.