Job summary
Following a successful pilot of a Band 4 Speech and Language Therapy Assistant (SLTA) role in the acute SLT team in Sheffield we are pleased to be able to offer the role as permanent sessions. It is an exciting environment and you would be working within a supportive and very friendly team of Speech and Language Therapists.
The post is 20.25 hours a week as a permanent position. Discussion about more hours a week on a temporary basis is encouraged, please get in touch. We look to increase the number of permanent hours available for this post following further development in the service.
The successful candidate will be based in the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) service working as members of the acute team working with adult patients on the acute wards who could in one of three hospitals, the Northern General, the Royal Hallamshire and Weston Park.
Main duties of the job
To provide high quality speech and language therapy support to adult patients with swallowing and/or communication difficulties associated with a wide range of conditions under the guidance of the speech and language therapist.
To work within a specified scope of competence with swallowing disordered patients. This will include and equate with Levels 3 and 4 on the Eating, Drinking, Swallowing Competency Framework (EDSCF) of the RCSLT (Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists).
About us
You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all of its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its staff. This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.
The SLT service across both the acute and community teams in STH has approximately 55 staff (47 therapists, 7 assistants and 4 secretarial staff) (41.23wte).
The SLT teams are highly motivated to provide a quality service to their patients, they are research active and embrace innovation. The service has established processes for supervision and supports personal and professional development.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.
When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.
When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Evidence of Foundation Degree Level study (Level 4) or equivalent knowledge/experience
- Functional Skills at Level 2 (Literacy and numeracy/ GCSE grade A-C (4-9) or equivalent in English and Maths)
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience of working in a range of healthcare settings including acute wards, people's own homes and care homes.
- Experience of supporting people with dysphagia
- Experience of communicating with and supporting people with communication difficulties.
- Experience of, and ability to, work as part of a team.
- Ability to relate to the client group/s.
Desirable
- Ability to interpret dysphagia or communication therapy programmes.
- Ability to devise new activities to enable client to reach goals.
- Experience of working with people with long term medical conditions.
- Experience of training other health and social care professionals
- Experience training and supporting carers
Skills
Essential
- Ability to engage successfully in further in-house training in dysphagia in order to gain competence at Levels 3 and 4 on the RCSLT EDSCF. (Eating, drinking and swallowing competency framework.
- Understands the remit and boundaries of Assistant Practitioner role.
- To know where, when and how to obtain information and guidance.
- Able to communicate effectively with carers/ families.
- Understanding of client confidentiality.
- Ability to organise own work
- Ability to cope with change
- Ability to work under own initiative
- Computer literate - including basic software packages e.g. Word processing, Power Point, Excel
- Good communication and interpersonal skills (verbal and written).
Desirable
- Ability to adhere to protocol guided assessment processes.
- Ability to effectively communicate findings of protocol guided assessment and implement appropriate management plans.
- A basic understanding of: o The communication process. o Language disorders. o Non-verbal communication. o Total communication. o Visual support. o High tech systems. o Low tech systems. o Modifying language input
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Evidence of Foundation Degree Level study (Level 4) or equivalent knowledge/experience
- Functional Skills at Level 2 (Literacy and numeracy/ GCSE grade A-C (4-9) or equivalent in English and Maths)
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience of working in a range of healthcare settings including acute wards, people's own homes and care homes.
- Experience of supporting people with dysphagia
- Experience of communicating with and supporting people with communication difficulties.
- Experience of, and ability to, work as part of a team.
- Ability to relate to the client group/s.
Desirable
- Ability to interpret dysphagia or communication therapy programmes.
- Ability to devise new activities to enable client to reach goals.
- Experience of working with people with long term medical conditions.
- Experience of training other health and social care professionals
- Experience training and supporting carers
Skills
Essential
- Ability to engage successfully in further in-house training in dysphagia in order to gain competence at Levels 3 and 4 on the RCSLT EDSCF. (Eating, drinking and swallowing competency framework.
- Understands the remit and boundaries of Assistant Practitioner role.
- To know where, when and how to obtain information and guidance.
- Able to communicate effectively with carers/ families.
- Understanding of client confidentiality.
- Ability to organise own work
- Ability to cope with change
- Ability to work under own initiative
- Computer literate - including basic software packages e.g. Word processing, Power Point, Excel
- Good communication and interpersonal skills (verbal and written).
Desirable
- Ability to adhere to protocol guided assessment processes.
- Ability to effectively communicate findings of protocol guided assessment and implement appropriate management plans.
- A basic understanding of: o The communication process. o Language disorders. o Non-verbal communication. o Total communication. o Visual support. o High tech systems. o Low tech systems. o Modifying language input
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
