Job summary
Following a successful pilot of a Band 4 Speech and Language Therapy Assistant (SLTA) role in the Adult Community Speech and Language Therapy team in Sheffield we are pleased to have been granted ongoing funding for an additional 30 hours per week for the next 2 years. This is an exciting opportunity for someone with relevant experience to join our supportive and very friendly team of Speech and Language Therapists within the community.
The successful candidate will provide high quality speech and language therapy support to adults with swallowing and/or communication difficulties under the guidance of the speech and language therapist working in clients' homes and in residential care homes.
This is a permanent position, and the successful candidate will initially be based in the Adult Community Team for the 2 years for which we currently have funding. If the funding is not secured to continue the position after 2 years within the community team, we will ensure the successful candidate's redeployment to another suitable role within the adult speech and language therapy team, where their knowledge and skills can be utilised.
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. Delivering training to patients, carers and other healthcare providers will also be a key element of this role.
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 68 members of staff (49 therapists, 7 assistants and 4 administration staff) (49.83)
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 or experience
- Functional Skills at Level 2 (Literary and numeracy/GCSE grade 4-9 (A-C) or equivalent in English and maths)
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a healthcare setting
- Experience of supporting people with dysphagia
- Ability to understand dysphagia or communication therapy programmes
- Engaging with people with communication difficulties using strategies to support understanding and facilitating communication
- Experience of supporting people with communication difficulties through specific strategies
- Experience of, and ability to, work as part of a team.
- Experience of training patients and carers
Desirable
- Experience of working in a range of healthcare settings including acute wards, people's own homes and care homes
- 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 of following protocols supporting people with dysphagia.
Skills
Essential
- Training on communication difficulties
- Eating, Drinking, Swallowing Competency Level 1 and 2
- Ability to engage successfully in further training as requested including dysphagia in order to gain competence at Level 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
Desirable
- Eating, Drinking and swallowing competency Level 3
- Courses on dementia awareness
- Awareness of alternative, augmentative communication
- 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 -The communication process -Language disorders -Non-verbal communication -Total communication -Visual support -High tech systems -Low tech systems -Modifying language input
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Ability to organise own work
- Flexibility in approach to changes in service need and the ability to cope.
- Ability to work under own initiative
- Computer literate - including basic software packages e.g. word, excel
- Good communication and interpersonal skills (verbal and written)
- Valid full driving licence and access to a vehicle which can be used for work purposes.
Desirable
- Commitment to continued personal development and reflective practice.
- Knowledge and application of professional standards and code of conduct.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Evidence of Foundation Degree Level study (Level 4) or Equivalent knowledge or experience
- Functional Skills at Level 2 (Literary and numeracy/GCSE grade 4-9 (A-C) or equivalent in English and maths)
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a healthcare setting
- Experience of supporting people with dysphagia
- Ability to understand dysphagia or communication therapy programmes
- Engaging with people with communication difficulties using strategies to support understanding and facilitating communication
- Experience of supporting people with communication difficulties through specific strategies
- Experience of, and ability to, work as part of a team.
- Experience of training patients and carers
Desirable
- Experience of working in a range of healthcare settings including acute wards, people's own homes and care homes
- 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 of following protocols supporting people with dysphagia.
Skills
Essential
- Training on communication difficulties
- Eating, Drinking, Swallowing Competency Level 1 and 2
- Ability to engage successfully in further training as requested including dysphagia in order to gain competence at Level 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
Desirable
- Eating, Drinking and swallowing competency Level 3
- Courses on dementia awareness
- Awareness of alternative, augmentative communication
- 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 -The communication process -Language disorders -Non-verbal communication -Total communication -Visual support -High tech systems -Low tech systems -Modifying language input
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Ability to organise own work
- Flexibility in approach to changes in service need and the ability to cope.
- Ability to work under own initiative
- Computer literate - including basic software packages e.g. word, excel
- Good communication and interpersonal skills (verbal and written)
- Valid full driving licence and access to a vehicle which can be used for work purposes.
Desirable
- Commitment to continued personal development and reflective practice.
- Knowledge and application of professional standards and code of conduct.
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).
