Job summary
We are looking for a highly motivated and self-driven Major Trauma (MT) and Hyper-Acute Rehabilitation Team (HART) Practitioner - Band 6 Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to support both Major Trauma and Neurosciences patients requiring Specialist Rehabilitation (Category A and B rehabilitation needs). This is an exciting opportunity to work as part of a newly developed highly specialist therapy team working closely with Consultants in Rehabilitation Medicine, alongside Trauma & Orthopaedic and Neurosurgery speciality teams. Within your caseload, you will assess and deliver specialist rehabilitation, as well as contributing to individualised Rehabilitation Prescriptions. You will be delivering hands on specialist therapy alongside having an integral role, developing the service, and implementing best practice and quality improvement initiatives.
The successful candidate will need to be open to support occasional weekend working suits the service develop to meet that requirement.
Please check your emails if you receive notification of being successful for interview.
Main duties of the job
Working amongst a team of specialist multi-disciplinary therapists and medical professionals to assess and deliver rehabilitation for Neurosurgical and polytrauma patients with complex needs. This includes patients with musculoskeletal injuries, spinal cord injuries and all acquired brain injuries.
The role involves hands on therapy alongside development of bespoke Rehabilitation Prescriptions, Key Working Major Trauma patients and contributing to service delivery projects. The post holders will support the Major Trauma Service with achieving key performance indicators.
About us
North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff providing healthcare to the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset from our award-winning Brunel building at Southmead Hospital. We are the regional Major Trauma Centre, and an internationally recognised centre of excellence in a range of services and major specialities. Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.
We commit to treating each patient as an individual with respect and dignity, aiming to deliver excellent clinical outcomes and a first-class experience for everyone who uses our services.
North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti-discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.
Situated in the vibrant city of Bristol is our award-winning building opened in 2014, offering exceptional facilities for patients and staff alike.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide specialist speech and language therapy (SLT) assessment, diagnosis and treatment to adults with communication and swallowing difficulties following stroke, neurosurgical, acquired neurological and medical disorders.
- Be an integral part of the Major Trauma and HART service, providing cover Monday Friday but this may evolve to cover (on a rota) 7 days a week within the day.
- Support a high standard of care and management of major trauma and selected neurosurgical patients through care co-ordination; promoting excellent care throughout the patient journey by providing specialist advice and treatment working with the MDT.
- Provide a key worker service to selected patients and families during and after hospital stay. This includes education of the rehabilitation management of traumatic injuries, signposting to services and providing psychological screening.
- Complete rehabilitation prescriptions (RP) within national service specification timescales.
- To take part in service development, research and evaluation of the major trauma and HART services.
- Work with the TARN & UKROC data coordinators to provide accurate, timely data required for TARN & UKROC submissions.
- Be a positive role model and display a positive attitude within the division, trust, network and wider services.
- Engage in regular CPD/training opportunities made available by MT service.
- To develop competencies in and take part in Videofluoroscopy (VFS), Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation (FEES) assessments and management of patients with tracheostomies.
- Liaise with the multidisciplinary team, relevant primary care professionals and agencies as appropriate.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide specialist speech and language therapy (SLT) assessment, diagnosis and treatment to adults with communication and swallowing difficulties following stroke, neurosurgical, acquired neurological and medical disorders.
- Be an integral part of the Major Trauma and HART service, providing cover Monday Friday but this may evolve to cover (on a rota) 7 days a week within the day.
- Support a high standard of care and management of major trauma and selected neurosurgical patients through care co-ordination; promoting excellent care throughout the patient journey by providing specialist advice and treatment working with the MDT.
- Provide a key worker service to selected patients and families during and after hospital stay. This includes education of the rehabilitation management of traumatic injuries, signposting to services and providing psychological screening.
- Complete rehabilitation prescriptions (RP) within national service specification timescales.
- To take part in service development, research and evaluation of the major trauma and HART services.
- Work with the TARN & UKROC data coordinators to provide accurate, timely data required for TARN & UKROC submissions.
- Be a positive role model and display a positive attitude within the division, trust, network and wider services.
- Engage in regular CPD/training opportunities made available by MT service.
- To develop competencies in and take part in Videofluoroscopy (VFS), Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation (FEES) assessments and management of patients with tracheostomies.
- Liaise with the multidisciplinary team, relevant primary care professionals and agencies as appropriate.
Person Specification
Education/Training/Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised RCSLT degree level qualification
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Licence to Practise
- Completion of post-basic dysphagia training and aphasia training
Desirable
- Advanced therapy practice evidence
Work Experience
Essential
- Relevant post-registration experience included working with traumatically injured patients (e.g. ICU, Neurosurgery or Trauma and Orthopaedics) and adults with communication and swallowing difficulties related to stroke and acquired neurological disease and injury.
- Experience of co-ordinating care for patients with traumatic injuries and / or specialist rehabilitation needs
- Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team
- Experience of complex discharge planning
- Mentoring experience
Desirable
- Experience of working in critical care or a high dependency unit with patients with tracheostomies
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities
Essential
- Excellent time management and organisational skills including independent prioritisation of workload with consideration to team pressures
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with ability to demonstrate fluency, clarity and effectiveness
- Awareness of the role of specialist videofluoroscopy and FEES examination in relation to management of patients with swallowing disorders
- Excellent MDT worker to include interdisciplinary goal setting
- Knowledge of communication and swallowing disorders in stroke, acquired neurology and medical conditions underpinned by current evidence-based practice
Desirable
- Proven track record in delivering quality improvement projects using audit and research
Personal Qualities/Special Circumstances
Essential
- Strong personal resilience to cope with high level of varied demands
Person Specification
Education/Training/Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised RCSLT degree level qualification
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Licence to Practise
- Completion of post-basic dysphagia training and aphasia training
Desirable
- Advanced therapy practice evidence
Work Experience
Essential
- Relevant post-registration experience included working with traumatically injured patients (e.g. ICU, Neurosurgery or Trauma and Orthopaedics) and adults with communication and swallowing difficulties related to stroke and acquired neurological disease and injury.
- Experience of co-ordinating care for patients with traumatic injuries and / or specialist rehabilitation needs
- Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team
- Experience of complex discharge planning
- Mentoring experience
Desirable
- Experience of working in critical care or a high dependency unit with patients with tracheostomies
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities
Essential
- Excellent time management and organisational skills including independent prioritisation of workload with consideration to team pressures
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with ability to demonstrate fluency, clarity and effectiveness
- Awareness of the role of specialist videofluoroscopy and FEES examination in relation to management of patients with swallowing disorders
- Excellent MDT worker to include interdisciplinary goal setting
- Knowledge of communication and swallowing disorders in stroke, acquired neurology and medical conditions underpinned by current evidence-based practice
Desirable
- Proven track record in delivering quality improvement projects using audit and research
Personal Qualities/Special Circumstances
Essential
- Strong personal resilience to cope with high level of varied demands
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
