Job summary
We are looking for an energetic, self-motivated Speech and Language Therapists (SLT) to join us for rotational posts across William Harvey Hospital and Kent and Canterbury Hospital. This is an excellent opportunity to experience multiple specialty areas including stroke, acute neurology, critical care, acute medical and trauma and orthopaedics in a multi-site Trust. If you are you enthusiastic, dynamic and motivated, then we would love you to join our team at East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust!
Main duties of the job
This is an excellent opportunity to join a motivated and progressive SLT service who are continuously striving towards best-practice care. We routinely carry out FEES and videofluoroscopy and training for communication and swallowing.
We are dedicated to learning and passionate about improving our service. As such we provide training opportunities to meet your learning needs. We have on-going quality improvement projects and are open to ideas in your clinical speciality.
This role has been identified as working in an area where there is a high likelihood of COVID encounters and will therefore be subject to additional pre-employment occupational health checks in the interest of health & safety. You will be given training and support in the appropriate use of Personal Protective Equipment and Infection Control Procedures.
About us
The organisation is currently launching its new improvement focus in the form of an improvement system called We Care. The We Care System is a fundamentally new model that the organisation will be shifting to, it champions empowerment, promotes innovation and will bolster the connection and collaboration of staff throughout the organisation.
The We Care System utilises a multi-layered approach to improvement allowing staff to develop and produce a variety of ideas to combat the issues and problems that have been identified. The system allows for the deployment of:
- Strategic Initiatives which are long term projects and focus led and driven by our executive
- Trust Priority Improvement Projects which are short term projects allocated to a range of project teams made up from our staff groups focusing on impacting our True North metrics and breakthrough objectives
- Ward Based OMS which delivers daily management and continuous improvement on the frontline
Job description
Job responsibilities
Our Therapy service is a dynamic and exciting team that works across our three main site at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate and Kent and Canterbury Hospital in Canterbury, as well as supporting patients across our satellite sites.
We form part of close MDT working on all the wards and the therapy team are key team members in the rehabilitation of patients and discharge planning. We firmly believe that developing our staff is key to success; we have a dynamic and progressive training and development ethos, providing excellent opportunities to enhance your knowledge and competencies, nurturing your personal and professional development by encouraging and supporting you to reach your full potential. We currently have therapy staff studying to be Advanced Practitioners, and as the organisation is moving towards a skills based workforce the future opportunities are endless.
- To provide rotational Specialist Speech and Language Therapy Service to the acute inpatient wards and neurology at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital / William Harvey Hospital, and ITU at the William Harvey Hospital.
- To provide specialist assessment, treatment and rehabilitation to patients who may have complex and or chronic conditions utilising current evidence based practice to interpret and analyse clinical and non-clinical information to form accurate diagnoses and prognoses; developing comprehensive management and treatment plans.
- To help and advise colleagues, other members of the MDT, relatives and carers on the best course of intervention, including discharge planning.
- To be responsible for managing a clinical caseload of patients, maintaining accurate records of work. To work as an autonomous practitioner with access to expert advice and support from more experienced clinicians as required.
- To assist in the supervision and training of more junior members of staff and students on a daily basis.
- To input into the Videofluoroscopy clinic and FEES service as required and as competencies allow.
- To work flexibly within the Speech and Language Therapy Department, working across site or within other areas when required to do so.
- To work collaboratively with other agencies as part of a multidisciplinary/multiagency team, to ensure effective service provision.
Please scroll down to access the full Job Description and Person Specification located in 'supporting documents'.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Our Therapy service is a dynamic and exciting team that works across our three main site at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate and Kent and Canterbury Hospital in Canterbury, as well as supporting patients across our satellite sites.
We form part of close MDT working on all the wards and the therapy team are key team members in the rehabilitation of patients and discharge planning. We firmly believe that developing our staff is key to success; we have a dynamic and progressive training and development ethos, providing excellent opportunities to enhance your knowledge and competencies, nurturing your personal and professional development by encouraging and supporting you to reach your full potential. We currently have therapy staff studying to be Advanced Practitioners, and as the organisation is moving towards a skills based workforce the future opportunities are endless.
- To provide rotational Specialist Speech and Language Therapy Service to the acute inpatient wards and neurology at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital / William Harvey Hospital, and ITU at the William Harvey Hospital.
- To provide specialist assessment, treatment and rehabilitation to patients who may have complex and or chronic conditions utilising current evidence based practice to interpret and analyse clinical and non-clinical information to form accurate diagnoses and prognoses; developing comprehensive management and treatment plans.
- To help and advise colleagues, other members of the MDT, relatives and carers on the best course of intervention, including discharge planning.
- To be responsible for managing a clinical caseload of patients, maintaining accurate records of work. To work as an autonomous practitioner with access to expert advice and support from more experienced clinicians as required.
- To assist in the supervision and training of more junior members of staff and students on a daily basis.
- To input into the Videofluoroscopy clinic and FEES service as required and as competencies allow.
- To work flexibly within the Speech and Language Therapy Department, working across site or within other areas when required to do so.
- To work collaboratively with other agencies as part of a multidisciplinary/multiagency team, to ensure effective service provision.
Please scroll down to access the full Job Description and Person Specification located in 'supporting documents'.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Independently able to manage a busy caseload.
- Independent in the field of dysphagia.
- Experience within specialist area of adults with acquired communication and swallowing disorders
- Experience of delivering training.
Desirable
- Experience of working within an acute hospital setting
- Experience of videofluoroscopy/FEES
- Membership of relevant CENs
Knowledge
Essential
- Broad knowledge of a range of assessment tools relevant to the patient group
- Knowledge of national policies and procedures (relevant to acute setting)
- Evidence based knowledge of a wide variety of treatment techniques and strategies relevant adult acquired communication and swallowing disorders
- Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance/audit.
- Understanding of the roles of other professionals relevant to role
- Knowledge of standards of record keeping
Skills
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and counselling skills, including observation, listening and empathy skills.
- Highly skilled negotiating and problem solving skills.
- Demonstrates excellent analytical and reflection skills.
- Developing skills in specialist dysphagia management
- Developing specialist skills in the assessment and treatment of complex communication difficulties.
- High levels of verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
- Excellent presentation skills, both verbal and non-verbal.
- Basic IT skills
- Willingness and ability to be a good team member.
- Excellent organisational skills.
- Good auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically.
- Ability to manage difficult, complex situations and seek support if necessary
Desirable
- Competencies in videofluoroscopy
- Competencies in FEES
- Competencies in tracheostomy
Qualifications
Essential
- Hold a diploma/degree in Speech and Language Therapy with appropriate HCPC registration
- Evidence of completion of post graduate RCSLT Dysphagia Competencies/or equivalent
- Registered member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT).
Other
Essential
- Upholds and models the Trust values.
- Ability to travel independently between sites as required by the service
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Independently able to manage a busy caseload.
- Independent in the field of dysphagia.
- Experience within specialist area of adults with acquired communication and swallowing disorders
- Experience of delivering training.
Desirable
- Experience of working within an acute hospital setting
- Experience of videofluoroscopy/FEES
- Membership of relevant CENs
Knowledge
Essential
- Broad knowledge of a range of assessment tools relevant to the patient group
- Knowledge of national policies and procedures (relevant to acute setting)
- Evidence based knowledge of a wide variety of treatment techniques and strategies relevant adult acquired communication and swallowing disorders
- Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance/audit.
- Understanding of the roles of other professionals relevant to role
- Knowledge of standards of record keeping
Skills
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and counselling skills, including observation, listening and empathy skills.
- Highly skilled negotiating and problem solving skills.
- Demonstrates excellent analytical and reflection skills.
- Developing skills in specialist dysphagia management
- Developing specialist skills in the assessment and treatment of complex communication difficulties.
- High levels of verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
- Excellent presentation skills, both verbal and non-verbal.
- Basic IT skills
- Willingness and ability to be a good team member.
- Excellent organisational skills.
- Good auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically.
- Ability to manage difficult, complex situations and seek support if necessary
Desirable
- Competencies in videofluoroscopy
- Competencies in FEES
- Competencies in tracheostomy
Qualifications
Essential
- Hold a diploma/degree in Speech and Language Therapy with appropriate HCPC registration
- Evidence of completion of post graduate RCSLT Dysphagia Competencies/or equivalent
- Registered member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT).
Other
Essential
- Upholds and models the Trust values.
- Ability to travel independently between sites as required by the service
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
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).
