Job summary
Thanks to internal promotion we are looking for a Band 6 Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join our small and supportive team in South Sefton. If you are looking for a post working with adults, which gives variety and room to develop your specialist skills across a broad range of diagnoses, with support from experienced and specialist colleagues and in a range of community settings, this could be the post for you. This is a part-time post and the post-holder would work in the community, operating from a central base at Netherton Health Centre in Bootle.
Our Speech & Language Therapists work with adults who have communication and/or swallowing difficulties. We work remotely where it is beneficial but also use our base to see patients and hold line management and supervision sessions. We value CPD and carry out robust clinical supervision and appraisals to encourage therapists' specialist interests and innovation. The team has Assistant Practitioners who provide treatment plans and training plus support around AAC. The team is led by clinical managers who are Speech and Language Therapists and we have excellent AHP support within Mersey Care leadership.
This post would suit someone who is looking to develop their skills within a community setting or perhaps someone who is interested in broadening their clinical skills with a more varied caseload. There is an expectation that the post-holder will manage a dysphagia caseload.
Main duties of the job
The postholder would be responsible for independently managing their own caseload of people who have communication and/or swallowing difficulties.
Successful applicants will have proven experience in the management of long-term conditions including neurological conditions, dementia and COPD. They will have experience of delivering care in a community context.
The postholder may be involved in supervising assistants and as practice education facilitator for students on placement within the team. they may also be involved in projects and innovations within the team.
All Band 6 staff take part in regular clinical supervision, group case discussion sessions and line management one-to-ones monthly.
They would be based on the community so would need to be able to transport themselves around the city delivering care to patients.
About us
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental healthservices in the North West, serving more than 11 million people.
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For full details of the job description and person specification, please refer to the documents attached to this vacancy.
Job Purpose:
To manage and prioritise a caseload of adults with congenital and acquired neurological and long-term conditions resulting in swallowing and communication difficulties.
To work collaboratively with clients, their carers and other agencies involved with their care, in a range of community settings, such as their home, nursing homes and community day centres as appropriate.
To use skilled assessment and therapy procedures in relation to communication and swallowing difficulties.
To provide specialised written reports/ advice and verbal advice.
To use skilled procedures to assess adults who have problems eating, drinking and swallowing (Dysphagia) and to provide advice and strategies on managing and improving these skills, including referral for further medical investigation where needed.
To provide specialist advice and guidance around implementing low-tech communication systems, such as symbol or switch based systems and if needed referrals made to specialist agencies in this field.
Ensure the delivery of the quality strategy within the designated area incorporating establishment of systems and processes.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For full details of the job description and person specification, please refer to the documents attached to this vacancy.
Job Purpose:
To manage and prioritise a caseload of adults with congenital and acquired neurological and long-term conditions resulting in swallowing and communication difficulties.
To work collaboratively with clients, their carers and other agencies involved with their care, in a range of community settings, such as their home, nursing homes and community day centres as appropriate.
To use skilled assessment and therapy procedures in relation to communication and swallowing difficulties.
To provide specialised written reports/ advice and verbal advice.
To use skilled procedures to assess adults who have problems eating, drinking and swallowing (Dysphagia) and to provide advice and strategies on managing and improving these skills, including referral for further medical investigation where needed.
To provide specialist advice and guidance around implementing low-tech communication systems, such as symbol or switch based systems and if needed referrals made to specialist agencies in this field.
Ensure the delivery of the quality strategy within the designated area incorporating establishment of systems and processes.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree qualification or equivalent.
- Health Professional Council - Licence to practice.
- Evidence of successful completion of specialist short Courses
Desirable
- Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy.BC
- Post graduate dysphagia training
- Membership of relevant special interest groups.
Experience
Essential
- Relevant experience at undergraduate /post graduate level
- Proven relevant experience post registration, working as a Speech & Language Therapist.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities
Essential
- Well-established knowledge of assessment tools relevant to the client group
- Well-established knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to the client group.
- Well-established knowledge of a range of appropriate interventions relevant to the client group.
- Understanding of the principles of clinical governance/audit.
- Excellent interpersonal skills - including observation, listening and empathy skills
- Negotiation and problem solving skills.
- Demonstrates good analytical and reflection skills
- Good presentation skills, both written and verbal
- Good organisational skills.
- Prioritisation skills.
- Well-developed concentration skills
- Good auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically.
- Must be able to transport self around the community
- Frequent sitting and standing. Occasional manoeuvring of wheel chairs
- Well-developed concentration skills
- Frequent use of direct negotiation and problem solving skills
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree qualification or equivalent.
- Health Professional Council - Licence to practice.
- Evidence of successful completion of specialist short Courses
Desirable
- Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy.BC
- Post graduate dysphagia training
- Membership of relevant special interest groups.
Experience
Essential
- Relevant experience at undergraduate /post graduate level
- Proven relevant experience post registration, working as a Speech & Language Therapist.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities
Essential
- Well-established knowledge of assessment tools relevant to the client group
- Well-established knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to the client group.
- Well-established knowledge of a range of appropriate interventions relevant to the client group.
- Understanding of the principles of clinical governance/audit.
- Excellent interpersonal skills - including observation, listening and empathy skills
- Negotiation and problem solving skills.
- Demonstrates good analytical and reflection skills
- Good presentation skills, both written and verbal
- Good organisational skills.
- Prioritisation skills.
- Well-developed concentration skills
- Good auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically.
- Must be able to transport self around the community
- Frequent sitting and standing. Occasional manoeuvring of wheel chairs
- Well-developed concentration skills
- Frequent use of direct negotiation and problem solving skills
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
