Job summary
We are currently looking to recruit a highly motivated and enthusiastic Band 8a Professional and operational lead for Speech and Language Therapy within our service. This post will be a full-time opportunity on a permanent basis. The base of the post is Ashworth High Secure Service, Maghull in Merseyside. This is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference in the on-going development of Speech & Language Therapy provision within new models of care across our services.
Main duties of the job
The Division provides specialist services to adults who have a learning disability or mental health diagnosis across inpatient high secure services, medium secure services, low secure services and community forensic and non-forensic settings. We are developing new services and support for people within inpatient and community settings and the successful candidate will be motivated to develop innovative ways of working ensuring evidence based and outcome focused service delivery to improve people's quality of life.
The post holder will provide operational management for the secure areas and professional leadership to Speech & Language Therapists across our LD community services in Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside and will hold a caseload agreed on clinical need. It is essential that you have an interest in working with individuals with mental health and learning disabilities within secure and non-secure inpatient and community services and have skills and experience in dysphagia and communication.
About us
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.
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.
Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.
Job description
Job responsibilities
We are looking for people who share our core values of Continuous Improvement, Accountability, Respect, Enthusiasm and Support to work within our Secure and Specialist Learning Disability Division. The role covers a range of settings including:
- Ashworth High Secure Hospital
- HMP Liverpool
- Rowan View purpose built medium secure hospital
- Community Learning Disability Services
- Specialist Support Teams
As the Principle Speech and Language Therapist you will be responsible for managing a clinical caseload as the needs of the service dictates; along with providing support and supervision for the wider services within the division. The role will include strategically leading the divisions Speech and Language Therapy workforce and supporting the implementation of AHP clinical strategies.
The post-holder will provide clinical leadership and management for the Speech and Language Therapy Resource for people aged 18+ including assessing, developing and implementing Expert Speech and Language Therapy treatment and evaluating outcomes in relation to dysphagia andcommunication.
The post-holder will be accountable for the delivery of the service, ensuring that the service is effective and well co-ordinated. They will manage and prioritise a highly complex and specialist caseload and workload independently and use expert knowledge to inform sound clinicaljudgement/ decision making in the absence of a precedent. They will provide expert advice / second opinions to Speech and Language Therapists and other Professionals in areas of expertise.
The post-holder will ensure the delivery of the quality strategy within the designated area incorporating establishment of systems and processes.
They will be flexible to the demands of the environment including unpredictable work patterns,deadlines and frequent interruptions
Job description
Job responsibilities
We are looking for people who share our core values of Continuous Improvement, Accountability, Respect, Enthusiasm and Support to work within our Secure and Specialist Learning Disability Division. The role covers a range of settings including:
- Ashworth High Secure Hospital
- HMP Liverpool
- Rowan View purpose built medium secure hospital
- Community Learning Disability Services
- Specialist Support Teams
As the Principle Speech and Language Therapist you will be responsible for managing a clinical caseload as the needs of the service dictates; along with providing support and supervision for the wider services within the division. The role will include strategically leading the divisions Speech and Language Therapy workforce and supporting the implementation of AHP clinical strategies.
The post-holder will provide clinical leadership and management for the Speech and Language Therapy Resource for people aged 18+ including assessing, developing and implementing Expert Speech and Language Therapy treatment and evaluating outcomes in relation to dysphagia andcommunication.
The post-holder will be accountable for the delivery of the service, ensuring that the service is effective and well co-ordinated. They will manage and prioritise a highly complex and specialist caseload and workload independently and use expert knowledge to inform sound clinicaljudgement/ decision making in the absence of a precedent. They will provide expert advice / second opinions to Speech and Language Therapists and other Professionals in areas of expertise.
The post-holder will ensure the delivery of the quality strategy within the designated area incorporating establishment of systems and processes.
They will be flexible to the demands of the environment including unpredictable work patterns,deadlines and frequent interruptions
Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
- Health Care Professions Council licence to practice
- Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy
- Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses up to Master's degree equivalent.
Desirable
- Member of Special interest group
- Advanced Certificate in Dysphagia
KNOWLEDGE /EXPERIENCE:
Essential
- Extensive relevant experience at postgraduate level
- Relevant advanced experience post qualification in specialist field
- Demonstrated extensive community working experience in highly specialist clinical role
- Experience of supervising less experienced staff
- Well-established knowledge of a broad range of assessment tools relevant to the specialist client group
- In depth knowledge of clinical governance / audit
- Understanding of the roles of other professionals working in the field
- Knowledge of standards of record keeping
- Advanced knowledge of trends / best practice with the clinical specialism
- Knowledge of strategic direction of local organisation
Desirable
- Experience of advising / providing second opinions
- Experience of developing case management skills in less experienced staff
- Experience of undertaking appraisal and planning CPD for less experienced staff
VALUES
Essential
- Continuous Improvement
- Accountability
- Respectfulness
- Enthusiasm
- Supports
- o Responsive to service users
- Engaging leadership style
- Strong customer service belief
- Transparency and honesty
- Discrete
SKILLS
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills - including observation, listening and empathy skills
- Demonstrates ability to be a good team player and assume leadership responsibilities
- The ability to lead on projects
- Excellent presentation skills, written and verbal
- The post-holder must be able to transport themselves around the community
- This post involves light physical effort, as a frequent requirement, several short periods during a shift
- The post-holder will maintain highly intense concentration in all aspects of patient management for prolonged periods. There may be unpredictable work patterns, deadlines and frequent interruptions
- Well-developed concentration skills.
- Excellent organisational skills
- Prioritisation skills
- The ability to translate policy into practice
- Advanced negotiation and problem solving skills
- Demonstrates excellent analytical and reflection skills
- Understanding the impact of local culture, linguistic and demographic factors which influence service delivery in own clinical area of specialism
- Frequent exposure to highly distressing circumstances
Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
- Health Care Professions Council licence to practice
- Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy
- Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses up to Master's degree equivalent.
Desirable
- Member of Special interest group
- Advanced Certificate in Dysphagia
KNOWLEDGE /EXPERIENCE:
Essential
- Extensive relevant experience at postgraduate level
- Relevant advanced experience post qualification in specialist field
- Demonstrated extensive community working experience in highly specialist clinical role
- Experience of supervising less experienced staff
- Well-established knowledge of a broad range of assessment tools relevant to the specialist client group
- In depth knowledge of clinical governance / audit
- Understanding of the roles of other professionals working in the field
- Knowledge of standards of record keeping
- Advanced knowledge of trends / best practice with the clinical specialism
- Knowledge of strategic direction of local organisation
Desirable
- Experience of advising / providing second opinions
- Experience of developing case management skills in less experienced staff
- Experience of undertaking appraisal and planning CPD for less experienced staff
VALUES
Essential
- Continuous Improvement
- Accountability
- Respectfulness
- Enthusiasm
- Supports
- o Responsive to service users
- Engaging leadership style
- Strong customer service belief
- Transparency and honesty
- Discrete
SKILLS
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills - including observation, listening and empathy skills
- Demonstrates ability to be a good team player and assume leadership responsibilities
- The ability to lead on projects
- Excellent presentation skills, written and verbal
- The post-holder must be able to transport themselves around the community
- This post involves light physical effort, as a frequent requirement, several short periods during a shift
- The post-holder will maintain highly intense concentration in all aspects of patient management for prolonged periods. There may be unpredictable work patterns, deadlines and frequent interruptions
- Well-developed concentration skills.
- Excellent organisational skills
- Prioritisation skills
- The ability to translate policy into practice
- Advanced negotiation and problem solving skills
- Demonstrates excellent analytical and reflection skills
- Understanding the impact of local culture, linguistic and demographic factors which influence service delivery in own clinical area of specialism
- Frequent exposure to highly distressing circumstances
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
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).
