Job responsibilities
SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Patient Care:
Be professionally & legally responsible
& accountable for all aspects of your own work including the management of
patients in your care. Ensure a high standard of clinical care for patients
under your management and to support more junior staff to do likewise.
To be
accountable for the delivery of a SLT service to acute in-patients referred
with swallowing and/or communication problems.
To
assess, develop and implement Highly Specialist SLT treatment for acute inpatients.
Provide
expert advice to the MDT and patients/families where clinical presentations are
complex, prognoses uncertain or sensitive discussions are required (e.g.
nutrition decisions, end-of-life care).
To be on the SLT rota for
weekly Nutrition MDT meetings and provide thorough handovers for acute
inpatients.
To attend ward rounds, board
rounds, family meetings and team meetings on ASU as required.
To
write reports reflecting highly specialist knowledge.
To
support seamless transition of care across the acute pathway through timely
referrals, liaison with community and Early Supported Discharge teams, and
contribution to discharge planning.
To
provide appropriate specialist intervention and evaluate outcomes.
To
demonstrate good negotiation skills across a range of issues to maximise
functional outcomes for patient in the in-patient setting on ASU.
To
ensure that patients are involved in the planning and prioritisation of their
care plans wherever possible.
To
negotiate with other professionals including doctors, nursing staff and other
allied health professionals around case management in complex cases.
To
adapt practice to meet individual patients circumstances, including due regard
for cultural and linguistic differences as well as emotional and psychological
factors which may affect intervention.
To
demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice and
outcome measures.
To
demonstrate skills in dealing with complex issues to generate appropriate
strategies of caseload management.
To
contribute towards instrumental assessment (Videofluoroscopy and FEES) for
inpatients and outpatients on the wider SLT caseload, in line with competence.
Policy/Service
development:
To take lead of the development of the acute team objectives
or projects in liaison with staff, ensuring services meet national standards.
To negotiate with others around service issues and caseload
management.
To develop care protocols for relevant areas of team
operation.
To regularly review and re-write service policies pertaining
to team working to ensure that they reflect up to date and evidence-based
practice and local/national targets.
To advise the SLT /Dietetic Manager on issues of service
delivery including shortfall, service pressures etc.
To assume delegated tasks as requested by SLT/ Dietetic
Manager including participation in working groups and policy development
groups.
To develop care protocols/packages relation to inpatient
care in liaison with the SLT Manager to improve patient care ensuring that they
reflect up to date and evidenced based practice.
To monitor own and others service delivery on ASU and report
to manager.
To contribute to interagency/multidisciplinary team building
and policy development within acute services.
To adhere to and ensure service and team plans and policies
are implemented.
To use specialist knowledge to inform service/policy
developments as appropriate.
Financial and physical resources:
To
monitor stock levels in own service area and request new equipment as
appropriate.
To
identify and request resources that would be beneficial for patient care and
service development.
To be
responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring
standards of infection control and safety are maintained- including equipment
loaned to patients e.g. communication aids.
Human resources:
Be responsible for own personal development in
order to establish and maintain competence and fitness to practice as a Highly
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist. To maintain a professional
evidence-based portfolio, meeting the requirements of the HCPC.
To
provide leadership for a team of SLTs, Apprentices and assistants working with acute
inpatients.
To
provide regular specialist training on a range of topics including dysphagia,
communication and cognitive linguistic disorders to colleagues.
To
facilitate the development of others problem solving / negotiation skills
within peer supervision.
To
provide supervision, advice and support to more junior SLT, Apprentices,
assistants and volunteers.
Provide
student placements
To
provide second opinions to less experienced colleagues.
To
explain the role of SLT to visitors, students and volunteers.
To
arrange observation and training for students from other professional groups as
appropriate and within team.
To
identify the training needs and develop a training programme for acute
inpatient teams.
To
co-ordinate the development of others within CPD team profile reflecting
organisational priorities.
To
assist in the recruitment of new staff and ensure appropriate induction is
provided.
To
promote reflective practice in SLTs.
To
provide specialist training and presentations in areas of clinical expertise.
Information resources:
To maintain up to date and accurate case notes
in line with RCSLT professional standards and local trust policies.
Maintain
professional standards in line with the RCSLT & HCPC
To share information with
others, observing data protection guidelines.
To gather and update activity
data accurately and regularly, ensuring the provision of such information
promptly within local Trust guidelines.
Research and
development
To participate in and develop
innovations in areas of risk management, quality standards setting and clinical
effectiveness
To
initiate and undertake Research/Clinical Governance /audit projects within area
of expertise
To
represent the team within multi-disciplinary systems of clinical governance
within the Trust.
To
participate in departmental research and clinical governance/audit projects.
To
ensure accurate collection of data for acute Speech and Language Therapy
KNOWLEDGE
AND SKILLS
Communication and
relationship skills
To
contribute to clinical teams both multi-disciplinary and uni-disciplinary by
discussing own and others input around clients needs ensuring a well
co-ordinated care plan.
To
communicate complex condition related information from assessment to clients,
carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions.
To
work closely with clients, carers and families, agreeing decision making
relevant to the patient/client management.
To
demonstrate empathy with clients, carers and families and colleagues, ensuring
that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to
understanding exist.
To demonstrate understanding
of the impact of acute illnesses, swallow/communication impairment, and
hospital admission of patient and family wellbeing.
To demonstrate skills in
motivating clients and /or carers to engage in the therapeutic process.
To demonstrate negotiation
skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations.
To deal with initial
complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible.
To form productive
relationships with others who may be under stress and/or have challenging
communication difficulties.
To
employ excellent communication skills.
Knowledge, training and
experience
To attend specialist short
courses and advanced training in clinical specialist area.
To demonstrate highly
specialist knowledge in clinical specialism underpinned by current
evidence-based practice.
To manage complex and
specialist caseload independently.
To identify personal/professional development evidenced by Personal Development
Plan/ Professional Portfolio developed within an appraisal framework, including
objectives relating to clinical specialism.
To
participate in the development of local clinical guidelines informed by
evidence for clinical specialism.
To
participate in Individual Performance Review ensuring that the objectives set
reflect the Service and Trust plans, including specific objectives relating the
clinical specialism.
To
attend relevant training and development in order to maintain and develop
skills and knowledge required of a highly specialist therapist working in the
field of Stroke and maintain up to date HCPC and RCSLT registration.
To
demonstrate knowledge of, and adhere to RCSLT Professional and Clinical and
National and Local Clinical Guidelines.
To
develop and deliver specialist training (formal and informal) to others in area
of clinical expertise.
To
keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and
maintenance of good practice in Acute Stroke care.
To
provide advice to non-specialists and other specialists/ professionals within
clinical field including alternative and augmentative communication.
To
attend relevant course, meetings and special interest groups.
To
develop a working knowledge of relevant procedures including: Safeguarding
Adults/Children, Mental Capacity Act, Working with Vulnerable Adults and other
legal frameworks.
To
develop a working knowledge of the principles of Clinical Governance and their
application to professional practice.
Analytical and
judgmental skills
To develop the ability to
reflect on auditory, visual and kinaesthetic aspects of clients communication
and to identify appropriate strategies to facilitate and enhance communicative
effectiveness.
To
recognise potential breakdown and conflict when it occurs and seek advice and
support to resolve.
To use
specialist knowledge to inform sound clinical judgements/decision making for
case management, balancing clinical risk with progressing the patients
management and discharge plan.
To
make a differential diagnosis on the basis of evidence from assessment seeking
advice as appropriate.
