Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Title: Specialist Speech and Language Therapist Community Neurorehabilitation

Location: Community-based eg home visits, remote support

Hours: Based on the clients individual funding

Reports to: Totus Neurorehabilitation Ltd Directors

Accountable to: Totus Neurorehabilitation Ltd Directors

The post holder will have their working base at home and will provide Speech and Language assessment and rehabilitation services to clients with acquired and traumatic brain injury, and neurological conditions, in the clients own homes, in the community, or at a designated clinic room. The post holder will work in an interservice context across several systems including the patient and family, case managers, legal services, allied health professionals both within and external to Totus, and with the NHS and statutory services. The post holder will be supported by the Totus Neurorehabilitation Ltd Directors to provide a comprehensive and specialist Speech and Language Therapy service to adults with acquired neurological conditions e.g., stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinsons disease, as part of a community-based multidisciplinary team. The post holder will work autonomously to assess, diagnose, and manage individuals with communication and/or swallowing difficulties, contributing to holistic, goal-focused rehabilitation plans.

The post holder is required to hold a degree in Speech and Language Therapy.

The post holder must be registered as a Speech and Language Therapist with the Health Care Professions Council and be a member of RCSLT.

The post holder must undertake the mandatory Continuing Professional Development hours specified by the RCSLT/HCPC, and must seek and obtain supervision from senior professional colleagues, in order to maintain advanced specialist skills.

Manage a defined caseload of adults with complex speech, language, communication, and swallowing needs.

Conduct detailed and specialist assessments using formal and informal tools.

Develop and deliver personalised, evidence-based treatment plans.

Evaluate outcomes using recognised measures and adjust therapy accordingly.

Provide therapy in a range of settings including clients own home, residential settings and remotely.

Support clients and families with communication strategies and dysphagia management.

Complete risk assessments and ensure appropriate safety measures are in place.

Provide education to clients, family members and care teams on the clients needs and strategies.

Write comprehensive and detailed reports to summarise needs and treatment progress.

Write comprehensive and detailed goal plans alongside the MDT.

Skills in communicating sensitive and distressing information to patients and families are required.

The capacity to summarise and interpret highly complex and sensitive data and write concise, accurate and readily understood reports and file notes that communicate the findings of the assessment and treatment progress.

IT skills to use the internet, Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access, Gmail, library / literature search engines, and cloud based software.

Contribute to regular MDT case reviews and collaborative goal setting.

Work collaboratively with OTs, PTs, Psychologists, dieticians, Case Managers, Carers and Support Workers.

Liaise with GPs, case managers, social care teams, families, carers, and other external agencies.

Offer advice and second opinions on complex cases within scope of competence.

Deliver training to MDT colleagues and external stakeholders when appropriate.

Participate in peer review, clinical supervision, and reflective practice.

Ensure all practice complies with professional guidelines.

Maintain high-quality, accurate clinical records in line with HCPC and RCSLT standards.

Participate in data collection for quality improvement.

Notify the Totus Directors on the requirement and development of clinical protocols and pathways.

Follow all clinical policies including safeguarding, risk, and infection control policies.

Identify and report risks or safeguarding concerns appropriately.

Clients and their families/carers

Multidisciplinary team e.g., OTs, PTs, Psychologists, Nurses

GPs, community services, social care, Case Managers, Solicitors, and voluntary agencies

The post holder will work primarily from home, but will be required to visit patients homes to conduct assessment and interventions. Clinic rooms may also be utilised as appropriate.

The post holder will be required to drive for up to 1.5 hours at a time, and often up to 4 hours in a day.

There is a frequent requirement for VDU and computer use, of varying times depending on the demands on the service.

The post holder is required to concentrate intensely for prolonged periods during individual assessment and family interviews, sometimes with challenging and emotional individuals on a one-to-one basis.

There may be some patients requiring assessment who are confused and agitated, potentially aggressive.

Recognised SLT degree and HCPC registration

Evidence of post-qualification experience in adult neurology and dysphagia

Skilled in delivering complex assessments and interventions

Ability to work independently while contributing to a team approach

Strong communication, organisation, and clinical reasoning skills

Commitment to CPD, supervision, and reflective practice

It is the duty of every therapist to work in such a way that accidents to themselves and to others are avoided, and to co-operate in maintaining their place of work in a tidy and safe condition, thereby minimising risk. It is each persons responsibility to ensure a secure environment and bring any breaches of security to the attention of the Totus Directors.

Totus Neurorehabilitation Ltd operates a Non-Smoking Policy which limits smoking in the workplace. Therapists are required to observe the rules laid down in the policy and failure to do so may result in disciplinary being taken.

Totus Neurorehabilitation Ltd has given its full commitment to the adoption and promotion of the key principles of equal opportunities contained within current legislation and the Totus Equal Opportunities Policy.

All staff hold personal responsibility for the application of this policy on a day-to-day basis and should not undertake any acts of discriminatory practice during the course of their employment. Similarly, all staff have a responsibility to highlight any potentially discriminatory practice to the Directors and their supervisors.

In the course of your duties you may have access to confidential material about patients, members of staff or other health service business. On no account must information relating to identifiable patients be divulged to anyone other than authorised persons, for example, medical, nursing or other professional staff, as appropriate, who are concerned directly with the care, diagnosis and /or treatment of the patient. If you are in any doubt whatsoever as to the authority of a person or body asking for information of this nature, you must seek advice from the Totus Directors. Similarly, no information of a personal or confidential nature concerning individual members of staff should be divulged to anyone without the proper authority having first been given. Failure to observe these rules will be regarded by management as serious or gross misconduct which could result in disciplinary action being taken against you.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Recognised Degree in Speech and Language Therapy
• HCPC registration as a Speech and Language Therapist
• Member of RCSLT

Desirable

• Completion of advanced post-registration training e.g., dysphagia, AAC
• Participation in relevant Special Interest Groups

Experience

Essential

• Post-qualification experience working with adults with acquired neurological conditions
• Experience managing a caseload independently
• Experience with swallowing assessments and management
• Multidisciplinary team working

Desirable

• Experience working in community neurorehabilitation settings
• Delivery of training to other professionals or carers

Knowledge, skills and abilities

Essential

• Detailed knowledge of communication and swallowing disorders in neurological populations
• Ability to plan and deliver specialist SLT interventions independently
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Effective time management and caseload prioritisation skills
• Awareness of safeguarding, consent, and capacity legislation

Desirable

• Understanding of cognitive-communication disorders
• Use of outcome measures and goal-setting frameworks e.g., GAS, TOMs
• Familiarity with Qunote or other digital clinical records systems
• Participation in clinical audits or evaluation work
• IT skills and use of digital communication tools in therapy

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Compassionate and client-centred approach
• Reflective, motivated, and committed to learning
• Ability to work autonomously and within a multidisciplinary team
• Professional resilience in emotionally challenging work
• Car owner or access to independent transport and valid driving license for community visits
• Willingness to travel across regions if necessary for patient home visits or meetings
• The post holder must have indemnity insurance, a valid DBS certificate and registration with ICO.

Desirable

• Willingness to adapt to flexible working patterns across localities
• Experience working with clients from diverse backgrounds
• Engagement in peer supervision or professional networks

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Totus Neurorehabilitation Ltd

Address

Homebased working and community visits

Norwich and Surrounding areas

East Anglia

NR1 1JE

Employer's website

https://totusrehab.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)