Permanent, between 30 and 37.5 hours per week
Role Summary
As a Senior Speech & Language Therapist at STEPS, you will work within our Speech and Language Therapy Team to deliver effective, comprehensive, high-standard assessments and interventions for clients with a range of swallowing and communication impairments secondary to acquired and progressive neurological conditions, including those who have experienced polytrauma. The post holder will also support the support the Lead Speech and Language Therapist in the development of the SLT service, including audit and training of the wider inter-disciplinary team.
While you are carrying out your duties you will be aligned with STEPS values and behaviours at all times.
Benefits
While you are supporting our clients through their journey, STEPS will support you with a fantastic benefits package:
- Free onsite parking for night workers
- Discounted travel pass scheme
- Company sick pay scheme
- Enhanced holiday entitlement of 33 days holiday (pro rata)
- Life assurance scheme (four times your annual salary)
- Private medical cover
- Critical Illness Cover (three times your annual salary)
- Income protection scheme (75% in the case of illness or incapacity for up to five years)
- Paid time to complete mandatory training
- Free specialist internal training
- Cycle to work scheme
- Discounted Gym Memberships
- Blue light card
- Vivup benefits platform
- Access to support 24/7 through our Employee Assistance Programme
- 1% employee pension contribution with 7% employer contribution
Specific Responsibilities
- To hold responsibility for own caseload and a defined area of the service, working without direct supervision.
- To provide specialist speech, language and swallowing assessments and neurorehabilitation as required.
- Contribute to the planning, development and delivery of an effective and efficient service.
- Provide specialist assessment of communication impairments secondary to acquired and progressive neurological conditions including polytrauma using informal and formal assessment measures to contribute to a differential diagnosis.
- Provide specialist assessment of swallowing impairments secondary to a range of pathologies.
- Devise and implement individual rehabilitation plans for our clients with complex acquired communication and swallowing disorders ensuring the interventions are of the highest standard using evidence based practice.
- To assess the need for alternative communications aids and liaise with Communication Aids Centres/appropriate companies for assistance where necessary, to ensure the competent use of any aids by clients and carers.
- To involve clients and carers in the development and delivery of goals within the rehabilitation plan.
- To work closely with other members of the IDT to optimise clients’ outcome.
- To have a responsibility for developing SLT programmes and services for clients. within STEPS, under the guidance of the Lead Speech and Language Therapist.
- To provide advice to clients, their families and relevant staff on the management of dysphagia.
- To refer clients where appropriate to outside agencies on discharge and write discharge reports to ensure continuity of care.
- To be responsible for organizing own caseload to meet service and client priorities regularly balancing client related, professional and organizational demands.
- To undertake duties and responsibilities as defined in the work plan.
- To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of clinical risk within own client caseload.
- To be compliant with the clinical governance requirements operating within STEPS procedures.
- To carry out clinical audits as and when directed.
- To contribute and lead on specific projects related to service delivery e.g. quality programmes, education and training and contributing to the setting and monitoring of practice standards.
- To act upon and escalate issues as required following STEPS guidance and operating procedures.
- To take part in developing and formalising SLT systems and processes in conjunction with the wider interdisciplinary team.
- To ensure accurate recording and monitoring of relevant outcome measures.
- To contribute to the weekend working rota.
This description is an outline which reflects the present requirements of the post and is not intended to be exhaustive list of duties.
Person Specification
Essential
- Degree level qualification in Speech and Language Therapy or equivalent qualification
- Registered with HCPC and RCSLT
- Post-graduate training and experience in dysphagia
- Evidence of postgraduate courses/qualifications within a related specialism
- Relevant clinical experience of working with the client group
- Assessment and management of complex dysphagia
- Knowledge and application of different assessments and therapy approaches for speech, language and communication impairments
- Documented evidence of continuing professional development
- Computer literacy specifically in MS Office
- Experience of working within governance frameworks e.g. clinical systems, data management, complaints, reporting untoward incidents
- Demonstrable experience and working knowledge of GDPR
- Experience of audit functions
- Experience of supervising and supporting junior staff members
- Inclusive and engaging approach to client care
- Confident, enthusiastic and self-motivated
- Excellent problem solving skills
- Excellent communicator both written and verbal/demonstrate excellent listening skills
- Excellent time management and prioritisation skills, with the ability to meet deadlines
- Able to form key working relationships with colleagues, understand the dynamics of interdisciplinary working
- Ability to work independently
- Able to work under pressure
Desirable
- Tracheostomy experience
- Experience of training package development and delivery across relevant subject e.g. data protection / clinical training
- LSVT experience and qualification
- AAC experience
- AMPCare trained
- Experience of working with behaviours that challenge
- Supervision of students
- Experience working in the private sector
- Leadership or supervisory course
- Key trainer/train the trainer qualification
- Experience communicating with external medicolegal professionals
- Experience presenting to an audience, such as at at conference
Application process
First stage: Completion of application form.
Second stage:
- Formal interview including Clinical Director, Head of Therapies & Lead Speech & Language Therapist.
- Completion of a presentation or skill based assessment.
We are committed to ensuring that all job applicants and members of staff are treated equally, without discrimination because of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability or age. Please contact us at work@stepsrehabilitation.co.uk if you require any reasonable adjustments during our application process.
