Job summary
The Speech & Language Therapy team are looking for an experienced therapist interested in an exciting career development opportunity. This post offers a fully supported Band 6 role in the acute medical speciality, including surgery, neurology (excluding acute stroke), critical care and videofluoroscopy (VF) as well as community and outpatient work.
The post holder will join a well-established and friendly team who cover a range of specialities and will be offered support to achieve competencies in MBSImP for VF.
- A well-established and growing team dedicated to supporting staff and encouraging career development.
- An individualised two-week induction programme, including mandatory training.
- A supportive clinical supervision and appraisal structure.
- Friendly colleagues with a range of specialist knowledge and expertise, and open to new ideas or perspectives.
- Opportunities for external CPD.
- Regular internal CPD, for example, Neurovision and Dysphagia supervision.
- Access to Videofluoroscopy clinics.
- Involvement in clinical trials such as PHEAST.
- Active encouragement to lead on quality improvement projects.
Previous colleagues have shared:
"This has honestly been the friendliest team I have worked in. I am grateful for the learning opportunities, such as the chance to develop my skills in video-fluoroscopy and tracheostomy. Not only that, I have had so much support on a personal level and social celebrations together. It really makes a difference. Thank you L&D SLT team!"
Main duties of the job
- Be responsible for the delivery of specialist speech and language therapy input to appropriate adults across the general medical wards and community settings including domiciliary visits and care homes. You will identify, assess and diagnose communication/swallowing impairments and formulate evidence based therapy plans for effective treatment.
- Case management and provision of specialist Speech & Language Therapy using models of best practice to assess the client's needs, and provide care planning, therapy, advice and support for the patient.
- Provide support & training to those within the ward and community based teams and the wider SLT team as well as promoting and educating the wider MDT on SLT matters.
- Take a key role in the Videofluoroscopy service upon completion of MBSImP competencies, with support from other MBSImP competent therapists.
- Be responsible for the supervision of Band 5 SLTs, support practitioners, students and volunteers.
About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics.
You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career.
We have state-of-the art facilities placing us at the heart of cutting edge health care. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. Please ensure that you make your application as soon as possible.
All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required.
Please review all documents attached to this advert to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.
Job description
Job responsibilities
CLINICAL
- To assess, develop and implement Specialist Speech and Language Therapy treatment of dysphagia and communication difficulties and evaluate outcomes.
- To take a significant role in the Videofluoroscopy clinics at Luton and Dunstable Hospital.
- To be involved in management of patients with tracheostomy tubes in situ under the guidance of senior team members, working alongside a multidisciplinary team.
- To use specialist skills to formulate a diagnosis.
- To use specialist skills to make appropriate discharge decisions in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team and to organise safe discharges from hospital
- To maintain specialist knowledge of current practice and literature, ensuring decisions are based on the best available evidence.
- To adapt clinical practice to meet individual patients circumstances, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences.
- To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained including equipment loaned to clients.
- To communicate complex condition related information from assessment to clients, carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions.
- To contribute to clinical teams both uni-disciplinary and multidisciplinary by discussing own and others input around clients needs ensuring a well-coordinated care plan.
- To demonstrate empathy with clients, carers, families and colleagues, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understanding exist.
- To demonstrate skills in motivating clients with severe communication needs and /or carers to engage in the therapeutic process and enabling them to contribute to the decision- making process regarding their care plans.
- To form productive relationships with others who may be under stress and/or have challenging communication difficulties or health factors affecting their ability to participate in their therapy care.
- To demonstrate good negotiation skills with carers, clients and other professionals around complex case management.
- To employ counselling skills with clients/ carers with highly complex needs and maintain sensitivity when imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature of the clients difficulties and implications of the same.
- To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice and outcome measures.
- To manage and prioritise complex and specialist caseload and workload with some support and use specialist knowledge to inform sound clinical judgement/ decision making.
- To support junior colleagues in clinical decision making when required.
- To provide specialist advice/ second opinions to speech and language therapists and other professionals in area of expertise.
Organisational and Managerial
- Take an active role in caseload management
- Ensuring understanding and adherence to Trust health and safety requirements, including attendance on mandatory training courses.
- Working within infection control and health and safety guidelines and being responsible for the security care and maintenance of equipment, including equipment loaned to clients.
- Participation in the Trust incident reporting and risk management procedures.
- To demonstrate knowledge of, and adhere to RCSLT Professional and Clinical and National and Local Clinical Guidelines.
- To develop a working knowledge of relevant procedures/statutory requirements including: Safeguarding Children, Working with Vulnerable Adults and other legal frameworks
- To participate in the implementation of service/Trust Clinical Governance Plan
- Share responsibility for regular liaison with the contracted catering and domestic support service to ensure high quality provision of supplies related to texture modified diets.
Education & Training
- Develop clinical skills and professional knowledge through experience, training and supervision.
- To provide education and training to members of staff working in care homes, including carers and kitchen staff on matters related to speech, communication and swallowing.
- To take part in the supervision of students as required, acting as lead clinical educator as needed.
- Take part in supervision of the work of other SLT staff, SLT Support Practitioner and volunteers.
- Support the development and delivery of specialist training to others including junior SLT staff as required.
- To support SLT staff to achieve relevant RCSLT competencies related to their role.
- To take a role in implementing SLT training throughout the hospital.
- To explain the role of Speech & Language Therapists to visitors, students, volunteers and other professionals e.g. at Careers Events.
Quality and Effectiveness
- To be aware of, adhere to and implement service and team plans and policies, and be responsible for updating when required
- Maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT Professional Standards and local Trusts policies.
- To share information with others, observing data protection guidelines.
- To participate in departmental research and clinical governance/audit projects.
Professional
- To work independently accessing appraisal within an Individual Performance Framework at pre-determined intervals ensuring that the objectives set reflect the Service and Trust plans.
- To identify personal/professional development evidenced by Personal Development Plan/ Professional Portfolio.
- To attend relevant training (courses, meetings, special interest groups) and development in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required of a therapist working in this field.
- To keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and maintenance of good speech & language therapy practice in adults and maintain up to date HCPC and RCSLT registration.
- To actively participate in reflective clinical supervision as a supervisor and supervisee in order to develop and enhance practice.
Communication
- To provide specialist written and verbal advice to a range of professionals regarding the management and care of clients with severe/ complex communication and/or feeding and swallowing difficulties.
- To attend and report to case conferences/review meetings etc. for patients on the caseload, with support as requested for situations where conflict management/negotiation may be required.
- To present and communicate complex condition-related information in such a manner as to motivate and inform patients, carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions, agreeing decision-making relevant to patient management.
- To attend and participate in professional and other relevant meetings.
- To establish and maintain positive interpersonal relationships with other staff which are characterised by open communication, trust and respect.
- To plan, organise and prioritise own workload, clinical and non-clinical.
- To develop clear care plans based on best practice.
- To provide advice including written reports to others regarding the management and care of patients with communication and swallowing difficulties.
- To contribute to clinical teams both multi-disciplinary and uni-disciplinary by discussing own and others input around patients needs, ensuring a well-coordinated care plan.
Job description
Job responsibilities
CLINICAL
- To assess, develop and implement Specialist Speech and Language Therapy treatment of dysphagia and communication difficulties and evaluate outcomes.
- To take a significant role in the Videofluoroscopy clinics at Luton and Dunstable Hospital.
- To be involved in management of patients with tracheostomy tubes in situ under the guidance of senior team members, working alongside a multidisciplinary team.
- To use specialist skills to formulate a diagnosis.
- To use specialist skills to make appropriate discharge decisions in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team and to organise safe discharges from hospital
- To maintain specialist knowledge of current practice and literature, ensuring decisions are based on the best available evidence.
- To adapt clinical practice to meet individual patients circumstances, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences.
- To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained including equipment loaned to clients.
- To communicate complex condition related information from assessment to clients, carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions.
- To contribute to clinical teams both uni-disciplinary and multidisciplinary by discussing own and others input around clients needs ensuring a well-coordinated care plan.
- To demonstrate empathy with clients, carers, families and colleagues, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understanding exist.
- To demonstrate skills in motivating clients with severe communication needs and /or carers to engage in the therapeutic process and enabling them to contribute to the decision- making process regarding their care plans.
- To form productive relationships with others who may be under stress and/or have challenging communication difficulties or health factors affecting their ability to participate in their therapy care.
- To demonstrate good negotiation skills with carers, clients and other professionals around complex case management.
- To employ counselling skills with clients/ carers with highly complex needs and maintain sensitivity when imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature of the clients difficulties and implications of the same.
- To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice and outcome measures.
- To manage and prioritise complex and specialist caseload and workload with some support and use specialist knowledge to inform sound clinical judgement/ decision making.
- To support junior colleagues in clinical decision making when required.
- To provide specialist advice/ second opinions to speech and language therapists and other professionals in area of expertise.
Organisational and Managerial
- Take an active role in caseload management
- Ensuring understanding and adherence to Trust health and safety requirements, including attendance on mandatory training courses.
- Working within infection control and health and safety guidelines and being responsible for the security care and maintenance of equipment, including equipment loaned to clients.
- Participation in the Trust incident reporting and risk management procedures.
- To demonstrate knowledge of, and adhere to RCSLT Professional and Clinical and National and Local Clinical Guidelines.
- To develop a working knowledge of relevant procedures/statutory requirements including: Safeguarding Children, Working with Vulnerable Adults and other legal frameworks
- To participate in the implementation of service/Trust Clinical Governance Plan
- Share responsibility for regular liaison with the contracted catering and domestic support service to ensure high quality provision of supplies related to texture modified diets.
Education & Training
- Develop clinical skills and professional knowledge through experience, training and supervision.
- To provide education and training to members of staff working in care homes, including carers and kitchen staff on matters related to speech, communication and swallowing.
- To take part in the supervision of students as required, acting as lead clinical educator as needed.
- Take part in supervision of the work of other SLT staff, SLT Support Practitioner and volunteers.
- Support the development and delivery of specialist training to others including junior SLT staff as required.
- To support SLT staff to achieve relevant RCSLT competencies related to their role.
- To take a role in implementing SLT training throughout the hospital.
- To explain the role of Speech & Language Therapists to visitors, students, volunteers and other professionals e.g. at Careers Events.
Quality and Effectiveness
- To be aware of, adhere to and implement service and team plans and policies, and be responsible for updating when required
- Maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT Professional Standards and local Trusts policies.
- To share information with others, observing data protection guidelines.
- To participate in departmental research and clinical governance/audit projects.
Professional
- To work independently accessing appraisal within an Individual Performance Framework at pre-determined intervals ensuring that the objectives set reflect the Service and Trust plans.
- To identify personal/professional development evidenced by Personal Development Plan/ Professional Portfolio.
- To attend relevant training (courses, meetings, special interest groups) and development in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required of a therapist working in this field.
- To keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and maintenance of good speech & language therapy practice in adults and maintain up to date HCPC and RCSLT registration.
- To actively participate in reflective clinical supervision as a supervisor and supervisee in order to develop and enhance practice.
Communication
- To provide specialist written and verbal advice to a range of professionals regarding the management and care of clients with severe/ complex communication and/or feeding and swallowing difficulties.
- To attend and report to case conferences/review meetings etc. for patients on the caseload, with support as requested for situations where conflict management/negotiation may be required.
- To present and communicate complex condition-related information in such a manner as to motivate and inform patients, carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions, agreeing decision-making relevant to patient management.
- To attend and participate in professional and other relevant meetings.
- To establish and maintain positive interpersonal relationships with other staff which are characterised by open communication, trust and respect.
- To plan, organise and prioritise own workload, clinical and non-clinical.
- To develop clear care plans based on best practice.
- To provide advice including written reports to others regarding the management and care of patients with communication and swallowing difficulties.
- To contribute to clinical teams both multi-disciplinary and uni-disciplinary by discussing own and others input around patients needs, ensuring a well-coordinated care plan.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree or equivalent in SLT
- HCPC registration
- Post graduate training in dysphagia management
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- Experience of complex assessment and interventions for adults with communication and swallow problems
- Experience of managing patients with a range of conditions on acute wards
- Able to adapt and facilitate assessment and treatment according to patient needs including cultural and linguistic differences
- Established experience with a range of SLT assessment tools
Desirable
- Previously worked within an NHS environment
- Previously managed tracheostomy patients
- Worked within community setting
- Videofluoroscopy experience
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of clinical governance
- Awareness of RCSLT guidelines
- Know the legal requirements and national policies and procedures linked to SLT
Desirable
- Know about local or national agendas linked to SLT
- Service improvement awareness
Skills
Essential
- Excellent communication skills
- Able to pass on skills / knowledge to others formally and informally
- Able to prioritise and delegate appropritely
- Able to manage conflict and recognise own limitations, seeking help when required
- Ability to travel easily within the local community to carry out domiciliary visits
Desirable
- Audit / project involvement
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree or equivalent in SLT
- HCPC registration
- Post graduate training in dysphagia management
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- Experience of complex assessment and interventions for adults with communication and swallow problems
- Experience of managing patients with a range of conditions on acute wards
- Able to adapt and facilitate assessment and treatment according to patient needs including cultural and linguistic differences
- Established experience with a range of SLT assessment tools
Desirable
- Previously worked within an NHS environment
- Previously managed tracheostomy patients
- Worked within community setting
- Videofluoroscopy experience
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of clinical governance
- Awareness of RCSLT guidelines
- Know the legal requirements and national policies and procedures linked to SLT
Desirable
- Know about local or national agendas linked to SLT
- Service improvement awareness
Skills
Essential
- Excellent communication skills
- Able to pass on skills / knowledge to others formally and informally
- Able to prioritise and delegate appropritely
- Able to manage conflict and recognise own limitations, seeking help when required
- Ability to travel easily within the local community to carry out domiciliary visits
Desirable
- Audit / project involvement
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
