Senior Speech and Language Therapist in Woking

We have an exciting opportunity for a Band 6 Speech & Language Therapist to join our friendly community team. We provide specialist assessment, diagnosis and therapeutic interventions for adults in the community who have communication and/or swallowing difficulties, resulting from acquired or progressive neurological conditions such as stroke, motor neurone disease, Parkinson's and dementia as well as frailty. We work as part of an integrated multi-disciplinary team in the North-West Surrey Neighbourhood Boroughs.

Main duties of the job:

• To provide specialist assessment, diagnosis, and therapeutic interventions for patients on the rehabilitation ward at Woking Hospital, in outpatient clinics, and patients in the community who have communication and/or swallowing difficulties.
• To provide advice, support and education for patients and their families/carers, and offer training to students and other Health Care Professionals.
• To be able to work independently and as part of a team, and to participate in innovative projects and service development to benefit patients and colleagues.

Patient Care Responsibilities:

• Be able to work autonomously, with a specialist, often complex caseload, to assess, diagnose, develop and implement programmes of care.
• Assess, differentially diagnose, formulate treatment plans, write assessment reports, identify and choose appropriate therapeutic or clinical management techniques, provide appropriate therapeutic intervention, and evaluate treatment outcomes.
• Demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice and outcome measures.
• Provide complex and sensitive information to patients in a manner that they can understand.
• Refer on for specialist assessment for Assistive and Augmentative communication.
• Liaise with a wide range of professional colleagues and other agencies to ensure comprehensive management of the patient.
• Plan for patient discharge, ensuring appropriate onward referral and liaison as required.
• Adapt practice to meet individual patient circumstances, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences.
• Complete incident forms where appropriate and discuss pertinent issues regarding safeguarding/incidents with Speech & Language Therapy Lead and others involved.
• Work with patients with a variety of diagnoses and their carers/families, across the team's geographical patch.
• Work with a designated caseload and be flexible to carry out work in other areas of the wider SLT Team.

Person Specification:

• Understanding of the principles of clinical governance and audit.
• Knowledge of standards of record keeping.
• Evidence of applying evidence-based practice and research.
• Knowledge and experience of working with adults with dysphagia &/or communication difficulties.
• Minimum of 18 months working at a junior level with patients in specialist area.
• Experience of assisting with training and supporting students.
• Excellent experience of setting patient-centred goals & providing outcomes.
• Experience of working on wards or in outpatient clinics.
• Ability to transcribe speech phonetically.
• Evidence of contribution to publications and/or locally known within field of emerging expertise.
• Evidence of presentations at conferences locally/nationally or provision of training.
• Experience of translating government and professional guidance into departmental policy and procedure.
• Working knowledge and appreciation of NHS strategy, policies and research ethics.
• Updated knowledge of National Policies and procedures relevant to SLT service.
• Evidence showing completion of previous Statutory & Mandatory training.
• Evidence of maintaining and ongoing development of clinical skills and theoretical knowledge in area of clinical specialism.
• Experience of supporting students.

Behaviours and Values:

• Demonstrated initiative and self-direction.
• Team player.
• Professional attitude to working practice, colleagues, and public.

Qualifications:

• A recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree or Qualification.
• Health and Care Professions Council registration.
• A member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
• Evidence of postgraduate courses or other CPD in relevant fields such as dysphagia trained.
• Full UK or equivalent driving licence and a car for work purposes.

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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£38,682 to £46,580 a year plus 5% HCA. Both are pro-rata per annum if part-time.