Professional Lead Speech & Language Therapist - Hobbs Rehabilitation in Salisbury

The Professional Lead for Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) will be based at Hobbs Winchester and Laverstock as part of an experienced multidisciplinary team, working with both inpatient and outpatient clients who have complex neurological conditions including stroke, traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, complex poly-trauma including amputees, progressive neurological conditions, as well as other non-neurological and/or specialist speech, language and swallowing conditions such as facial palsy, head and neck cancer and voice disorders.

The post-holder will have excellent clinical skills and experience in speech and language therapy and neurological rehabilitation across the clinical pathway, including assessment, treatment planning, and discharge planning. They will act as a clinical expert within the team, treating their own caseload of patients and supporting the clinical work of both the SLT team and wider MDT, leading the clinical direction of the SLT team to ensure the service remains high-quality, evidence-based and up-to-date.

You will have line management and clinical supervision duties for the SLT team across all Hobbs sites, and work with the senior management teams within Hobbs to ensure the high quality, smooth, efficient and profitable running of the SLT service. This role would be suited to someone with existing specialist skills in adult neurology, with experience of management and leadership, looking to further develop their skills in these areas.

Main duties of the job:

• Assess patients with acquired physical, cognitive, communication and swallowing impairments using a range of formal and informal assessments.
• Formulate patient‑centred goals in conjunction with MDT.
• Create and provide one-to-one and group interventions to patients with acquired physical and cognitive impairments, using a comprehensive knowledge of evidence-informed practice and treatment options.
• Evaluate patients' progress using published outcome measures.
• Liaising regularly with the Hobbs MDT and wider care team.
• Maintain up to date and accurate clinical notes using site-specific software and local procedures.
• Write high quality patient reports, including MDT discharge reports for inpatients.
• Attend and contribute to patient and family meetings, both face‑to‑face and via video.
• Act as a clinical expert within the SLT teams and wider MDT.
• Line management and clinical supervision of the SLT team across the whole of Hobbs.
• Lead on professional and service developments of the SLT team in line with Company aims and objectives.
• Work with the Senior Management Team to ensure strategic oversight of the work of the SLT team across all Hobbs sites, ensuring high clinical quality, efficiency, productivity and financial stability of the service.
• Engagement and leadership of the SLT team into research and neurotechnology projects and developments within Hobbs and the MiNT Academy.
• Presentation at internal and external courses and conferences.
• Supporting student placements across all services.

About us:

In 2005, neuro physiotherapists Helen Hobbs and Nicky Ellis set up Hobbs Rehabilitation and since then it has expanded rapidly offering an exceptional level of personalised skill and expertise. Now operating from various locations across the south of England, Hobbs Rehabilitation provides specialist inpatient and outpatient neurological and amputee rehabilitation for adults and children across the south of England, treating a wide variety of conditions, including stroke, acquired brain injury, spinal cord injuries, and poly‑trauma and amputees.

An expert team of over 100 therapists, including OT, PT, SLT and Psychology, provide an interdisciplinary patient‑centred neuro rehabilitation service, ensuring the individual is placed at the centre of care. At Hobbs Rehabilitation our mission is to provide specialist neurological rehabilitation for adults and children, to contribute to educational resources for the development of clinical excellence and to participate in furthering the access to these at a national and strategic level. We are passionate about pursuing the latest advances in research and technology to support our clients and staff to achieve their full potential, through involvement in research projects, development of services using advanced technology, and support for training and CPD. Hobbs Rehabilitation is also an equal opportunities employer.

Job responsibilities:

The Professional Lead for Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) is based at Winchester and Laverstock as part of the established MDT, working with inpatient and outpatient clients with complex neurological conditions, as well as other non‑neurological and/or specialist speech, language and swallowing conditions such as facial palsy, head and neck cancer and voice disorders.

The post-holder will have excellent clinical skills and experience in speech and language therapy and neurological rehabilitation across the clinical pathway, including assessment, treatment planning, and discharge planning, and will act as a clinical expert within the team, treating their own caseload of patients and supporting the clinical work of both the SLT team and wider MDT, leading the clinical direction of the SLT team to ensure the service remains high‑quality, evidence-based and up‑to‑date.

They will have line management and clinical supervision duties for the SLT team across all Hobbs sites, and work with the senior management teams within Hobbs to ensure the high quality, smooth, efficient and profitable running of the SLT service.

Duties and responsibilities:

COMMUNICATION

• Communicate in a manner that positively represents Hobbs Rehabilitation at all times.
• Communicate professionally and effectively with other team members and external stakeholders.
• Communicate professionally and effectively with patients and carers in person and over the telephone.
• Communicate professionally and effectively in all written communications with patients, carers, Hobbs staff and external stakeholders, through email, letters, written reports and comments on social media accounts and company websites.
• Ensure client confidentiality is maintained at all times, in line with Hobbs Rehabilitation policies and procedures.
• Use advanced communication skills to deliver clinical advice and treatment sensitively.
• Recognise people's needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.
• Respect and respond to clients' individual, cultural, and religious needs.
• Gain consent for treatment and information-sharing, considering barriers such as dementia and cognitive impairments, in compliance with the Mental Capacity Act.
• Support clients with communication and cognitive impairments to communicate effectively.
• Communicate information from Hobbs Senior Management to wider teams clearly and efficiently.
• Attendance at conferences, delivery of presentations, and internal and external training.
• Chairing team meetings.

CLINICAL

• Practice safely within the legal and ethical boundaries of the specific profession.
• Assess patients with acquired physical and cognitive impairments using a range of formal and informal assessments.
• Evaluate assessment results and generate diagnoses and clinical strengths/limitations profiles in line with clinical evidence bases and current practice.
• Formulate patient‑centred goals in conjunction with MDT.
• Create and provide clinically effective, high‑quality one‑to‑one and group intervention to patients with acquired physical and cognitive impairments, using a comprehensive knowledge of evidence‑informed practice and treatment options.
• Deliver high‑quality care in a variety of clinical settings including inpatient rehabilitation units, outpatient clinics, patient homes, care homes, and community locations.
• Evaluate patients' progress using published outcome measures, adapting goals and treatment plans accordingly.
• Liaise regularly with the Hobbs MDT and wider care teams to ensure continued patient safety and clinical effectiveness.
• Organise and plan the SLT caseload across all Hobbs sites in conjunction with the service lead and other clinical team members to meet the patients and service needs, readjusting plans as situations change or arise.
• Maintain up‑to‑date and accurate clinical notes using site‑specific software and local procedures, in line with professional standards.
• Write high‑quality patient reports, including MDT discharge reports for inpatients.
• Attend and contribute to patient and family meetings, both face‑to‑face and via video.
• Ensure safe and competent use of clinical equipment, providing guidance to staff and patients where clinically appropriate.

ADMINISTRATIVE

• Ensure up‑to‑date and complete clinical records are maintained, using Hobbs‑specific procedures and software.
• Maintain an up‑to‑date work diary using Hobbs‑specific procedures and software.
• Answer the telephone and respond to emails and chat messages within a timely manner.
• Ensure client confidentiality is maintained at all times, in line with Hobbs Rehabilitation policies and procedures.
• Arranging clinical cover from within the team, for SLT patients at sites where no SLT is based.
• Organisation of SLT team meetings, enquiry meetings, supporting the wider team where appropriate.
• Completing appointments on TM3 in a timely manner.
• Travel expense forms.
• Creating accurate quotes for new business.

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

• Maintain professional practice in line with HCPC standards and profession‑specific guidelines.
• Comply with all Hobbs Rehabilitation policies and professional standards.
• Promote client safety and well‑being at all times.
• Attend work regularly, in accordance with the specific working hours set out within the role, ensuring punctuality and professional conduct at all times.
• Alert Line Manager and/or other clinic staff in good time if unable to attend work, to allow alternative cover arrangements to be made.
• Represent Hobbs Rehabilitation positively and professionally at all times.
• Act professionally with all colleagues and clients at all times.

LEADERSHIP / MANAGEMENT / SUPERVISION

• Manage a specialist neurological caseload with appropriate time management and prioritisation.
• Support the day‑to‑day coordination of speech and language therapy services to meet service priorities.
• Provide line management and/or clinical supervision and guidance to junior staff and therapy assistants, from a range of professions, with support from senior management, including in matters of performance management.
• Participate in the recruitment and induction of new staff as delegated by senior management colleagues.
• Spearhead, promote and contribute to service improvement initiatives in collaboration with Senior Management and the wider team.
• Spearhead, promote and contribute to the implementation of service objectives and participate in relevant projects.
• Represent the department in working groups and team meetings as required.

EDUCATION / TRAINING / CPD

• Engage in own continuing professional development (CPD) activities, regular supervision and Hobbs annual appraisal process.
• Take responsibility for seeking appropriate support and supervision to ensure and enhance clinical practice.
• Ensure mandatory training compliance and support others in meeting requirements.
• Contribute to the training of healthcare professionals, patients, and carers.
• Supervise junior staff and assistants, supporting their clinical development.
• Support the induction and competency training of new staff.
• Supervise, educate and assess students during placements, providing feedback.
• Apply CPD, learning and research findings to clinical practice and share relevant evidence‑based information.
• Identify areas for clinical and quality improvement and work with senior management to implement appropriate training and development plans.
• Contribute to and support the organisation of internal training programmes for staff.
• Contribute to and support the organisation of external training sessions as opportunities arise.

HEALTH & SAFETY / DATA SECURITY

• Manage and maintain your own and others health, safety and security at all times, in accordance with Hobbs Rehabilitation policies and procedures.
• This will include (but will not be limited to): Infection Control, Moving and Handling, First Aid.
• Report any incidents or identified risks using Hobbs Rehabilitation internal incident reporting procedure.
• Maintain an up to date knowledge of health and safety and infection control statutory and best practice guidelines and ensure implementation across the business, through completion of annual mandatory training.
• Keep own work areas and general/patient areas clean and accessible, identifying issues, hazards and risks in undertaking work activities, reporting these, and taking responsibility for reducing risks and keeping others safe.
• Ensure compliance with Hobbs Rehabilitation information governance policies, national and international data protection legislation at all times.
• Seek support and guidance from Hobbs Information Governance Team if required to share information with others to ensure compliance with GDPR.
• Take responsibility for ensuring that the confidentiality of clinical information is maintained at all times, including ensuring compliance of other team members and members of the public.
• Operate at all times within Hobbs Rehabilitation Data Protection and Privacy policies.

This list of duties is not intended to be exhaustive, but indicates the main areas of work and may be subject to change after consultation with the post-holder to meet the changing needs of the service.

Person Specification:

Qualifications:

• UK recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree qualification.
• Post‑graduate training in dysphagia management to specialist level.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Knowledge and understanding of speech and language therapy assessment and treatment approaches relating to acquired neurological conditions, and other specialist SLT clinical areas such as voice, facial palsy and dysphagia.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Commitment to developing self and others through training, supervision and mentoring.
• Innovative and creative thinking with vision to improve and develop services for the future.
• Confidence engaging with local community services including facilitating patients within the community.
• Ability to work flexibly and adapt to the changing needs of the service.
• Aware of the developing use of neurotechnology in SLT.

Experience:

• Knowledge and understanding of speech and language therapy assessment and treatment approaches relating to acquired neurological conditions, and other specialist SLT clinical areas such as voice, facial palsy and dysphagia.
• Experience of working as an integrated member of a multidisciplinary team.
• Neurological rehabilitation experience across the clinical pathway.
• Experience of supervising and line-managing others.
• Experience of management and leadership within a healthcare setting.
• Experience of working with a motor‑speech, voice, head and neck cancer and/or facial palsy caseload.
• Experience of presenting at a professional level to internal and external events and conferences.
• Experience of involvement in clinical research.

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.