Specialist Speech & Language Therapist - StrokeNHS

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to work as part of our stroke service offering support to patients /families in our acute and rehab stroke wards in beautiful South Devon, with easy access to wonderful beaches and moors.

As part of our dynamic and fast paced stroke service the post holder will manage a caseload of adults with complex acquired disorders of speech, language, and swallowing following stroke.

The post holder will function as a core member of the stroke multidisciplinary team including doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social services personnel, dietitians and discharge co-ordinators.

We are an innovative and motivated team within a supportive and collaborative environment that offers:

• Access to instrumental swallowing assessment - in particular our well-developed Fees service.
• 1:1 regular management supervision.
• Access to clinical supervision 1:1 and in peer groups.
• Joint working and second opinions with our clinical specialists.
• Regular opportunities for CPD
• A car owner/driver and current driving licence is essential or full access to a car for work purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and 2005).

Main duties of the job

To independently manage a caseload of patients on the stroke wards with complex speech, language, communication and swallowing (dysphagia) difficulties with reference to theory, published research and evidence, and agreed best practice.

To prioritise and respond to referrals, allocating to less experienced colleagues and exercising professional judgement based on clinical experience

Job description

To independently manage a caseload of in-patients with complex speech, language, communication and swallowing (dysphagia) difficulties with reference to theory, published research and evidence, and agreed best practice.

To be responsible for triaging referrals to the Speech and Language Therapy service alongside SLT colleagues.

To be responsible for ensuring patients safety regarding eating and drinking by assessing, monitoring and updating, and communicating details of safe practice to the patient, medical and ward staff, and carers, ensuring that

recommendations are clearly documented

To provide appropriate specialist stroke intervention and evaluate outcomes

To make judgements about when to refer patients for instrumental swallowexamination considering the risks and benefits of the procedure.

To prioritise and decide on appropriate highly specialised treatment programme , matched to individual patient need and

to adapt and modify management options based on extended and developing clinical expertise whilst ensuring patient/carers/multi-disciplinary team are fully involved in the decision-making process

To assess the need for alternative and augmentative means of communication

To identify where high -tech electronic communication systems are required to meet patient need and to liaise with AAC specialist SLT.

To use highly developed communication and counselling skills such as reflective listening, open questioning, empathy, and reassurance when explaining highly complex and sensitive information to the full range of levels in understanding of patients and carers, where anxiety frequently acts as a

barrier and co-operation is not guaranteed

To demonstrate empathy and reassurance when providing patients and carers with unwelcome information that has long-term implications for lifestyle and employment e.g. when communication skills will not be recovered and/or oral

feeding is no longer an option. To provide counselling and support before onward referral for more formal consultations if judged necessary

To monitor, recognise, assess and evaluate subtle changes in patients conditions and adapt assessment and treatment programmes accordingly based on extended clinical experience, including in palliative care

To write reports reflecting specialist knowledge with regards to adults with communication and/or swallowing disorders

About us

Why Work With Us

You will be joining a well-established and experienced team of dynamic and enthusiastic SLTs and Support Workers who are dedicated to supporting staff and encouraging career development.

We work as part of an integrated care organisation, the first in the UK, serving rural and urban communities in South devon. The demography has a high elderly population.

We have a supportive clinical supervision and appraisal structure and regular CPD opportunities

Your SLT and MDT stroke colleagues hold a range of specialist knowledge and expertise and are open to new ideas or perspectives.

We provide well-led acute, community and specialist services to people from the local area and were one of the first to run therapist -led FEES clinics in the UK.

Please note: Priority will be given to applicants with recognised 'Priority' or 'At Risk' status, including NHS staff identified across Devon.