Senior Speech and Language Therapist
NHS AfC: Band 6
Main area Learning Disability Grade NHS AfC: Band 6 Contract Permanent Hours Full time Job ref -SPE-1--A Site St Andrews House Town Derby Salary £, - £, pa pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing //5 :
Want to make a real difference and have a truly rewarding career? Join 'Team Derbyshire Healthcare' and become part of a talented, compassionate and enthusiastic workforce committed to a vision of ‘making a positive difference in people's lives’.
We’ve been rated ‘good’ overall by the CQC, with some outstanding services. The CQC commented at our most recent inspection on how our colleagues “treated patients with compassion and kindness” and “felt positive and proud about working for the trust.
We are passionate about making equality, diversity and inclusion part of our DNA. We take pride in our “People First Culture” which creates a workplace where everyone feels a genuine sense of belonging, difference is celebrated, and people are comfortable to bring their whole selves to work. We value the richness that comes from having colleagues that are fully representative of the local community. We welcome people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, protected characteristics, and with all backgrounds and experiences.
Job overview
We have an exciting opportunity for a band 6 Speech and Language Therapist to join our team. The Adult Learning Disability (LD) Service covers Derby City and South Derbyshire geographical area. This post will include community visits, working from home and from a base.
We are a small, friendly and supportive team of Speech and Language Therapists who keep in regular contact with each. We are also alliancing with North Derbyshire so have access to a wider team of speech and language therapists who can offer support.
As a member of the team you will have access to regular caseload and clinical supervision, plus an annual appraisal that supports you to plan and achieve goals from your own Personal Development Plan. There are opportunities to explore different specialist areas within the LD team and continue your professional development by shadowing others and attending training courses or clinical excellent networks.
Main duties of the job
The people that we support are individuals and our approach is always person centred. Our focus is to provide high quality assessment and intervention to support people (and those closest to them) to communicate as effectively as possible. Swallowing assessments and advice are delivered with a view to reduce negative health outcomes associated with dysphagia, promote choice and facilitate good quality of life.
You will be working as part of a Multidisciplinary Team alongside Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Nurses, Physiotherapists, Therapy Assistants and Psychiatrists.
As a band 6 you will have your own caseload to prioritise and will be involved in the supervision of our band 5’s and assistants. Your role will also include being involved in service projects and improvements.
The successful candidate should be able to work well independently and as part of a team. Knowledge and skills in learning disabilities is advantageous. The post holder must be fully dysphagia trained and have experience of working with a dysphagia caseload.
Working for our organisation
The successful candidate will need to have means of transport to cover the different community localities in Derby city and south Derbyshire area.
As a clinical employee it will be your responsibility to ensure that your behaviour and values reflect those set out in the DHcFT way.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Physical Effort
Due to the broad geographical area this post covers the post holder will need to be a car driver or to demonstrate that they can travel within the area frequently, transporting Service Users as needed occasionally, without compromising service needs.
The post holder is expected to work with Service users in their homes and occasionally they will need to be aware of and respond to hazards.
The post holder will need to be computer literate and use of IT systems on a daily basis.
Frequent, light physical effort for short periods of time – driving, walking short distances, computer use.
Mental Effort
The working environment is one of unpredictability, due to the needs of the patient group. The work pattern requires frequent concentration when assessing the needs of the patients where the work can be both predictable and unpredictable. There will be times when the post holder will need to deal with patient crisis.
Concentration in preparation of complex funding applications and specialist reports
Emotional Effort
The post holder may experience occasional verbal or physical abuse and aggression.
May need to deal with safeguarding incidents and may be called to give evidence in some cases.
There may be occasional exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances; and difficult family situations/patients or service users with challenging behaviour.
Dealing with service users and/or carers with complex challenging behaviours
Working Conditions
The post holder will be working in the community setting within personal environments where, there may be unpleasant smells and odours present. The post holder may occasionally be in contact with unpleasant conditions that relate to suicide, self-harm and potential aggression from patients who may be suffering from a degree of distress. Occasionally the levels of patient impact may relate to highly unpleasant conditions.
May encounter contact with bodily fluids, odours, dust, dirt.
The successful candidate should be able to work well independently and as part of a team. Knowledge and skills in learning disabilities is advantageous. The post holder must be fully dysphagia trained and have experience of working with a dysphagia caseload.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification
2. Health Care Professions Council Registration
3. Completion of post graduate dysphagia training
4. Experience working with a dysphagia caseload
Desirable criteria
5. Membership of relevant Clinical Excellent Networks
6. Experiential training to demonstrate specialist skills
Experience
Essential criteria
7. Experience of working as a Speech and Language Therapist
8. Experience of working with a dysphagia caseload
9. Knowledge of standards of record keeping
Desirable criteria
10. Experience of working in a registered SLT post with people with learning disabilities
11. Experience of delivering training packages
12. Experience of supervising assistants
Further details / informal visits contact
NameSusie DunhamJob titleClinical Operational ManagerEmail number
If you have problems applying, contact
Address Recruitment Team
Kingsway Hospital
Telephone option 1, option 1