Lead Speech & Language Therapist - Inpatient Mental Health & Forensic

We have an exciting and unique opportunity for an experienced and innovative Speech and Language Therapist, to provide clinical and professional leadership to our recently established in-patient mental health and forensic Speech and Language (SLT) provision.

You will work in close collaboration with the SLT team, other professionals and people living with mental health conditions, in leading the strategic development of SLT service across our in -patient mental health and forensic care groups.

This post will call upon your clinical and leadership abilities, as well as offer opportunities to develop and grow personally.

You will be joining a trust who are committed to developing and improving and values the role of SLT as part of our in-patient services provision. We are committed to providing the highest standard of assessment, treatment, and client centred and holistic care in a safe and therapeutic environment.

We pride ourselves on being an open and honest Trust, providing the best possible care to our service users across our sites. You will be well supported and encouraged to develop your clinical and professional competencies within a stimulating learning environment.

We are passionate about making our service a good place to work and supporting a work-life balance, so flexible working hours and agile working is supported where appropriate to the role. Please feel free to have an open discussion with us.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will demonstrate a high level of clinical and professional expertise in both communication and dysphagia, in relation to people with a wide range of mental health conditions including older age adults, working age adults and forensics populations.

The postholder will be a point of contact and consultation for the trust, as an expert in the field. Being involved in discussions with key partners, to ensure the service meets the needs to the local population and contractual targets.

You will join a supportive team and work closely with the wider MDT to support individuals.

The post holder will offer expert advice, support, and consultation to the wider SLT team. Particularly in relation to complex decision making, considering reasonable adjustments, and mitigating risks, whilst holding a small caseload of more complex need.

You will have substantive leadership experience and be able to provide high quality clinical and professional supervision to SLT staff working within mental health and forensic care groups.

You will be responsible for driving forward service improvement initiatives including clinical research/audit and training, having relevant experience of undertaking such activities.

We actively welcome any prospective applicants to make contact to discuss the role further. Please contact Komal.shires@swyt.nhs.uk/ alison.clements@swyt.nhs.uk

We are a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental health and learning disability services for the people of Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and are the lead for the west Yorkshire secure provider collaborative.

Our mission is to help people reach their potential and live well in their communities, we do this by providing high-quality care in the right place at the right time. We employ staff in both clinical and non-clinical services who work hard to make a difference to the lives of service users, families and carers.

We encourage and welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups, we value diversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.

Being a foundation Trust means were accountable to our members, who can have a say in how were run. Around 14,300 local people (including staff) are members of our Trust.

Join us and you will be one of over 4,500 staff committed to supporting and improving the mental, physical and social needs of the thousands of people we meet and help each year.