Speech & Language Therapist

This post forms part of a multi-disciplinary team delivering a high-quality innovative service to people with acute mental health problems.
The post holder will be a highly skilled and competent worker who works in a non-aversive, person-centred and therapeutic way. Their main task will be to provide a highly specialist speech and language therapy service across the mental health wards at St Charles Hospital by assessing, diagnosing, treating and managing a caseload of highly complex communication and eating, drinking and swallowing presentations.
The post holder will build knowledge, skills and confidence amongst the MDT to support accessible communication and best practice to enable safe, enjoyable and patient-centred mealtimes and to implement robust risk assessment and management measures relating to identification and triage of eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties.
The post holder will provide training regarding eating, drinking and swallowing to colleagues from the mental health MDT and to the wider Divisio, To use highly specialist clinical skills to manage and prioritise a complex caseload of adults with learning disabilities who present with communication and/or swallowing difficulties.
To provide highly specialist assessment of communication and swallowing problems, formulate a hypothesis using a high level of clinical reasoning and to give evidence of sound clinical judgements.
To develop and implement appropriate interventions or rehabilitation, as appropriate in the community settings.
To apply specialist knowledge and skills to implement high and low technology alternative and augmentative communication aids with a range of service users.
To provide appropriate highly specialist intervention and evaluate outcomes.
To write comprehensive reports that are accessible to a range of professionals and service users, reflecting highly specialist knowledge.
To develop clear care plans, advice and information, based on best practice and to use highly specialist knowledge to inform clinical judgments for care management.
To ensure the service users and/or their carers and support workers are involved in the planning and prioritisation of their care plans.
To facilitate, wherever possible, the service user's involvement in the process to ensure meaningful outcomes, taking into account the severity of their learning disability and their communication and/ or swallowing difficulties.
To provide advice and training to other professionals, carers, support workers and relatives regarding the safe management and care of patients with communication and/or swallowing difficulties to maximise the service users' skills and reduce clinical risk.
To work collaboratively and liaise with a wide range of other professionals across a variety of locations and agencies
To adapt practice to meet individual service users' circumstances, including due regard for cognitive ability, cultural and linguistic backgrounds and differences.
To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence based practice and outcome measures, and maintain knowledge of current literature and developments within the specialist clinical field of communication and dysphagia within learning disability, which may at times include progressive conditions and dementia.
To supervise student placements and promote the area of learning disabilities within the Speech and Language Therapy profession
TEAM WORKING
To attend Multidisciplinary Team Meetings, and to actively promote and contribute to MDT working, maintaining effective communication and client centred focus.
To assume delegated tasks as requested by line manager related to the development of the speech and language therapy service.
To work closely with service users, carers and other community healthcare professionals where appropriate discussing the needs of service users and ensuring a well-co-ordinated care plan.
COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIP SKILLS
To employ excellent communication skills.
To communicate information following assessment related to complex conditions, to service users, carers, support workers, families and members of the multidisciplinary team/other professions.
To work collaboratively with service users, carers, support workers, and families, agreeing decision making relevant to the service user's care package.
To demonstrate empathy with service users, carers, support workers and families and colleagues, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where problems with understanding exist.
To include use of augmentative or alternative communication, as well as accessing interpreter services where patients do not have English as a first language.
To demonstrate negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations.
To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible.
To recognise potential breakdown and conflict when it occurs, and seek advice and support to resolve.
To actively build links with relevant local support / community groups.
To facilitate continuity of care through appropriate liaison with relevant agencies and services on transfer or discharge of clients from service.
To provide training to a variety of audiences on communication and dysphagia in relation to learning disabilities.
MANAGEMENT OF SERVICE
To triage and direct SLT community / inpatient referrals to the appropriate sources.
To advise line manager of issues of service shortfall or pressure.
To monitor stock levels in own service area and request new equipment as required.
To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of SLT equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained - including equipment loaned to clients.
To advise on and record the stock of equipment / communication aids to patients.
To actively provide input to Team and Departmental meetings.
To contribute to proposed service/policy developments related to the speech and language therapy service.
To provide mentoring, advice and support (including second opinions) to more junior Speech and Language Therapists, assistants, volunteers and other professional groups as appropriate.
To participate in the supervision and training of junior staff and students on placement as appropriate.
To facilitate the development of others problem solving / negotiation skills within peer review / support.
To participate in Individual Performance Reviews and appraisals of more junior staff ensuring that the objectives set reflect the Service and Trust plans.
This job description is intended as a guide to the main responsibilities of the post and not as an exhaustive list of duties and tasks. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties appropriate to his/her grade, which are not listed above, time after consultation with the post holder.
CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.
Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.

We are looking for applications from highly motivated and enthusiastic Speech and Language therapist who are committed to delivering patient-focused care and treatment to work in our Mental Health Inpatient Wards.
The post-holder will work as a part of the St Charles Mental Health Hospital Team and will work with the individuals, the multi-disciplinary team around them and other important people in their lives to understand the person's needs, difficulties, and establish care plans that improve quality of life whilst an inpatient.
We are keen to invest in the development of practitioners joining our service to enhance their knowledge, skills, clinical practice, leadership and confidence in working in this area. We are therefore looking for applicants who either have experience working with people with mental health difficulties.
The post holder will receive a local induction centred around their needs and currently knowledge base.

We are delighted that you are interested in working with us here CNWL. Our Trust is an exciting place to work with a wealth of CPD opportunities available for all our staff. We work in collaboration with our AHP and Social Work colleagues and value the lived experiences of both our staff and service users.
What we can offer you:
CNWL is recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ in line with our values, our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted
for use in other countries. With us, you will get:
+ A Trust committed to staff personal development, with a trust wide culture change and leadership programme that has staff wellbeing at its core.
+ An opportunity to work for one of the top 10 NHS employers
+ Flexible working
+ Variety of work
+ Access to a variety of CPD opportunities
We encourage staff input and ideas in relation to moving services forward, improving care pathways and meeting the client group's needs.

We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. See attached Staff Reward and Wellbeing Handbook detailing our benefits, discounts and wellbeing initiatives for staff.
Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others.
CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.
Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible.
Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period.
If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.