Advanced Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (Band 7) - Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability

Job Title: Advanced Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Contract Type: Fixed Term (1 year)

Department: Clinical Operations

Salary range: £41,891 - £53,148 (dependent on experience/banding)

Responsible to: Head of Therapies (via SLT Clinical Leads)

Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week

Location: Putney, Southwest London

• Generous Annual Leave entitlement
• Free parking
• Situated outside the ULEZ and Congestion Zones
• On-site accommodation provided at extremely reasonable rates
• Blue Light Card and Discounts
• On-site cafeteria
• RHN Wellbeing Programme and EAP service
• RHN Volunteering opportunities

Please note, to be eligible to apply for this role, you must have the Right to Work in the UK.  Vaccinations (Covid and Influenza) are highly recommended.

RHN is a care provider for vulnerable patients at extreme risk. In consequence, safeguarding patients will always be our highest priority.

Summary of position and the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability

The post holder is responsible for the provision of a highly specialist speech and language therapy (SLT) service involving the assessment, complex differential diagnosis, interpretation and management of specialist clinical areas in the specialism of complex neuro-disability and neuro-rehabilitation. This includes the management of tracheostomy and and AAC. The RHN provides an on-site FEES service and has access to an external Videofluoroscopy Clinic. The post holder will be responsible for a delegated clinical caseload on the Brain Injury Service with opportunities to cover Continuing Care and Specialist Services as required. The post holder is a key member of the interdisciplinary team and works actively with other members in assessment, goal planning and intervention. 

Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability (RHN) is one of the oldest independent hospitals and medical charities in the UK. We provide person-centred care that focuses on enhancing dignity, independence and quality of life for our patients and residents. Our services span the entire care pathway from post-acute rehabilitation services to end of life care, for people with complex Neuro-disability and their families, underpinned by a strong research and education programme. We are very pleased to have been given an overall rating of ‘Good’ by our regulator, the CQC, in 2021.

 Main Responsibilities

• To provide a flexible and prioritised autonomous highly specialist SLT service in the clinical specialisms, targeting intervention and education where needed.
• To work as part of an integrated multidisciplinary team, contributing to patient care plans and goal setting as appropriate.
• To demonstrate highly specialist knowledge and skills in relevant clinical specialisms underpinned by current evidence based practice and outcome measures and to use this knowledge to continue to develop and improve service provision in liaison with the Professional Lead for SLT, Therapy Manager and Head of Service. Specialist areas include:
• Severe brain injury/ stroke
• Prolonged Disorders of Consciousness
• Neurogenic dysphagia
• Tracheostomy management and complex respiratory needs
• The post holder will continue to develop areas of specialism while in post.
• To communicate complex condition related information from assessment to patients, carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions via attendance at multidisciplinary meetings, rehabilitation goal setting meetings and case conferences as required to enable a coordinated care plan. This will include supporting the patient, family and MDT with best interests decision making.
• To demonstrate the ability to identify own strengths and development needs and reflect on practice with peers/ supervisor/ Professional Lead SLT
• To provide supervision to more junior SLTs, SLT assistants and SLT students as well as providing advice and support to health care staff, SLT Technical Instructors and volunteers.
• To lead service development projects within the speech and language and multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrate an awareness of RHN’s objectives and contribute to achieving them appropriately.
• Strive to improve efficiency in all areas of your work.

Key Responsibilities

• To provide a high level specialist SLT service consisting of assessment, differential diagnosis, interpretation, treatment, management and evaluation of outcomes of adults with acquired brain injury resulting in complex communication and swallowing disorders including use of assistive technology where indicated using a holistic person centred approach to assessment and management
• To be responsible for managing a highly complex defined caseload independently, providing a flexible and prioritised highly specialist SLT service, targeting appropriate intervention where needed and evaluating outcomes.
• To make highly specialist clinical decisions following assessment, including referrals to other services and professions as appropriate e.g. FEES, videofluoroscopy, COMPASS
• To work as part of an integrated multidisciplinary team, contributing appropriately to patient care plans, goal setting and multidisciplinary meetings.
• To demonstrate high standards of clinical record keeping reflecting highly specialist knowledge, ensuring contemporaneous and accurate case notes, well defined and achievable goals and clear reports in line with RCSLT and HCPC standards and RHN policies.
• To employ appropriate strategies to manage adults with challenging behaviours where required, including the application of appropriate management strategies and recognising when to refer or access specialist support from the neuro-behavioural team.
• To counsel and advise patients with highly complex needs and their caregivers regarding swallowing and feeding problems and their impact, sometimes in emotive and ethical situations regarding possible management options including advanced decision-making, risk feeding and quality of life issues.
• To participate in providing cover across other parts of the SLT service as required.
• To provide clinical supervision and line management to less experienced SLTs , technical instructors  and students as needed.

Qualifications & Knowledge

Essential

Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree or equivalent; Health Care Professions Council license to practice; Registered Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

Desirable

Membership of relevant special interest group /CEN

Experience

Essential

• Training in clinical supervision for SLT students, and able to supervise junior colleagues
• Good team member able to assume leadership responsibilities
• Experience in specialist assessment, diagnosis and management of adults presenting with a range of communication and swallowing disorders in a relevant field (Disorders of Consciousness, cognitive communication impairment, aphasia, locked in syndrome etc)  including referring for instrumental swallowing examination where indicated.
• Experience of assessing communication in order to contribute to mental capacity assessments.

Desirable

• Ability to manage tracheostomy patients independently
• Competent FEES assessor
• Level 2 endoscopy competencies achieved

RHN is proud to be a diverse and inclusive employer that respects and values the differences of our people to achieve their full potential.