Join a supportive, welcoming team as a full time Band 6 Speech and Language Therapist.

We are seeking an enthusiastic SLT to provide high quality, evidence-based interventions, for adults with swallowing and communication needs. We work with adults with a range of acquired conditions (dementia, Parkinsons, FND, and Long Covid amongst others), as well as adult dysfluency. You will also be involved in projects, service improvements and supervision of students and staff.

We work in patients own homes, care homes, and clinics, as well as some remote/telephone or video working and running groups (dysfluency, aphasia, Parkinsons voice maintenance). We also provide intensive rehabilitation programmes where appropriate and offer training to carers and other professionals.

We foster a patient centred philosophy, with space to be creative to meet individual needs.

Your continuing professional development will be supported with regular supervision, shadowing opportunities, and clinical meetings alongside other CPD opportunities. We encourage involvement in Clinical Excellence Networks (such as the East Midlands Progressive Neurology CEN) and support staff to access specialist training in specific clinical interventions.

This is an opportunity to join a small but highly respected and innovative team. We support flexible working. The post is for a full-time band 6 therapist but may consider job share, so if you are an interested in part time hours or have any questions, please contact us.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will triage, assess and provide SLT interventions to people with adult-acquired swallowing and communication needs, and disorders of fluency. Our clients present with a wide range of aetiologies (e.g. Parkinsons, respiratory, dementia and FND).

We have an office base, but you will also travel, working independently in clinics, individuals homes, care and nursing homes across the city. We use tele-health where relevant.

You will prioritise tasks and manage your time effectively. You will hold your own caseload and be involved in managing shared caseloads alongside SLT colleagues. We meet regularly as a team and you will also be involved in audits, service developments and training. You will support students and supervise other members of staff.

The SLT Team also has assistance from skilled Assistant Practitioners and Admin support. You will work independently (with supervision and support available) and at other times will need to work jointly with SLT and other colleagues, liaising with various members of the broader care or medical teams, and interpreters, to meet the needs of our patients.

We hold regular clinical meetings with SLT colleagues, which you will both benefit from and feed into. You will also receive regular supervision and training opportunities. There are lots of opportunities to develop your clinical interests and skills.

About us

We are aprovider of NHS Community Health Services, CityCare exists to support thehealth and wellbeing of all local people, working alongside other health andcare partners to achieve this. We are a value driven, people business with apassion for excellence. Our vision and social purpose is to make a differenceeveryday to the health & wellbeing of our communities and our values ofkindness, respect, trust and honesty lie at the heart of everything we do,guiding how we work together with partners and each other to consistentlydeliver high quality compassionate care. As a social enterprise we aim to addsocial value by investing in the future of our local communities and helping tomake a difference in peoples lives.

CityCare valuethe benefits of a diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage applicationsfrom candidates who identify as disabled, LGBT+ or from a Black, Asian orMinority Ethnic (BAME) background, as they are currently under-representedwithin our organisation.

We are proud to be a forces-friendlyorganisation and are dedicated to supporting Veterans, Service Leavers, Reservists, andmilitary spouses/partners. We value the unique skills and contributions youbring.

CityCare is anequal opportunities employer. We are positive about employing people withdisabilities. If you require your application in a different format pleasecontact People Services on 0115 8839418. CityCare is committed to theprotection of vulnerable adults and children.

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose

• The post holder will deliver Speech and Language Therapy care in a range of community environments to adults over 18 who are presenting with communication and swallowing difficulties. The team is unidisciplinary, but the post holder will work with a range of other professionals, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, dieticians, nurses and medical consultants, social workers and a range of other carers and community personnel.
• The post holder will encounter a wide range of physically and emotionally challenging conditions in clients homes and other environments in the community. Nottingham is a culturally diverse city with many multi-ethnic, bilingual, and multi-lingual speaking communities. These may provide potential barriers to communication, which could affect delivery of client care. Speech and language therapists will need to have an awareness of, and sensitivity to, social, cultural, and economic issues.
• To work as a specialised clinician, acting as an autonomous practitioner in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of adults with communication, cognitive and/or swallowing disorders arising from complex and/or chronic problems.
• To work with the adult services team contributing to the planning, developing and delivering an effective and efficient service, including auditing practice.

Dimensions

• You will be working in a variety of community settings which may include a clients own home/residential home/nursing home and out-patient clinics setting up assessment, treatment including rehabilitation programmes for clients, carers, and families.
• To participate actively in the services training strategy, including in-service training, Trust and multi-agency training.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical

• Communicate highly complex and sensitive clinical information to clients, carers, and families in a clear, accessible and empathetic format, both in written and verbal form.
• Communicate highly complex and sensitive clinical information to clients, carers, and families in a clear, accessible and empathetic format, both in written and verbal form.
• Make differential diagnosis using complex information gathered from formal and informal communication assessments, medical notes and information from other agencies and professionals. Using this information to develop and implement/provide specialist packages of care and treatment, to meet the needs of the client group and evaluate outcomes.
• Develop and deliver a range of training packages for health and education professionals, other agencies and families
• Manage and prioritise a specialist caseload independently.
• Use specialist knowledge to make sound clinical decisions/judgements following assessment of complex cases within specific specialist area
• Accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries seeking more specialist advice as appropriate.
• Work independently within defined departmental and national protocols/policies and professional code of conduct.
• Plan and deliver training for other professionals related to the client group.
• Organise appointments and book clinics for individual and group therapy sessions.
• Responsible for keeping up-to-date client-based record/notes and inputting to electronic clinical information systems.

Team Working

• Implement departmental plans and policies.
• Use specialist knowledge to contribute to development, evaluation and change of service/team plans and policies.
• Contribute to interagency/multi-disciplinary team building.

Professional and Managerial

• To take an active role in maintaining own competency to practice through Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities, furthering specialist knowledge incorporating evidence-based practice, e.g. in-service training, reading, special interest groups and external training courses. Maintain a portfolio, which reflects personal development.
• To maintain and update clinical skills as agreed in an annual Performance Review and Development (PRD).
• Day-to-day supervision and direction for Speech and Language Therapy Admin, band 5 SLTs and Assistant Practitioners, as required
• Involved in the training of less experienced Speech and Language Therapists, Assistant Practitioners, students, outside agencies and parents/carers around specific specialist area.
• Provide advice in specialist area to more junior colleagues.
• Offer clinical supervision for junior members of staff.
• Undertake regular clinical supervision/peer supervision as identified.

This is not an exhaustive list of duties. Any substantive changes in the work undertaken will be carried out after consultation with the jobholder.

Person Specification

Special Requirements

• Ability to undertake frequent moderate physical effort for several short periods during the working day. Activities may include manoeuvring people, and operating physiotherapy equipment. Periods of prolonged concentration as work pattern dictates and some exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances and occasional unpleasant conditions.
• Ability to be flexible over hours worked within contracted hours to meet the needs of the service
• Able to work unsocial hours and weekends within service hours 0800-2200 7 days.
• Full driving licence and the ability to travel between locations.

Knowledge and skills

• Well established knowledge of assessment tools and treatment for specialist group
• Well established knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions (relevant to the client group)
• Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy skills
• Good IT and presentation skills both written and verbal
• Demonstrates effective ability to prioritise a large caseload
• Demonstrates the ability to work well in a team and to see the benefits of teamwork
• Able and willing to work flexibly, including in different specialities and environments
• Able to work autonomously whilst seeking guidance appropriately Knowledge of national policies and procedures (relevant to the client group)
• Understanding of the principles of clinical governance/audit
• Ability to reflect and critically appraise own practice
• Knowledge of standards of record keeping
• Enthusiasm to become involved in new initiatives

Qualifications

• Speech & Language therapy Degree Qualification
• Health and Care professions council licence to practice
• Registered member of RCSLT
• Post graduate Dysphagia training
• Evidence of successful completion of short courses related to client group
• Advanced dysphagia training

Experience

• Relevant post-graduate experience working autonomously in assessing and managing clients with acquired swallowing and communication disorders, such as stroke
• Experience of multi-disciplinary team working
• Experience of goal setting
• Experience working as SLT in the community, including in peoples own homes and care homes.
• Experience of group therapy for communication
• Experience of training other professionals or carers
• Experience of AAC equipment relevant to client group
• Experience of providing formal supervision to students and other members of an SLT team
• Experience of being involved in service improvement projects

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£37,338 to £44,962 a year(Pay Award Pending)