Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

To provide evidence-based Speech and Language Therapy assessment and intervention to service users who have communication and/or eating and drinking difficulties. These occur as a consequence of physical and mental health conditions such as: Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Stroke, Dementia and Mental Illness.

The caseload may cover the whole spectrum of communication disorders, e.g. dysfluency, high level language / social use of language and voice as applicable to the service.

The role will be integrated within the therapy team and will work with the team to develop person-centred care plans.

Supervision will be provided by a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist.

To participate as a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with specific responsibility to assess and treat adults with complex health needs.

To be responsible for the delivery of specialist assessment, diagnosis, treatment, delivery and evaluation of evidence-based Speech and Language Therapy intervention in a variety of settings including inpatient, individuals home setting, care homes or outpatient clinics for clients withcommunication and swallowing disorders, such as dysphagia, dysfluency, voice, head and neck.

To act as a Care coordinator where applicable, ensuring that clients have full access to any generic services that they require.

To be responsible and accountable for their own caseload and ensure that care plans are written and reviewed regularly.

To contribute to the prioritisation of the waiting list for Speech and Language Therapy.

To complete intake assessments on behalf of the team and feedback to the multi-disciplinary team.

To work alongside and liaise with other professionals within the team, staff at day centres, residential staff and families.

To provide clinical advice to these on the communication needs of clients, resolving areas of conflict as necessary.

To provide specialist knowledge on alternative and augmentative systems of communication, where appropriate. To ensure that all relevant agencies have access to all systems.

To Identify and take responsibility for allocating work and providing supervision to Speech and Language Therapy assistants.

To provide training days to staff teams around specific individuals communication to devise strategies and management plans.

To be able to deputise on the absence of the clinical lead and ensure coordination of caseload is well managed within the team.

To be an active and enthusiastic team member by participating with service improvement activities, promoting innovation, being supportive to other team members and proactive when identifying potential issues in the service.

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.

We offer specialist inpatient, community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Qualifications

Essential: - Accredited Speech and Language Therapy qualification (BSc); - Registration with HCPC

Desirable: - Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist (RCSLT); - Post graduate training/qualification in Dysphagia

Skills

Desirable: - Experience of providing clinical supervision (to students or SaLT staff)

Knowledge

Experience

Values