Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to contribute to the delivery of Speech and Language Therapy in Ashworth High Secure Hospital for a fixed term of 12 months.

Ashworth is a specialist psychiatric hospital providing assessment, treatment and care in conditions of high security for men aged 18 and above and its catchment area covers the Midlands, North Wales and the North West. Ashworth is one of only three high secure psychiatric hospitals in England and Wales. We support men with a serious mental illness or personality disorder who are detained under the Mental Health Act and are assessed as presenting a grave risk to others.

Working collaboratively with service users, families, and the wider multidisciplinary team (MDT), we develop personalised care plans that promote recovery, maximise independence, and support progression through services in the most appropriate and least restrictive way. Our Speech and Language Therapy service delivers comprehensive assessment and a wide range of evidence-based individual and group interventions tailored to the holistic needs of the population we serve. Care is underpinned by the principles of trauma-informed and recovery-focused practice. All interventions are individualised and supported by robust risk assessment and management processes.

Whilst we are recruiting into a Band 6 position, applications would also be welcomed from those currently working in Band 5 positions.

Main duties of the job
To provide evidence-based Speech and Language Therapy assessment and intervention to service users who have communication and/or eating and drinking difficulties within the high secure hospital. The role will be integrated within the multi-disciplinary team and will work with the team to develop person-centred care plans.

Clinically, the successful candidate will be expected to:

• Provide direct intervention to enhance communication to empower service users to actively participate in their care and treatment.
• Support the development of independence, and life skills.
• Reduce both offending-related risk linking to communication difficulties; and physical risk due to dysphagia.
• Support the wider team in providing a collaborative and accessible communication environment.
• Advocate for and implement reasonable adjustments that enable each individual to achieve their full potential.

The successful candidate will work alongside an experienced Speech and Language Therapy team to continue to develop the service. Supervision will be provided by a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist.

Whilst the team support individuals with dysphagia, post-graduate dysphagia training and competencies are not essential for this fixed term position.

About us
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 and 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.

Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification document for full details of this role.

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

Experience
Essential

• Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Experience with provision of supervision and delegation to junior members of staff
• Experience of use of outcome measures for clinical evaluation
• Basic IT Skills (Microsoft Software: Excel, World, Power Point, MS Teams)

Knowledge
Essential

• A philosophy and approach that empowers people
• Knowledge of alternative and augmentative communication and dysphagia
• A person-centred approach to service delivery
• Understanding of current NHS changes

Skills
Essential

• A demonstrated understanding of Equality and Human Rights
• Ability to convey information and skills to direct care staff
• Good time management and organizational skills
• Flexible approach skills towards service change, demands and pressure
• Ability & willingness to travel across The Trust footprint.

Desirable

• Experience of providing clinical supervision (to students or SaLT staff)

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.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).