Job summary
We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced HCPC registered Band 6 Speech and Language Therapist to join our friendly Community Speech and Language Therapy Team covering the Sefton area on a part-time, 12-month fixed term basis.

Our Speech & Language Therapists work with adults who have communication and/or swallowing difficulties with the team being based at Zetland Street. You will work with patients in clinic settings and in their own homes, including nursing and residential homes, providing assessment, treatment and ongoing management for people with a wide range of Speech and Language Therapy needs. The role offers the chance to build strong multidisciplinary relationships across neighbourhood services and make a visible difference to the health and wellbeing of the local population.

You will assess, diagnose, plan and deliver treatment for patients with a range of complex needs, including people living with long-term conditions. We are therefore looking for someone with strong clinical reasoning, excellent communication skills and a compassionate, proactive approach to care. In return, you will join a service that values professional development, collaborative working and continuous improvement. We value CPD and carry out robust clinical supervision and appraisals to encourage therapists' specialist interests and innovation.

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. 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.

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, 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.

Job responsibilities
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 with communication 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.

Person Specification
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
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

Desirable

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

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

Experience
Essential

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

Values
Essential

• Continuous improvement - committed to making improvements to our services for the benefit of all
• Accountability - taking ownership to anticipate, develop and deliver high quality care
• Respect - how we treat others in an inclusive and supportive way
• Enthusiasm - demonstrate our passion and pride for what we do and how we do it
• Support - actively supporting others with compassion and courage

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.

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

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.