An exciting opportunity has arisen for a dynamic, person-centered speech and language therapist with a passion for rehabilitation.
This new partnership between the Stroke Rehabilitation Unit at Whiston Hospital and Seddon Specialist Rehabilitation Unit at St Helens Hospital will provide opportunities to develop skills in complex rehabilitation. Working three days on Seddon and two days on Stroke Rehabilitation, this is an excellent development opportunity to join our motivated team of speech and language therapists at MWL.
Seddon Specialist Rehabilitation Unit is part of the Cheshire and Merseyside Rehabilitation Network (CMRN) and is led by a Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine. Across both sites we provide individually tailored intervention programmes to suit the need of patients who have suffered traumatic and life-changing diagnoses, working within forward-thinking interdisciplinary teams that include physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, rehabilitation assistants, clinical psychologists, rehabilitation coordinators, social workers and rehabilitation nurses.
You will be expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to training and support of students, rotational therapists, rehabilitation assistants and nursing colleagues.
The role involves working with adults with acquired and progressive neurological conditions and requires an excellent knowledge and understanding of the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of communication disorders.
The role also involves a complex dysphagia caseload therefore the successful candidate will have completed dysphagia competencies and be able to manage dysphagia patients with senior support. Opportunities to develop skills in videofluoscopy will also be provided.
The successful candidate will be an effective communicator with a commitment to delivering outstanding patient care and ability to think outside of the box to deliver creative rehabilitation. A flexible approach to day-to-day tasks is essential in order to meet the demands of the service. You will be keen to develop your assessment and intervention skills for patients with complex communication and swallowing disorders and be able to work as an integral part of the interdisciplinary team across a 7-day service.
We offer an excellent staff supervision system, enabling our team to develop both personally and at service level. Support from senior colleagues will be provided in addition to opportunities for CPD within MWL and across CMRN.
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.

KEY DUTIES

To be professional and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work including the management of patients/clients in your care.
To ensure a high standard of clinical care for the patients/clients under your care, and support more junior staff to do likewise.
To undertake a comprehensive assessment of patients/clients including those with diverse or complex presentations/multi pathologies; use specialist clinical reasoning skills and appropriate assessment techniques to provide an accurate diagnosis of their condition
Formulate and deliver an individual treatment programme using assessment, reasoning skills and treatment skills based on a sound knowledge of evidence based practice and treatment options. Formulate an initial diagnosis and prognoses in order to recommend best course of intervention and develop comprehensive discharge plans
To take delegated responsibility from the Band 7 clinician for managing patients/clients with particular conditions and be responsible for providing specialist assessment and treatment plans for patients with these conditions.
Evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter treatment programmes as required
To have the ability to undertake self-directed/lone working in a variety of locations

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

To maintain Professional Registration
To work within Trust clinical guidelines, HPC and RCSLT guidelines and to have a working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor own and others quality of practise against these
To be responsible for a designated area of work, as delegated by a senior clinician. Plan and organise efficiently and effectively patient/client caseload, and use of time for self and more junior staff
To be responsible for equipment used in carrying out clinical duties, and to adhere to policy, including competence to use equipment and to ensure the safe use of equipment by others through teaching, training and supervision of practice
To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers and other professionals to promote understanding of the aims of treatment and to ensure a consistent approach to patient care
To provide specialist clinical advice to colleagues working within other clinical areas
To provide specialist clinical advice, teaching and training to other members of the MDT regarding the management of patients
To train, supervise and performance manage more junior staff and students. This will include the use of formal appraisal documentation
To communicate effectively with patients and carers to maximise potential and to ensure understanding of their condition
To assess capacity, gain valid informed consent and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients/clients who lack capacity to consent to treatment
To communicate highly sensitive information effectively with all patient groups/clients/carers where there may be difficulties in accepting or understanding information
To maintain tact and diplomacy and use highly developed communication skills when working in situations which may become hostile/antagonistic including potential complaints as per Trust Policy

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up to date documentation, in line with legal and local requirements, and communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters
To undertake as directed the collection of appropriate data and statistics for the use of the department
To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service. This will include participating in a variety of MDT, internal and external agency meetings and forums plus other forms of verbal/written communication as necessary including report writing and referrals to other agencies