Job Description

Communication / Relationship Skills 1. Communicate highly complex and sensitive information to patients, carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team and/or those in other professions, from initial assessment to discharge. 2. Use highly developed communication skills to convey complex information in an easy-to-understand format where there may be significant barriers to understanding.



3. Work closely with patients/ clients and their carers in goal setting and decision making. 4. Demonstrate expert negotiation and influencing skills, both with colleagues and other professionals as well as patient and carers e.g.



motivating patients to engage with the therapeutic process. 5. Use empathy, tact, sensitivity and discretion when communicating life changing events e.g. poor prognosis for return of language function or need for augmentative/enteral tube feeding.



6. Act as an advocate for patients who have difficulty communicating. 7. Deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible this may involve diffusing hostility and aggression.



8. Understand and maintain the required standards of clinical record keeping in line with organisational and professional guidelines. 9. Work with junior colleagues and students to facilitate their own clinical development.



10. Participate in formal and informal training sessions for other speech and language therapists, professionals, carers, local support groups and other third-party organisations as requested. 11. Employ excellent presentation skills to promote multi-disciplinary and interagency liaison and collaborative practice to a broad range of audiences.



Analytical / Judgmental Skills 1. To further develop the ability to reflect on auditory, visual and kinaesthetic aspects of a clients communication and to identify appropriate strategies to facilitate and enhance communicative effectiveness. 2. To use knowledge and experience to inform sound clinical judgments/decision making for management of client caseload, making differential diagnosis based on evidence from assessment, seeking advice if appropriate.



3. To develop clear care plans based on evidence and best practice. 4. To reflect on own practice with peers and mentors and identify own strengths and development needs.



5. To target training (formal and informal) appropriately to the needs of the course participants. Responsibilities for human resources including personal and people development 1. To facilitate the development of self and others, utilising problem solving/negotiation skills within peer review/support & clinical supervision 2.



To support more junior staff. 3. To provide full student placements 4. To explain the role of Speech and Language Therapy to visitors, students and volunteers.



5. To continue to develop own knowledge and skills through personal & team objectives and the appraisal process. Health, safety and security Responsibility to maintain own health, safety and security in the workplace including strict adherence to infection control and Information Governance Policy & Guidelines, and to work with colleagues to maintain the health, safety and security of the public and colleagues in the workplace. Responsibility for Policy and Service Improvement/ Development 1.



To advise the Speech and Language Therapy Lead on issues of service delivery including under or over performance, service pressures etc. that may affect service delivery. 2. To assume delegated tasks as requested by the Speech and Language Therapy Lead, including participation in working groups, policy development groups.



3. To develop care protocols/packages relating to specialist area in liaison with the Speech and Language Therapy Lead, to improve client care. 4. To contribute to interagency/multi-disciplinary team building and policy development.



5. To be aware of, adhere to and implement service and team objectives. 6. To attend and contribute to team operational meetings and Clinical Forums Responsibility for Audit/Research & Development 1.



To share innovative ideas for service development to benefit patients and services. 2. To initiate and undertake Research/Clinical Governance/Audit projects as required. 3.



To collect and provide research data as required. 4. Regularly participate in clinical audit and those included in the annual audit plan e.g. client satisfaction and case note standards.



Quality Responsibility to maintain the quality of own work and improve standards and quality for self and others. Freedom to Act 1. Be accountable for own professional actions and recognise own professional boundaries. 2.



Be able to work independently with support from more senior colleagues where necessary. 3. Actively evaluate the effectiveness of own clinical practice and demonstrate commitment to personal development, accessing appraisal at pre-determined intervals. 4.



Take responsibility for updating own clinical knowledge through attendance at relevant training and courses, identified through appraisal. 5. Act within defined departmental, CSH Surrey and National protocols/policies and professional codes of conduct. 6.



Work as part of a team to ensure that national and local policies and guidelines, relevant to the provision of Speech and Language Therapy Service, are implemented into own practice under guidance from more senior colleagues. Equality, diversity and rights Responsibility to support, promote and develop a culture which promotes equality & diversity. Planning and organisational tasks / duties 1. To manage and prioritise own caseload and workload independently.



2. Plan and implement training programmes to others. Patient Care Responsibilities 1. Be able to work autonomously, with a specialist, often complex caseload, to assess, diagnose, develop and implement programmes of care.



Supported by clinical supervision and SLT Lead. 2. Assess, differentially diagnose, formulate treatment plans (in collaboration with patients and carers), write assessment reports, identify and choose appropriate therapeutic or clinical management techniques from a range of options, provide appropriate therapeutic intervention and evaluate treatment outcomes. 3.



Demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice and outcome measures. 4. Provide complex and sensitive information to patients in a manner that they can understand e.g. regarding cognitive changes 5.



Refer on for specialist assessment for Assistive and Augmentative communication. Liaise with specialist centres to provide continuity of care and help source funding for equipment. 6. Liaise with a wide range of professional colleagues and other agencies to ensure comprehensive management of the patient e.g.



attendance at ward meetings and case conferences and telephone liaison e.g. with GPs, dieticians and social services. 7. Plan for patient discharge, ensuring appropriate onward referral and liaison as required.



8. Adapt practice to meet individual patient circumstances, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences. 9. Complete incident forms where appropriate and discuss pertinent issues regarding safeguarding/incidents with Speech & Language Therapy Lead and others involved.



10. Work with patients with a variety of diagnoses and their carers/families, across the teams geographical patch. Working flexibly to provide an equitable service to all patients, as the caseload determines and to cover periods of staff absence 11. Work with a designated caseload and be flexible to carry out work in other areas of the wider SLT Team to facilitate equity of service provision for all patients (according to level of experience and competence) as requested by Speech and Language Therapy Lead, and to further develop own professional practice.



Responsibility for financial and other physical resources 1. Be aware of team budget, monitor stock levels in own service area and request new resources/equipment as appropriate. 2. Be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained.



3. Raise any concerns with the Speech and Language Therapy Lead. Responsibilities for information resources 1. To maintain up-to-date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT Professional Standards and National and Local Trust policies.



2. To share information with others, observing data protection and information governance guidelines. 3. To record activity data accurately and in a timely manner.



4. To develop an excellent working knowledge of clinical systems such as EMIS, Cerner and Accurx. Physical Skills 1. Excellent auditory processing 2.



Excellent computer skills 3. Excellent listening skills This job description is not exhaustive, and the post holder may be required to undertake such other duties from time to time as are consistent with the responsibility of the grade.