Speech and Language Therapist

Overview

At Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (GHC) we provide joined‑up mental health, physical health and learning disability services to people of all ages across Gloucestershire. We run community hospitals and support people in their own homes and a range of other locations across the county. We are on a mission to enable people to live the best life they can and our vision is to work together to provide outstanding care.

We put people at the heart of our services, focusing on personalised care by asking ‘what matters to you’.

• Provide Specialist Speech and Language Therapy assessment, diagnosis and treatment to adults in Gloucestershire, including patients with acquired communication, voice and swallowing disorders across community hospitals, outpatient clinics or patients’ own homes or care homes.
• Manage and prioritise own clinical workload, seeking guidance from team leads as required.
• Supervise Speech and Language Therapy assistants or newly qualified SLTs.
• Work autonomously within GHC policies and professional practice, maintaining accurate and comprehensive electronic records.
• Participate in service improvement projects as indicated.

• Provide specialist differential diagnosis, clinical advice and care plans/therapy to clients with communication/swallowing difficulties; analyse facts and compare options for appropriate intervention, implementing specialist programmes where appropriate.
• Provide advice and second opinions to SLT colleagues when necessary to support the clinical management of patients.
• Assess and analyse type, severity and impact of complex conditions of speech, language, communication and swallowing impairments in a wide range of adult patients through specific formal and informal assessments.
• Provide advice and second opinions when necessary to support the clinical management of clients within multi‑disciplinary team decision making with patients and their significant others.
• Demonstrate clear communication skills when presenting specialist clinical information in both verbal and written formats when dealing with sensitive situations such as end of life.

• Monitor and/or undertake quality improvement projects to inform the SLT service and GHC and Gloucestershire Hospital NHS Trust of development needs.
• Contribute to local clinical guidelines.
• Monitor and evaluate clinical effectiveness using provided support, evidence‑based practice and outcome measures.
• Maintain up to date and accurate case notes, both paper and electronic records in line with RCSLT Professional Standards, GHC Trust Policy and departmental guidelines.
• Adhere to and maintain the standards and guidelines recommended by RCSLT and the HCPC codes of conduct and practice.
• Attend relevant training and development to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required of a specialist therapist working with a variety of patients and maintain up to date HCPC and RCSLT registration. This includes participating in regular supervision and annual personal development planning.
• Prescribe augmentative and alternative methods of communication (e.g. communication aids) and provide support, advice and training to clients, carers and professionals with the support of highly specialist AAC therapist both in house and in specialist centres of excellence.
• Refer patients on to other services and agencies and liaise with members of voluntary organisations concerned with the client group e.g. Early Stroke discharge team, Parkinsons Disease support group.
• Negotiate with patients/carers/significant others around individual case management, ensuring patient involvement in their clinical outcomes.

• Manage communication breakdown/conflict in complex cases generating potential solutions.
• Attend departmental development meetings, presenting and leading as appropriate to share skills or recent training.

• Free car parking at many of our sites.
• 27 days leave plus bank holidays, increasing up to 33 days with long service.
• A broad range of training and development opportunities, including apprenticeships up to Level 7…