Assistant Practitioner - Speech & Language Therapy Service

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is one of the largest healthcare systems in the United Kingdom, employing approximately 40,000 staff across a wide range of clinical and non-clinical professions and roles. We deliver acute hospital, primary, community and mental health services to a population of over 1.15 million people, and to a wider population of 2.2 million when regional and national services are included.

The role:

Come and join a dynamic, innovative and friendly team to work supporting the delivery of communication and dysphagia support within our speech and language therapy service. You will principally be working within the Care Home & Hospice Team working under the direction of a small team of dedicated specialist clinical staff.

Ideally you will have clinical experience within healthcare or experience working with individuals with additional support needs within education or similar experience. You will understand and recognise the needs of others and be able to adapt your communication to support their needs. You will have experience of supporting colleagues and will be able to work flexibly to respond to changing clinical priorities.

This is a community based post and you will be able to travel independently across the health board area within a single day.

All other roles will be assessed for sponsorship eligibility in line with current Home Office requirements. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) can only issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) where these are met.

Duration, Location, and Working Pattern:

• Location based in Glasgow City HSCP
• Permanent Contract
• Part-time position (21.6 hours per week)
• Shift pattern - 21.6 hours per week, over 3 days;
  Monday to Friday (to be confirmed)

Please note the salary is Pro Rata for part-time hours.

Key responsibilities:

• Works directly with patients implementing individual and group treatment programmes within caseload allocated by SLT, working independently to choose and create appropriate therapy materials within predefined parameters.
• Uses judgement to modify and adapt activities, whilst maintaining the level of intervention, to suit individual patient need.
• Meeting with patients and carers where practical information or general advice is required from the HCSW which demands an understanding of the residents condition
• Acts as Speech & Language Therapy patient representative in multi-disciplinary or uni-disciplinary team, liases with members of the team and provides feedback on patient progress and treatment
• Prepares patients for treatment e.g. the initial greeting of patients and their carers; assists with positioning for therapy for therapy or assessment screening forms, questionnaires and observation check lists.
• Using defined protocols undertakes telephone screening, basic initial assessments and patient observations.
• Makes photo- and audio-copies of therapy materials and maintains a library of resources for SLT use with residents
• Maintains designated stock items and orders stock and non stock requisition for SLT department
• Day to day supervision when required for less experienced health care support staff in relation to indirect clinical activities eg interpretation of information supplied to produce appropriate therapy materials.
• Regularly provides practical training and demonstrations to staff e.g. in care homes; care providers in patients own home
• Provides advice and support to non-specialist care staff on a range of clinical issues. § Provides peer support to other HCSWs

Knowledge, training, qualifications and/or experience required to do the job:

• Well-developed written and verbal communication skills and basic numeracy skills
• Experience as a clinical healthcare support worker or equivalent eg classroom assistant
• Formal education within the healthcare sector eg SVQ Healthcare or Social Care or equivalent
• Working knowledge of IT
• A good team worker with evidence of team working
• Experience of supervising colleagues
• Experience of working in a patient facing role or similar skills acquired dealing with the public
• Work towards appropriate level competencies from the RSW competencies
• Work towards RCSLT dysphagia framework; dementia framework; IPAACKS…