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Job summary

Main area
Adult Speech and Language Therapy Team Leader
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Part time - 22.5 hours per week
Job ref
423-6169867
Employer
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Airedale General Hospital
Town
Steeton
Salary
£43,742 - £50,056 pro rata per annum.
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
28/04/2024 23:59

Employer heading

Airedale NHS Foundation Trust logo

Adult Speech and Language Therapy Team Leader - Community ( Band 7)

NHS AfC: Band 7

Be part of our future landscape

At Airedale, we are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. We actively encourage applications irrespective of people’s age, lived experience of living with a disability or long-term conditions, gender, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or other personal circumstances.

Increasing our diversity and supporting our organisation to be more inclusive is a key priority here at Airedale and our teams are at the centre of how we work towards this.  

We appreciate all people may have diverse and individual needs and we pride ourselves on supporting all people to thrive and flourish at work. We have frameworks in place that support reasonable adjustments and flexible working for colleagues throughout their working lives which starts at recruitment.

These are exciting times for Airedale.  We have the once-in-a-career opportunity to be involved in the planning and building of a completely new hospital here on our Steeton site by 2030.  By joining us now you’ll be a key part of our journey over the next few years, with the chance to input into a state-of-the-art, modern healthcare facility that will deliver care to our communities for decades to come. We are also on the journey to a new electronic patient record, part of our wider ambition for our digital future – a future that builds on our significant telemedicine and digital care success. Ultimately, what makes Airedale special is our people. Not just our staff, but our volunteers, patients, visitors, and wider population who make up the Airedale family. This is a Trust that sits at the heart of our community, and our communities are very proud of their Trust.

 

Job overview

We are looking for a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with a passion for community care to lead the Community SALT Team for Adults in the Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven locality. 

The Adult Speech & Language Therapy Team within Airedale NHS Foundation Trust works with adults who have a range of acquired and long term conditions in both acute and community settings.

It is essential that you are able to work as part of a team with excellent communication, organisation and planning skills. 

Main duties of the job

Clinical

  • Ensure the team provides a timely and efficient clinical service to patients with reference to service priorities and responding to the changing needs of the team and the service.
  • Ensure that all patients receive a high standard of clinical care from the team and that all team members meet the standards expected
  • Use investigative and analytical skills to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the patient. Formulate individual management and treatment plans, using clinical reasoning and a wide range of treatment skills
  • Monitor and evaluate the outcome of specialist interventions in partnership with the service user if possible, with the carer if necessary and in consultation with colleagues.
  • Collaborate with the MDT to develop and improve patient pathways.

Leadership and Management

  • Organise and manage staff for community SALT as agreed with the service managers. This will include informal management of absence and discipline and facilitation of regular team meetings.
  • Have an overview of the team’s capacity and demand: Ensure protocols are followed, there is adequate cover across working hours and that all team members have an appropriate balance of clinical and professional activities.
  • Recognise and respond to changing team priorities and unforeseen situations that take precedence over planned work.
  • Contribute to the planning and development of the Adult Speech and Language Therapy team in partnership with the operational managers and other Team Leaders.

Working for our organisation

Our friendly and supportive Adult Speech and Language Therapy department comprises a team of  Speech and Language Therapists, Therapy Assistants and Practitioners. At Airedale there is a strong commitment to supporting the CPD of all AHPs. Clinical support is available through regular clinical meetings, team meetings and peer review. As an integrated service SLT have exceptionally close working relationships with dietitians and clinical nurse specialists and the wider AHP workforce.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To lead the coordination and provision of a high quality, evidence based Community  SALT service in the Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven localities. To work effectively as part of an established team to provide highly specialist assessment, therapy, advice and support to adults with a range of swallowing and communication disorders in a variety of community settings.

  • Be responsible for planning, coordinating, delivering and evaluating clinical case work for complex acquired communication and swallowing disorders across the locality.
  • To take a lead on effective management of patient pathways for community Speech and Language Therapy 
  • To provide line management for a team of Speech and Language Therapists, Therapy Assistants and Practitioners
  • The post-holder will promote the safety, maintenance and optimum role of physical resources at all times within the designated area.
  • To work collaboratively with the Inpatient SALT team in order to develop the adult Speech and Language Therapy service. 
  • To work as part of the MDT ensuring that decisions regarding assessment and management of communication and / or eating and drinking are communicated in a timely manner.
  • To work autonomously according to standards of professional practice as set out by the Health and Care Professions Council and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
  • To provide evidence-based, highly specialist Speech and Language knowledge and skills in the community setting
  • Provide a key role in partnership working with patients, carers, the MDT, and wider statutory, private and voluntary sector services.
  • To take responsibility for effective functioning of the Community Speech and Language Therapy team.
  • To take a lead with quality improvements in acute Speech and Language Therapy including implementation of national guidance from RCSLT.
  • Provide advice, training and supervision of Speech and Language Therapists, assistants and students within and external to the Trust.
  • Provide support to operational and service managers deputising for them as required

 

In pursuing these duties, the post holder will ensure compliance with the NHS Constitution and the Trust’s Right Care strategy.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Degree or equivalent pre-registration award in Speech and Language Therapy with a certificate to practice recognised by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
  • State registration with the Health Care Professions Council
  • Post graduate Dysphagia qualification
  • Recent post graduate courses relevant to acute inpatient Speech and Language Therapy
  • Completion of course in Professional Practice education
Desirable criteria
  • MSc or PhD in a relevant subject
  • Post-graduate Diploma in Advanced Practice
  • Certificate in Managing Health Services or equivalent
  • Successful completion of a Professionally validated specialist course
  • Involvement in relevant Professional Clinical Excellence Network

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Significant post graduate experience including recent experience in the NHS
  • Highly specialist knowledge and experience in the diagnosis, treatment and general management of a wide range of swallowing and communication difficulties associated with acquired neurological disorders.
  • High level of knowledge and experience delivering a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions and evidence-based practice.
  • Recent experience of team leadership and management.
  • Experience of multidisciplinary team working
  • Experience of multidisciplinary guideline development, implementation and audit
  • Experience of clinical supervision both as supervisee and supervisor
  • Experience of supervising other staff members and conducting annual reviews
Desirable criteria
  • Recent experience of leadership /management role
  • Experience of taking part in or leading on Projects/ service improvements
  • Experience of taking part in or leading an audit or research project
  • Experience in dealing with Human Resource issues such as recruitment and retention, performance management, sickness and annual leave

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Highly specialist level of knowledge and clinical reasoning skills to support expert clinical practice in the community setting
  • Knowledge of the roles of other professionals and the principles of partnership working with key stakeholders in inpatients
  • Knowledge of clinical standards and ability to implement and audit these in the team
  • Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance, audit and research
  • Knowledge of the principles of student-centred learning and reflective practice
Desirable criteria
  • Able to demonstrate knowledge of complex ad ethical decision making in dysphagia management.

Other

Essential criteria
  • To be a car driver with access to a vehicle

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardDisability Confident - two yearsNHS Employers Diversity and Inclusion PartnersVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerPositive about disabled peopleInvestors in PeopleDisability confident employerStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Happy to Talk Flexible WorkingArmed Forces Covenant

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Fran Hartley
Job title
Therapy Service Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01535 293643
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