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Main Duties and Responsibilities

Communications

1. To work closely and often for extended periods with clients referred for SLT and with their families/carers; these clients will have a range of complex difficulties of which communication will be a part. Some clients will have additional needs such as hearing impairment, learning difficulties, psychological or emotional difficulties. Clients may not have English as their first language and interpreter services will be required.

2. To communicate to clients and their families/carers information about highly complex communication difficulties, to ensure they understand and consent to assessment procedures and can participate fully in decision making regarding management. This may include giving unwelcome or difficult to accept information e.g. around the seriousness, implications or long-term nature of the difficulty.

3. To develop and use collaborative styles of working that emphasise interdisciplinary consultation and joint working, such as in educational context and with children with highly complex needs. To negotiate packages of therapy care with clients/carers who may initially be reluctant.

4. To provide written reports, presenting complex information in a clear and accessible way; reports may be provided to carers, schools, GP’s, medical consultants and other allied health professionals. Verbal feedback is also frequently given to other professional (e.g. Health Visitors, Educational Psychologists), and SLT colleagues

5. To build and maintain good working relationships and communication with a wide range of other professionals within Health, Education, Social Services and other sectors. This will include head teachers, class and specialist teachers, educational psychologists, medical consultants and social workers.

Responsibility for Patient Care

6. To autonomously manage a caseload of paediatric clients which will include children with complex and significant communication difficulties.

7. To independently identify assessment needs and carry out and interpret appropriate and detailed assessments of the speech, language and communication skills of clients and make differential diagnosis on the basis of complex evidence from assessment; to assess the wider communication environment for clients’ e.g. school, home etc. The post holder will work in a range of settings, including clients’ homes, schools and clinics.

8. To identify and deliver specialist care plans for highly complex cases, seeking support as appropriate (e.g. from a highly specialist SLT or team leader), and to use discretion in generating and implementing appropriate strategies for caseload management. To evaluate the outcomes of SLT intervention, to review management and adapt care plans accordingly.

9. To demonstrate reflective practice, reflecting on practice both independently and with peers; to demonstrate problem-solving skills in a peer-review/support context and identify own strengths and opportunities for development.

10. To provide specialist advice to clients, carers, school staff, Allied Health Professional (AHPs), medical staff and others regarding the management/treatment of patients with communication difficulties.

11. To direct clients/carers to appropriate voluntary agencies and external services for support and information, e.g. Portage Workers and charitable groups.

12. To assist patients/service users/carers/relatives during incidental contacts.

Planning and organising

13. To organise own workload effectively, prioritising tasks and planning ahead by setting both long- and short-term goals.

14. To work with Speech and Language Support Assistants, providing programmes of therapy to be used with individual clients and supervising their implementation.

15. To organise and plan own day to day workload or activities in order to meet the demands of the job role.

Responsibilities for Physical and / or Financial Resources

16. To monitor and maintain equipment and stock kept for own use; this will include test materials and disposables (recording and analysis sheets), therapy materials, audio and video recording equipment.

17. To ensure any equipment or material that is loaned to clients or families is safe, well maintained and appropriately used.

18. To ensure safe and efficient use of equipment, resources and consumables at all times.

Responsibility for Policy and Service Development and Implementation

19. To be familiar with and adhere to Trust and departmental policies and procedures, including requirements for mandatory training.

20. To be familiar with and adhere to national and local clinical guidelines. To develop and implement policies and procedures in paediatric speech and language therapy.

21. To ensure attendance at all mandatory training and to attend regular staff meetings with at least 75% attendance.

22. To be aware of, comment on and/or actively participate in changes on policies, procedures or service developments.

23. To embrace and support line management and the department in making service improvements effective within the workplace.

Responsibilities for Human Resources and Leadership

24. To be aware of and observe all HR policies and know where to access these. To provide leadership, supervision and management to other members of the team; undertaking additional training as appropriate e.g. carrying out PDRs, managing attendance.

25. To support new or less experienced work colleagues to adapt to the workplace.

Responsibilities for Teaching and Training

26. To act as clinical supervisor for SLT undergraduate students.

27. To participate in the training and induction of SLTs, assistants and volunteers.

28. To deliver and develop specialist training in many settings (including nurseries, schools, SLT department) to AHPs, carers, schools staff, childminders etc.

29. To act as operational lead for newly qualified staff and contribute to their RCSLT Competency Framework; to provide advice and support to assistants and volunteers.