Senior Speech and Language therapist - Inpatient rehabilitation

To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work and that work delegated to support staff. To undertake a comprehensive assessment of patients presenting with acquired communication and swallowing difficulties, including those with diverse or complex presentations/multi pathologies: using a high level of clinical reasoning and assessment techniques to provide an accurate clinical diagnosis. To identify and refer patients for video fluoroscopy and other objective swallowing assessment techniques. To utilise an extensive knowledge of evidence-based practice and treatment options to select and deliver a specialised speech & language therapy programme to individual patients and plan their successful discharge. To take responsibility for a delegated caseload, ensuring that the MDT is fully involved as required. To ensure that patients and carers are involved in the planning of their care and rehabilitation, using negotiation skills as appropriate To assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment. Use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients and carers to progress rehabilitation and treatment programmes. In this patient group SLT work will always include skilled interventions for patients who have difficulties in understanding or communicating. To be responsible for maintaining accurate comprehensive patient treatment records in line with the Royal College of Speech & language Therapist (RCSLT)/HCPC standards of practice and RFH policies and to communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters. Represent speech & language therapy service and/or individual patients at the multi-disciplinary team meetings, to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multidisciplinary service, and integrate speech & language therapy treatment into the treatment programme. This will include discussion of patient care, patient progress and involvement in discharge planning. Provide specialist clinical speech & language therapy advice to others regarding the management and care of patients. To offer supervision and support to more junior qualified staff ,assistant and Therapy technician staff within the service as required and to alert line manager if any significant concerns are identified. To use relevant clinical outcome measures to demonstrate efficacy of intervention. Apply a sound knowledge of clinical governance and risk management both to own caseload and that delegated to support staff.