Job summary
This post is one of two Speech and language Therapy posts being advertised to work within a borough focused Intensive Support Team. This post will build on and develop further a pilot project which commenced in July 2022. Funding for the extension of this project has been secured for a further 12 months from the ICB.
The post holder will be responsible for the provision of a cohesive and effective speech and language therapy service, both communication and eating and drinking (dysphagia), to adults with learning disabilities who have been referred to the IST service.
The Lewisham Intensive Support Service team is a small multiagency service, working across 3 organisations, with different professions:
- Guy's and St Thomas' (GSTT)- Speech and Language Therapy
- South London and Maudsley (SLAM)- Psychology, Behaviour Support, Transforming Care nurse
- Lewisham Social Services- Advanced Social Work Practitioner
The Lewisham IST service provides intensive community support in Lewisham for adults living with learning disabilities and behaviours that significantly challenge, who are at risk of family / placement breakdown or hospital admission.
The Lewisham IST Speech and Language Therapist will also work on eating and drinking (dysphagia) assessment and support for people referred to the Lewisham team.
Main duties of the job
- Responsibility for the assessment, diagnosis, development and delivery of highly specialist Speech and Language Therapy communication assessment and interventions to meet the needs of people within the Lewisham IST
- Responsibility for the assessment, diagnosis, development and delivery of highly specialist Speech and Language Therapy eating and drinking (dysphagia) assessment and interventions to meet the needs of people within the Lewisham IST
- To contribute to additional MDT Lewisham IST documents such as Capable Environment reports and Behaviour Support PlansResponsibility for communicating effectively with staff, support workers, other members of the Lewisham IST team and wider professional team, GP, family members and all significant others on aspects of client services
- Together with other professionals from the Lewisham IST service, to take a leading role in the planning, implementation and evaluation of the communication and eating and drinking aspects of family carer workshops
- To be responsible for the gathering of evidence of clinical effectiveness, using appropriate outcome measures and employing evidence-based practise
- To involve the client in the review of clinical effectiveness and outcome measures, and use this to inform future service-delivery
About us
The Integrated Local Services directorate within the Integrated Specialist Medicine clinical group provides a range of community and inpatient health services for adults within the communities of Lambeth and Southwark, with some services also provided in Lewisham. Our hospital-based inpatient and outpatient services provide care for adults from across the region.
The post holder will be based with the Lewisham team for Adults with Learning Disabilities Service but will be clinically working within the Lewisham Intensive Support Team (IST). The post holder will hold a small complex caseload that is referred from within the IST or as part of follow up from previous IST caseloads.
The post holder will act as a full member of the IST multidisciplinary team and work in accordance with the 4 key principles as stated in the White Paper - Valuing People.
The IST team itself is hosted by the South London and Maudsley (SLaM) but is a joint team between GSTT, SLaM and Lewisham Local Authority.
The post holder will also be a member of a larger community Adults with Learning Disabilities (AWLD) Speech and Language Therapy team and the wider multidisciplinary AWLD team, which covers the boroughs of Lewisham, Southwark and Lambeth.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will be expected to develop and sustain professional relationships with the following key individuals and groups:
The core Lewisham IST:
- Psychology/ Team Lead (MHLD)
- Behavioural Support Practitioner (MHLD)
- Psychology Assistants and Trainees (MHLD)
- Speech and Language Therapist (GSTT)
- Transforming Care Nurse (SLAM)
- Advanced Social Work Practitioner (Lewisham local authority)
Key stakeholders:
- Wider GSTT team
- Wider AWLD team
- Social work teams
- Families/carers
- Direct service providers eg Non for Profit organisations, Outreach organisations, Direct payment workers, Residential homes etc
- Allied Health Professionals both within the Adults with Learning
- Disabilities team and the wider community
- Assistive Technology Teams
- Allied Health professionals within hospital settings
- Nursing and medical staff within Hospital settings
- Community Nurses
- Specialist Nurses such as Learning Disability Nurses, Tissue Viability Nurses
- Specialist Dental Services
- Specialist health Services such as HEN team
- General Practitioners
- Adult education service providers, teaching and therapy staff
- Paediatric Teaching and therapy staff for students with an LDAdministrative and Clerical staff
Specialism Duties: LECS team working
- Lead responsibility for the assessment, development and delivery of an effective and highly specialist Speech and Language Therapy service to people who access the IST service
- To take lead responsibility for the development of effective AAC use for individuals within the Lewisham IST service, their support networks and to other professionals within this teamTo support other Lewisham IST professional team members to develop their awareness and skills around communication support, including high and low technology AAC, social stories and easy read information
- To plan and deliver specialist training to support staff and significant others in the most effective use and development of any communication strategies with people who are receiving an Lewisham IST service
- To follow, review and continue to develop the 3 communication service pathways (including MHLD pathway) for SLT input as part of the Lewisham IST service
- Standard pathway for people living in borough with a GP in borough who have an identified service provider and who are not in educationConsultation pathway for people who are either living out of borough or are in full time education
- MHLD pathway for people who have been previously known to the Lewisham IST t and who require joint working with MHLD as part of the Positive Behaviour Support Clinic (PBS)
- To work with clients and their networks, providing crisis support and/or service design and transition planning
- To lead for SLT in weekly clinical team meetings with the wider Lewisham IST.
- To lead on the role of SLT in the acceptance and management of Lewisham IST referrals in these weekly clinical meetings.
- To contribute to interagency/multidisciplinary team building and policy development, as part of the Lewisham IST team
- To develop specialist communication strategies that add to and enhance positive behaviour support (PBS) plans and capable environments documentation and to coordinate and work with multiple agencies in the successful implementation of these strategies
- All specialist SLT interventions are closely coordinated with other professional team members in order to provide an effective person-centred approach
- To be able to undertake complex dysphagia assessments and to support peers within the Lewisham IST service and support agencies with their awareness and skills around eating and drinking support and swallow safety
- To offer expert second opinions, advice and support to colleagues within the wider AWLD SLT and MDT team on area of clinical specialism: communication and eating and drinking support to people with a learning disability and behaviours that significantly challenge
- To initiate and undertake risk assessment and management procedures for clients within the Lewisham IST framework and to contribute to wider multi-disciplinary risk assessment and management plans
Person Specification
Registration
Essential
- Membership of the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)
Desirable
- oMembership of the RCSLT
- oMembership of relevant CEN's (e.g. Adults with learning disabilities and behaviours that challenge, Adults with autism)
Qualifiations
Essential
- oMasters level qualification in Speech and Language Therapy/Science or equivalent experience.
- oPostgraduate qualification in dysphagia.
Desirable
- oMakaton qualification and skills.
- oAWLD dysphagia qualification
- oAdvanced dysphagia qualification
- oClinical Audit Training
- oPBS training
Experience
Essential
- oExperience of working with people with a learning disability, behaviours that challenge and a possible diagnosis of Autism.
- oExperience of training carers, volunteers and health care professionals and support worker
- oExperience of supporting AAC users, who use light-tech communication devices, such as symbols, photos, objects etc
- oExperience of undertaking own clinical risk assessments and joint risk assessment with wider team
- oExperience of developing independent case-management skills.
- oExperience with the use of audit.
- oExperience of working within a multidisciplinary team.
Desirable
- oExperience of MDT working within a Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) framework.
- oExperience of carrying out SLT assessment and input within a PBS framework
- Experience of working working with AWLD and dysphagia
- oExperience of liaison with Mental health in LD, health, social services, adult education and voluntary organisations
- oExperience of working with a SaLTA and delegation of work appropriately
SKIlls & Knowledge
Essential
- oDemonstrate skills in assessing and providing intervention for people with learning disabilities who have behaviours that challenge and may have Autism.
- oDemonstrate skills in assessing and providing intervention for AWLD and behaviours that challenge in a range of settings
- oDemonstrate skills in dysphagia assessment and management.
- oDemonstrate skills in using reflective practice
- oDemonstrate skills in the use of AAC. e.g. Talking Mats, Makaton (keyword signing), visual timetables, symbols and photos, Light tech switches, objects etc.
- oDemonstrate ability to prioritise workload and work on own initiative.
- oDemonstrate ability to produce documents and training sessions in a variety of accessible formats e.g. video, easy read, objects for people with learning disabilities and their carers.
- oDemonstrate skills in using multimedia software packages such as Communicate In-Print, GRID 3, Boardmaker etc.
- oDemonstrate ability in the use of Microsoft Office
- oDemonstrate ability to produce highly-specialised reports
- oDemonstrate ability to maintain client files as per trust guidelines
- oDemonstrate good organisational and time-management skills
- oAbility and enthusiasm to work with those from diverse backgrounds including BME populations
- oDemonstrated ability to maintain intense concentration in situations where the client and the environment may be unpredictable
- oAdvanced keyword signing skills
Desirable
- oAbility to assess and train clients and carers in the use of appropriate communication aids (low and high tech AAC)
- oKnowledge of legislation relevant to AWLD.
- oDemonstrate skills in AWLD dysphagia assessment and management
- oKnowledge of appropriate strategies and skills required by others to manage extreme behaviours safely.
- oSkills and knowledge to put in place, manage and use information from systems and processes that communicate across all of the service users' environments, including their home e.g. participation records, communication monitoring systems, ABC charts etc
- oDemonstrate ability to translate policies into clinical practice within area of specialism
- oDemonstrate ability to promote the use of AAC for AWLD and behaviours that challenge
- oDemonstrate ability to provide second opinion to colleagues in area of clinical specialism
- oDemonstrate ability to provide bespoke training in the use of appropriate AAC methods to support an AWLD and behaviours that challenge.
- oDemonstrate ability to organise service-development initiatives within the specialism of AWLD and behaviours that challenge
- oDemonstrate ability to plan team/specialist meetings.
- oAbility to understand and interpret specialist Psychological / Psychiatric / medical information from other professionals and make these accessible to carers and people with learning disabilities
- oDemonstrable innovative abilities/ leadership skills
Demonstrated Committment to ED&I
Essential
- oAwareness of equal opportunities and the ability to apply these within work environments
- oDesire to specialise in field of adults with learning disabilities and behaviours that challenge.
- oExcellent interpersonal skills, including observational skills, listening skills and empathy
- oHas a positive approach to disability
- oHas a positive approach to managing behaviours that challenge
- oAbility to promote awareness of disability issues within the community
- oDemonstrate ability to manage the emotional consequences of working in distressing conditions for self and others
- oDemonstrate ability to embed GSTT values and Behaviours in all aspects of their work
- oDemonstrated ability to adapt and respond to change
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website .
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants .
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website .
Employer details
Employer name
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Old Town Hall
1 Catford Rd
London
SE6 4RU