Senior Speech and Language Therapist: Neurosurgery

Position Summary:

The post holder will have responsibility for the management and development of the SLT service for people who attend the neurosurgery service. The successful candidate will be part of integral part of the well-structured, multi-speciality Beaumont Hospital SLT team with excellent support and opportunities for CPD.

Responsible to
The post holder will be responsible to the Speech and Language Therapist Manager, Beaumont Hospital.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Clinical & Professional Responsibilities:

• To lead, organise and in conjunction with other SLT’s, provide a comprehensive service for people referred from the neurosurgery service throughout the hospital.
• Whenever possible to work in partnership with people referred to the service with regard to assessment, goal setting and intervention and where appropriate their family and significant others.
• In conjunction with other SLT’s, to provide a service to other patient groups as agreed with the SLT Manager.
• To work with SLT Assistants and to provide support and supervision as required.
• To attend and contribute to regular MDT meetings and other service planning meetings.
• To maintain close liaison with all relevant personnel with regard to patient management.
• To maintain close liaison with colleagues in other relevant services, including rehabilitation hospitals and community care, to ensure a seamless service from hospital to home.
• To develop and maintain expertise in the management of people post neurosurgery and to ensure that professional standards are maintained.
• To hold expertise in the management of swallowing and communication related issues of people with tracheostomy and to assist in training relating of same.
• To be involved in the MDT Tracheostomy Ward Round and the hospitals management of patients with tracheostomy in general.
• To hold expertise in the area of awake craniotomy surgeries in conjunction with other relevant trained SLT staff.
• To be aware of one’s limits of expertise and to seek support, assistance and advice accordingly.
• To take part in instrumental assessment clinics, e.g videofluroscopy and FEES as appropriate.
• To work within the scope of SLT practice as set down by the IASLT and CORU.

Managerial Responsibilities

• In conjunction with other staff, to be responsible for the day to day running and co-ordination of the SLT service for people who are admitted post neurosurgery, both to neurosurgical wards and the neurosurgical intensive care unit.
• To participate in the planning and development of the service in consultation with the SLT Manager and other relevant personnel to include involvement in the development of appropriate standard operating procedures, policies and guidelines.
• To liaise closely with the manager and other senior SLTs in relation to general SLT departmental duties and responsibilities.
• To engage in service audit as needed.
• To be involved in quality improvement to include involvement in the planning of the overall service incorporating the setting and implementation of short and long term objectives.
• To deputise for the SLT Manager where appropriate and in rotation with other clinical specialist or senior SLTs within the department.

Educational and Supervisory Responsibilities

• Where appropriate, to provide general support, guidance and supervision to other members of the SLT team (assistants, staff grade and senior staff) in the department in relation to the clinical area.
• To play a key role in the practice education of SLT students in conjunction with other SLTs within the department.
• To play a proactive role in the provision of training and refresher courses for staff in relation to relevant clinical areas including communication and swallowing disorders post neurosurgical intervention, intensive care and tracheostomy care.
• To participate in the education of medical, nursing and other disciplines as required.
• To attend and engage in in-service training and other departmental training as appropriate.
• To be involved in audits and research projects as appropriate.
• To maintain continuous professional development.

Administrative Responsibilities

• To maintain patient and other records within departmental and professional standards.
• To co-operate with data collections systems and current administrative procedures.
• To maintain professional standards in relation to confidentiality, ethics and legislation.
• To attend staff and other relevant meetings.

Other Responsibilities

• To attend mandatory training as required by the organisation.
• To adhere to health and safety, hygiene, infection control and other hospital guidelines.
• To participate in Personal Development Planning and supervision.
• To undertake other duties as may be required by the SLT Manager.
• This job description is not restrictive and may be reviewed in the light of changing needs within services.

Selection Criteria:
Selection criteria outline the qualifications, skills, knowledge and/or experience that the successful candidate would need to demonstrate for successful discharge of the responsibilities of the post.
Applications will be assessed on the basis of how well candidates satisfy these criteria

Mandatory:

1. Statutory Registration, Professional Qualifications, Experience, etc
(a) Candidates for appointment must:
(i) Be registered, or be eligible for registration, as a Speech & Language
Therapist by the Speech & Language Therapists Registration Board at
CORU.
AND
(ii) Have 3 years full time (or an aggregate of 3 years full time) post qualification
clinical experience.
AND
(jii) Candidates must have the requisite knowledge and ability (including a high
standard of suitability and professional ability) for the proper discharge of
the duties of the office.
AND
(iv) Provide proof of Statutory Registration on the Speech & Language
Therapist Register maintained by the Speech & Language Therapists
Registration Board at CORU before a contract of employment can be
issued.

2. Annual registration
(i) On appointment, practitioners must maintain annual registration on the
Speech & Language Therapists Register maintained by the Speech &
Language Therapists Registration Board at CORU.
AND
(ii) Practitioners must confirm annual registration with CORU to the HSE by way
of the annual Patient Safety Assurance Certificate (PSAC).

3. Health
Candidates for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of
undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would
indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

4. Character
Candidates for and any person holding the office must be of good character

Desirable:

Membership of the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists