Senior Speech and Language Therapist in Care of the Older Person

There are some permanent full time senior posts available in the care of the elderly service. In general, the post holders will have responsibility for the management and development of the SLT service for Care of the Older Person across Beaumont Hospital and the St Joseph’s Hospital Campus, in conjunction with other senior SLTs in the area. The post will involve working with people with both communication and swallowing difficulties. The successful candidates will be an integral part of the well-structured, multi-speciality Beaumont Hospital SLT team with excellent support and opportunities for CPD. The care of the older person service currently consists of 5 senior therapists therefore there is excellent support, teamworking and development in the service. All of the Senior SLTs in the care of the older person service rotate through all aspects of the care of the older person services that have senior SLT roles through the means of long rotations. This allows an opportunity to develop skills in all aspects of the care of the older person pathway.

Senior Care of the Older Person roles are based in the ED Frailty Intervention Therapy team (FITT), acute specialist care of the older person wards, Day Hospital, Rehabilitation unit and the Raheny community nursing unit.

Senior SLT in ED FITT:

This post is initially designated to the FIT team in the Emergency Department in Beaumont hospital. The FIT team is a model of excellent multidisciplinary working which supports patients to receive appropriate assessment and intervention from the beginning of their stay in the hospital. FITT is a full MDT which offers the opportunity for the successful candidate to work with a range of other professionals in a supportive and dynamic environment.

Senior SLT in Acute Specialist wards:

This post is initially designated to the acute specialist care of the older person wards. This person will work closely with the full MDT to provide a service to patients who have been admitted for care. This offers the opportunity for the successful candidate to work with a range of other professionals in a supportive and dynamic environment.

Senior SLT in Rehabilitation Unit:

This post is initially designated to the Rehabilitation unit on the St Joseph’s Hospital Campus. The SLT plays a key role in the assessment and treatment to patients who are admitted to the unit. This role is part of a full MDT which offers the opportunity for the successful candidate to work with a range of other professionals in a supportive and dynamic environment. There is also the opportunity for this SLT to work closely with the other SLTs on St Joseph’s campus.

Senior SLT in Day Hospital:

This post is initially designated to the Day Hospital on the St Joseph’s Hospital Campus. The Day Hospital is an outpatient service in which the SLT plays a key role in the assessment and providing treatment to patients. This role is part of a full MDT which offers the opportunity for the successful candidate to work with a range of other professionals in a supportive and dynamic environment. There is also the opportunity for this SLT to work closely with the other SLTs on St Joseph’s campus.

Senior SLT in Raheny community nursing unit (0.8WTE) and gerontology outreach team (0.2WTE):

This post is initially designated to the Raheny Community Nursing unit on the St Joseph’s hospital Campus, which is under the management of Beaumont hospital. This role is part of a full MDT which offers the opportunity for the successful candidate to work with a range of other professionals in a supportive and dynamic environment. This senior SLT also works with the gerontology outreach team one day per week.

A short panel will be created from this competition from which to fill other care of the older person senior posts that come available in the close future.

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 organise and in conjunction with other SLTs, provide a comprehensive service to the designated area of the service for people referred from relevant consultants and others. Care of the Older Person services are across ED, acute wards, Rehabilitation Unit, Residential Care unit and Day Hospital.
• Whenever possible to work in partnership with those referred to the service with regard to assessment and management of communication and swallowing difficulties related to their condition and where appropriate their family and significant others.
• To co-ordinate the identification of potential candidates for St. Joseph’s Rehabilitation Unit, Day Hospital, Community Nursing unit in collaboration with other team members and the SLT based in the Units.
• To collaborate and liaise with the other Senior SLTs assigned to Care of the Older Person to ensure a seamless and comprehensive service for patients admitted to Beaumont hospital and those being transferred across services, i.e wards, Rehabilitation Unit, Day Hospital Service or the Residential Care Unit.
• To collaborate and liaise with Primary care HSE SLTs to ensure a comprehensive service for all patients referred to the service.
• To maintain close liaison with all relevant personnel with the objective of providing a quality SLT service that responds to the needs, priorities, concerns and safety of the individual.
• To work with SLT/Rehabilitation Assistants where appropriate and to provide support and supervision as required.
• To develop and maintain expertise in clinical skills and issues relating to communication and swallowing relevant to people who access the Care of the Older Person service and to ensure that professional standards are maintained.
• To develop new initiatives and engage in new services which will be beneficial to patients as appropriate and agreed with the SLT manager
• To be involved in instrumental assessment, e.g. VFSS/FEES clinics, as appropriate.
• In conjunction with other SLTs, to provide a service to other patient groups as agreed with the SLT Manager.
• To maintain the code of conduct as identified by the speech and language therapy registration board at CORU.

Managerial Responsibilities
• In conjunction with other Senior SLTs in the designated area, to be responsible for the day to day operational management of the speech and language therapy service to patients.
• To be responsible for the supervision of SLT staff as assigned by the SLT Manager.
• In consultation with the SLT Manager, other senior SLTs in Care of the Older Person services and other relevant personnel, to participate and be involved in the planning and development of all services for older persons and to ensure that it meets the needs of patients.
• 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 liaise with statutory, voluntary and other external agencies as appropriate.
• To deputise for the SLT Manager where appropriate and in rotation with other senior SLTs within the department.

Educational Responsibilities
• Where appropriate, to provide general support to other SLT’s in the department with regard to SLT management of older persons.
• To be involved in the practice education of SLT students in conjunction with the Senior SLT Practice Tutor and other SLTs within the department.
• To be actively involved in the education of all staff and other relevant people on ways to promote safe swallowing and on making interactions, documents and environments accessible for people with communication disability.
• To attend in-service training and journal club meetings as appropriate.
• To maintain continuous professional development.

Administrative and Other Responsibilities
• To maintain patient records within HSE, hospital and departmental standards.
• To co-operate with data collection systems and current administrative procedures.
• To attend staff and other relevant meetings.
• To participate in Personal Development Planning, Professional Supervision, Peer Review and Team Based Performance Management.
• To adhere to health & safety, hygiene, infections control and other hospital guidelines.
• To undertake other duties appropriate to the office as may be required by the Speech & Language Therapist Manager.

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:

1. Experience relevant to the clinical area
2. Membership of the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists