Speech And Language Therapist Senior

The Speech & Language Therapy Team in Sligo, Leitrim, West Cavan and South Donegal is a large ,busy and dynamic team encompassing Primary Care, Disability, Older Persons, Rehab, CAMHS & Mental Health and Sligo University Hospital.
The team comprises of over 30 clinicians.

The Paediatric Primary Care Speech and Language Therapy service in Leitrim is comprised of two Senior Speech & Language Therapists, one staff grade SLT and access to administrative support.

Purpose of the Post · To be responsible for the provision of a high quality Speech and Language Therapist service in accordance with standards of professional practice.

· To work in conjunction with other team members in co-ordinating and developing the service to meet the needs of the population it serves in line with the objectives of the organisation.

· To work with the Speech and Language Therapist Manager in ensuring the co-ordination, development and delivery of a quality, client centred Speech & Language Therapist service across and between networks in the geographical area.

The Speech and Language Therapist, Senior will: Professional / Clinical · Be responsible for assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation of treatment / intervention programmes for service users according to professional standards.

· Make clinical decisions following assessment of complex cases.

· Arrange and carry out assessment and treatment / intervention programmes in appropriate settings (e.g.
clinic, home, school, day centre) in line with local policy / guidelines.

· Communicate results of assessments and recommendations to the service user and relevant others as appropriate.

· Document all assessments, diagnoses, treatment / intervention plans, clinical notes, relevant contacts and summaries in accordance with department and professional standards.

· Collaborate with service user, family, carers and other staff in goal setting and treatment / intervention planning.

· Provide clinical leadership in the day-to-day running of the service by supporting and supervising staff, prioritising and allocating work and promoting positive staff morale.

· Be responsible for maintenance of standards of practice of self and designated staff.

· Foster close working relationships with colleagues and other relevant professionals in maximising service user potential.

· Actively engage in team based performance management.

· Provide support and information in relation to communication and / or feeding, eating, drinking and swallowing disorders etc.
to service users and relevant others.

· Participate in teams; communicating and working in collaboration with the service user and other team members as part of an integrated package of care.

· Attend clinics and participate in relevant meetings, case conferences and ward rounds as appropriate.

· In conjunction with the Speech and Language Therapist Manager, contribute to the development and implementation of procedures, policies and guidelines while adhering to existing standards and protocols.

· Seek advice and assistance from the Speech and Language Therapist Manager with any assigned cases or issues that prove to be beyond the scope of his / her professional competence in line with principles of best practice and clinical governance.

· Participate in and develop activities which support health promotion.

· Ensure that professional standards are maintained in relation to confidentiality, ethics and legislation.

· Operate within the scope of Speech and Language Therapy practice as per CORU requirements and in accordance with local guidelines.

· Carry out other duties as assigned by the Speech & Language Therapist Manager.

Education and Training · Participate in mandatory training programmes.

· Participate in continuing professional development including in-service training, attending and presenting at conferences / courses relevant to practice, contributing to research etc.
as agreed by the Speech and Language Therapist Manager.

· Engage in professional clinical supervision with the Speech and Language Therapist Manager.

· Engage in peer support with Senior Speech and Language Therapist colleagues.

· Participate in performance review with the Speech and Language Therapist Manager.

· Manage, participate and play a key role in the practice education of student therapists.
Take part in teaching / training / supervision of other Speech and Language Therapy and non-Speech and Language Therapy staff / students and attend practice educator courses as appropriate.

· Ensure newly qualified therapists have adequate induction and clinical supervision and assist in implementing annual staff development and performance review.

Health & Safety · Promote a safe working environment in accordance with Health and Safety legislation.

· Be aware of and implement agreed policies, procedures and safe professional practice by adhering to relevant legislation, regulations and standards.

· Actively participate in risk management issues, identify risks and take responsibility for appropriate action.

· Document appropriately and report any adverse incidents, near misses, hazards and accidents in accordance with organisational guidelines.

· Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc.
and comply with associated HSE protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role.

· Support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.

Administrative · Be responsible for the co-ordination and delivery of service in designated area(s).

· Review and allocate resources within the designated area, in collaboration with the Speech and Language Therapist Manager and relevant others.

· Promote good working practice and uniformity of standards of best practice.

· Promote quality by reviewing and evaluating the Speech and Language Therapy service regularly, identifying changing needs and opportunities to improve services, in collaboration with the Speech and Language Therapist Manager and relevant others.

· Develop and implement service / business plans, quality initiatives, audits etc.
and report on outcomes in collaboration with the Speech and Language Therapist Manager.

· Collect and evaluate data about the service user group and demonstrate the achievement of the objectives of the service.

· Oversee the upkeep of accurate records in line with best clinical governance, organisational requirements and the Freedom of Information Act, GDPR, and render reports and other information / statistics as required.

· Represent the department / team at meetings and conferences as appropriate.

· Liaise with the Speech and Language Therapist Manager regarding the needs, interests and views of Speech and Language Therapy staff.

· Promote good team working, and a culture that values diversity and respect.

· Participate in the management of Speech and Language Therapy stock and equipment in conjunction with the Speech and Language Therapist Manager.

· Engage in IT developments as they apply to service user and service administration.

· Keep up to date with developments within the organisation and the Irish Health Service.

The above Job Specification is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.