Location
Clayponds Hospital or Ealing Day Treatment Centre, Sterling Place, Ealing.

Hours
Full Time (hours to be confirmed during interview process).

Salary
£36,943 per annum.

About the Role
This role requires the use of specialist clinical skills to manage a caseload of adults with communication and/or swallowing difficulties within an inpatient setting. You will provide specialist assessment of communication and swallowing problems, formulate hypotheses using advanced clinical reasoning, and develop and implement appropriate interventions and rehabilitation plans. You will deliver specialist interventions, evaluate outcomes, and write comprehensive reports accessible to a range of professionals, reflecting your specialist knowledge.

You will develop clear care plans, advice, and information based on best practice, using specialist knowledge to inform clinical judgments for care management. Ensuring patients and/or carers are involved in planning and prioritising care plans is essential, including facilitating participation of patients with communication and/or cognitive difficulties to achieve meaningful outcomes.

The role involves providing advice and training to other professionals, carers, and relatives regarding the safe management and care of patients with communication and/or swallowing difficulties to maximise patient skills and reduce clinical risk. You will work collaboratively and liaise with a wide range of professionals across various locations and agencies.

Adaptation of practice to meet individual patient circumstances, including cultural and linguistic considerations, is required. You will reflect on auditory, visual, and kinaesthetic aspects of patient communication and identify appropriate strategies to enhance communicative effectiveness.

Demonstrating clinical effectiveness through evidence-based practice and outcome measures is expected, alongside maintaining knowledge of current literature and developments within adult neurology, including stroke, progressive neurological conditions, and dementia. You will also demonstrate knowledge and use of high and low technology communication aids with a range of patients.

Managing risk when working with patients who have swallowing difficulties is a key responsibility, promoting patient choice by providing information about risks and contributing to moral and ethical decision making regarding oral and/or alternative feeding options.

Experience
Experience in managing adults with communication and swallowing difficulties in an inpatient setting is essential. Demonstrated ability to use specialist clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice is required. Experience working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams and providing training or advice to carers and professionals is desirable.

About You
You should be a motivated and compassionate clinician with excellent communication skills and the ability to adapt interventions to individual patient needs, including cultural and linguistic considerations. You must be able to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team and demonstrate clinical effectiveness through ongoing professional development and use of outcome measures.

Strong ethical judgement and risk management skills when working with patients with swallowing difficulties are essential. You should be confident in using a range of communication aids and committed to promoting patient involvement in care planning.

Qualifications
Registered Speech and Language Therapist with relevant professional qualifications and registration. Specialist knowledge in adult neurology, including stroke, progressive neurological conditions, and dementia, is required. Evidence of ongoing professional development in the field is desirable.