Speech and Language Therapy Assistant

Job Overview

Adult Speech and Language Therapy Assistant

Are you interested in the work of Speech and Language Therapists?

Are you considering training to become a Speech and Language Therapist in the future?

Or are you looking to start or continue your clinical career in healthcare?

Do you live in the West London area as we have vacancies for permanent, full time, Adult SLT Assistants within the Ealing, Adult Speech & Language Therapy Service. This post will consist of three rotational roles. Each one will last one year and will then revert to start the rotation again.

It will consist of:

• Assisting the Outpatient and ENable SLT services based at Clayponds Hospital
• Assisting the Outpatient and ENable SLT Service based at Ealing Day Treatment Centre.
• Assisting the Inpatients SLT service at Clayponds Rehabilitation Hospital.
  
  

The post offers opportunities to work with patients by providing communication and swallowing therapy and rehabilitation, under the supervision of a Speech & Language Therapist, so all training will be provided. You would also be required to provide admin and typing support to the SLT teams, with clinical support as required.

The post holder will be based at either Clayponds Hospital or at Ealing Day Treatment Centre. Due to its rotational nature, the role holder will work closely with our two other SLT Assistants and will support across services in times of need, including annual leave.

Main duties of the job

A little bit of information about the Ealing Community SLT Team:

Our clients have a diverse range of disabilities such as stroke, head injury & progressive neurological conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Dementia & Motor Neurone Disease etc, all of which give rise to speech, voice, language and communication deficits. Many of our patients have complex swallowing and communication difficulties related to the extent of neurological impairment.

In Ealing, the Community Adult SLT offer a service encompassing

• Clayponds Rehabilitation Hospital,
• ENable, Long Term Neurological Conditions Team,
• Community Stroke Team,
• Nursing Home Service,
• Palliative Care
• Outpatient Service
  
  

There is close working with SLT colleagues across all of our teams and with members of the wider MDT and partnership organisations, ensuring excellent care pathways.

Our teams are friendly and dynamic. We are led by highly skilled Speech & Language Therapists, who have a wide range of specialisms and many years of both clinical and managerial experience. The post-holders will be well supported to manage a varied, interesting caseload under the direction of a qualified SLT. You will be regularly clinically supervised and supported.

Ealing Community Partners is part of both Central and North West London and West London Trusts so we have additional opportunities to participate in trust wide training and initiatives.

Working for our organisation

We can offer you:

• An opportunity to participate in innovative new work models
• An excellent support and supervision structure, including a Trust, SLT Lead
• Excellent professional development and ongoing training opportunities both internal and external.
• The future possibility to be included in an Apprenticeship programme.
• An interesting manageable, caseload.
• Access to Talking Mats training
• Fast, effective, IT and technology
• Excellent MDT working opportunities
• Work from a purpose built location with free staff parking
• Due to careful planning we aim to keep travelling times, when required, to a minimum.
• Follow us on twitter @ECP_AdultSLT https://www.westlondon.nhs.uk/ecp-adult-speech-language-therapy
  
  

As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

This is a permanent, full time, SLT Assistant, rotational post, within the Ealing Adult Speech & Language Therapy Service. This post will consist of three rotational roles. Each one will last one year and will consist of:

• Assisting the Outpatient and Enable SLT services based at Clayponds Hospital
• Assisting the Outpatient and Enable SLT services based Ealing Day Treatment Centre.
• Assisting the Inpatients SLT services at Clayponds Rehabilitation Hospital.
  
  

The post offers opportunities to work with patients by providing communication and swallowing therapy and rehabilitation under the supervision of a Speech & Language Therapist. You would also be required to provide admin support to the SLT teams, with clinical support as required.

The post holders will be based at either Clayponds Hospital or at Ealing Day Treatment Centre. Due to its rotational nature, the role holders will work closely with the two other SLT Assistants and will support across services in times of need, including annual leave.

Key Responsibilities

Working relationships and communication requirements of your job.

The nature of this post is one of continual development and the duties and responsibilities outlined above may change from time to time to reflect the changing needs of the organisation and changes in circumstances. The post holders will be expected to comply with the Trusts quality standards at all times.

The post holders will provide support and admin to the Outpatient and Enable SLT team and the Clayponds Inpatients Team. He/she will also be expected to work directly with clients under the supervision of a qualified SLT including recording in patient records. A significant proportion of these clients may have English as an additional language (EAL).

The post holders will also participate in team meetings, taking minutes and contributing to departmental / team, audit and research projects. They will assist in the preparation and delivery of training to other profession and patients / carers on all aspects of swallowing, speech, language and communication, again, under the direction of a qualified SLT.

Any Other Aspect Of The Role

The nature of this post is one of continual development and the duties and responsibilities outlined above may change from time to time to reflect the changing needs of the organisation and people’s changes in circumstances. The post holders will be expected to comply with the department quality standards at all times.

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential criteria

• 5 GCSE’s grade 4-9 or equivalent including English and Maths
• A Levels grade A-E or equivalent
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Previous degree
• Desire to study BSC or MSC in SL
  
  

Experience

Essential criteria

• Strong computer skills, with experience of Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Experience of carrying out administrative tasks effectively and efficiently
• Experience working within a team
• Experience in dealing with the public.
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Experience of using health data system, e.g. System 1
• Previous experience as an SLT/Therapy/Rehabilitation Assistant.
  
  

Skills and knowledge

Essential criteria

• A specific interest in the work of the Speech and Language Therapy department
• Strong organisational ability
• Ability to prioritise and to use initiative
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written, including presenting information to different audiences
• Good telephone manner
• Awareness of the needs of people from different cultural backgrounds
• Ability to reflect on own practise and use experiences to expand on knowledge base
• Understanding and calm in potentially difficult situations
• Adaptable and flexible as you will be working in different locations with different therapists
• Negotiation and problem solving skills
• Good observational skills
• Strong team working ability
• Good interpersonal skills
• Ability to show empath and apply tact and diplomacy
  
  

Values and Behaviours

Essential criteria

• Compassion: Our staff will be led by compassion and embody the values of care outlined in our Staff Charter.
• Respect: We will respect and value the diversity of our patients, service users and staff, to create a respectful and inclusive environment, which recognises the uniqueness of each individual.
• Empowerment: We will involve, inform and empower our patients, service users, carers and their families to take an active role in the management of their illness and adopt recovery principles. We will ensure our staff receive appropriate direction and support, to enable them to develop and grow.
• Partnership: We will work closely with our many partners to ensure that our combined efforts are focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for the people we serve.
  
  

Attitudes, aptitudes, personal characteristics

Essential criteria

• Ability to work independently.
• Emotional resilience/Stress Tolerance
• Self motivation/Continuous Learning
• Confident
• Self aware/able to take own initiative
• Punctual
• Demonstrate Kindness
• Emotional Maturity
• Honest/ Trustworthy