0.5 WTE Senior Speech & Language Therapist in Stroke

Job Title: 0.5 WTE Senior Speech & Language Therapist in Stroke. Specified Purpose Contract Reference No: 03.016 (2024)Department / Directorate: Speech & Language Therapy Department, COO DirectorateReports to: Manager of Speech & Language Therapy or DeputyTallaght University Hospital (TUH) is one of Ireland’s largest acute teaching hospitals, adult, psychiatric and age-related healthcare on one site. The Hospital has 450 adult beds with over 3,500 people on staff and more than 60 different nationalities represented. The Hospital is a provider of local, regional and national specialties. It is a designated trauma unit incorporating the National Pelvic and Acetabular Unit, a regional Urology Centre and the second largest provider of renal dialysis services in the country. One of the two main academic teaching hospitals of Trinity College Dublin - TUH specialise in the training and professional development of staff in areas such as Medicine, Nursing, Health and Social Care Professionals. TUH is part of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group which serves a population of over 1.2 million across seven counties. The Hospital is an exciting and dynamic place to work, in the midst of implementing a new hospital strategy, the team have already delivered on the opening of a new Renal Dialysis unit, Reeves Day Surgery Centre, a step down facility in the community, a new ICU and the development of a supraregional Endometriosis Service. It is an exciting time to join the TUH team and one of Ireland’s main teaching hospitals with so many plans to enhance patient care. The Hospital believes in investing in their team and offers excellent education and research opportunities.TUH VISION AND VALUESThe vision of the Hospital is “People Caring for People to Live Better Lives” through excellent health outcomes supported by evidenced based practice, positive patient and staff experience in an empowering and caring environment. A culture of innovation and quality improvement in everything we do.Our TUH CARE values – for patients, their families, our community and staff are:• Collaborate – together and with our academic and care partners• Achieve – our goals, positive outcomes and wellbeing• Respect – for patients, each other and our environment• Equity – for patients and staff.At TUH we view our staff as our most valuable asset and every member of the Team is valued equally. We recognise that a skilled, satisfied and motivated workforce is a prerequisite to high quality care.Purpose of the role:The Senior Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) will work as part of the multidisciplinary Stroke service, coordinating and developing the service to meet the needs of the patients and the objectives of the Hospital. The role offers opportunities to work alongside Clinical Specialist and Basic Grade SLTs in delivering extensive care for communication and swallowing difficulties to inpatients and outpatients of the Stroke Service of TUH, as well as close collaboration with a comprehensive multidisciplinary team in the areas of clinical care, education, service development and research. The Senior SLT will also be responsible for supervising Basic Grade / Student SLTs and/or Therapy assistants and participate in their continuing professional training and development.Qualifications & Experience requiredNote: All requirements as set out below must be clearly demonstrated on the CV.Must have:A candidate must be registered as a Speech and Language Therapist with CORU, the professional body for regulating Health & Social Care Professionals in Ireland.AndCandidates must have a minimum of 3 years full time (or an aggregate of 3 years full time) post qualification clinical experience for offer of senior contract. Candidates with 2.5 years post qualification clinical experience are eligible to apply with a view to forming a panel.Satisfactory direct proven experience in the area of stroke.Evidence of full and independent competence in the management of adult eating, drinking and swallowing disorders.Recent evidence of continuing professional development relevant to stroke in the form of relevant courses or training. Experience in the supervision of basic grade SLTs and/or students and/or therapy assistants.Have the requisite knowledge and ability (including a high standard of suitability and professional ability) for the proper discharge of the duties of the role.Desirable Experience in an acute hospital setting.Full post-graduate competence in adult videofluoroscopy or FEES analysis. Have evidence of having engaged in service development/quality improvement. Reward & RecognitionRemuneration is in accordance with the Department of Health Consolidated Salary Scales, grade code 3379 and will be pro rata based on part time hours for this post.The appointment is part-time, temporary and pensionable, a panel may be formed from which future full time or part-time temporary opportunities may be filled.The annual leave entitlement for this grade is 29 working days per year (pro rata). The leave year runs from 1st April to the 31st of March each year.The weekly working hours for this post are 17.5 hours. Your contracted hours of work are liable to change between the hours of 8 am to 8 pm over 7 days to meet the requirements for extended day services in accordance with the terms of the Framework Agreement.Overview of role:Key Duties and ResponsibilitiesClinical and Professional Provide timely and clinically appropriate assessment, diagnosis and management to patients with communication and swallowing disorders in the designated area, ensuring full patient involvement, underpinned by a broad range of knowledge and clinical experience.Be responsible for the development and maintenance of high standards of quality clinical practice of self and any junior staff appointed to the designated area. Demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence based practice and outcome measures.Work as a key member of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) within the area and actively advocate for speech and language therapy through engagement with the team, primary care colleagues, GPs etc for optimal patient care. Foster and maintain professional working relationships with colleagues, front line managers, and other healthcare personnel.Be responsible for supervising staff, prioritising and allocating work and promoting positive staff morale and team working, in collaboration with the Speech and Language Therapy Manager.Manage clinical risk within own service and that of any designated team at all times. Maintain timely and accurate records to comply with local service, professional standards and legal requirements, in order to maintain high level of patient care, to support clinical studies and to provide information for data collection.Advise and collaborate with Manager on operational issues and/or issues of service delivery, resources etc and contribute to business cases as appropriate. Assume delegated tasks as requested, including participation in working groups/committees, representing at meetings etc.Develop, read and adhere to hospital and departmental protocols, policies, procedures and guidelines. Assist in the recruitment of new staff and the induction process.Deputise for the Manager in their absence, as requested, undertaking specified duties.Be ICT competent having experience in the use of MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint along with other desktop software.Work within departmental and national guidelines and professional code of conduct, being accountable for own professional action and recognising own professional boundaries.Adhere to the Ethics for speech and language therapists from CORU and the IASLT. Have the clinical, managerial and administrative capacity to properly carry out the functions of the role.Closely liaise with the Manager regarding duties and undertake any other duties or responsibilities that may be assigned by the Manager.Education and TrainingKeep abreast of ongoing developments in clinical and professional practice by engaging in informal and formal continuing professional development activities as appropriate. Participate in the departments professional supervision programme.Play an active role in the departmental in-service training and teaching programmes for other healthcare professionals. Supervise, teach and support junior staff, colleagues, students and assistants as required. Ensure newly qualified therapists have adequate induction and clinical supervision and assist the Speech and Language Therapy Manager in implementing probation, staff development and regular appraisals.Participate in the clinical training and assessment of speech and language therapy students, and as required for qualified speech and language therapists.Develop, organise and facilitate the running of local, national and international training programmes and courses for speech and language therapists and other professionals as may be appropriate.Complete all mandatory training programmes.Service and Quality Improvement, Audit and ResearchBe responsible for the organisation and provision of the speech and language therapy service in the assigned area and collaborate with the Speech and Language Therapy Manager, speech and language therapy and multidisciplinary colleagues, as appropriate.Collect, collate and analyse workload statistics required for departmental and service purposes and review with the Manager.Undertake service and quality improvement and clinical audit activities to monitor, maintain, and/or develop clinical standards and service quality and efficiency. Adapt working practices and roles based on new learning and developments.Participate in research relevant to the designated areas as post allows.Facilitate undergraduate research projects as post allows.Report on and disseminate audit, quality improvement and research outcomes to improve service delivery/patient care.Be familiar with quality improvement and research resources available within the hospital and from relevant hospital stakeholders.