NHS AfC: Band 4

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (SCFT) is the largest community healthcare provider in Sussex.

• Over 8,400 full time, part time and bank staff members
• Medical, nursing and therapeutic care provided to over 10,000 children and adults a day
• July 2018 Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating of 'Good' with 'Outstanding' features
• Flexible working patterns offered across all services
• Thriving BAME, Disability and Wellbeing, LGBT+ and Religion and Belief staff networks
• Accredited Level 3 Disability Confident Leader

SCFT is an inclusive employer that promotes equality and challenges discrimination, and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds. Applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates, disabled candidates and LGBT+ candidates are particularly encouraged, to ensure the Trust's workforce reflects the diverse communities it serves.

Job overview

There is an exciting opportunity for a full-time Band 4 Speech and Language Therapy Technician to join our friendly team based at Horsham Hospital on a short fixed term contract for 3 months. You will be part of a large dynamic team and have opportunities to develop your clinical skills under the direction of both specialist and advanced practitioners.

You will be working with patients who live across Horsham, Crawley and Mid Sussex. The postholder will work autonomously to devise and deliver intervention programmes for patients on our varied community caseload, this includes adults with both progressive and non-progressive conditions, presenting with a range of communication and swallowing difficulties.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide support to Responsive Neuro Services, under the direction of the Speech and Language Therapist and as an integral member of the SaLT team. Specifically the post holder will provide a service to adults who have acquired communication and / or swallowing difficulties who are being actively managed by the SaLT team.

The post holder will work autonomously to devise and deliver both speech and language therapy programmes. They will work under the indirect supervision of a registered SaLT within patients' own homes, and nursing-homes and any other community settings. The post holder will need to use their own initiative and to make clinical judgements to modify therapy interventions.

They will have an enhanced level of specialist knowledge to be able to work with adults with a variety of neurological conditions and conduct non-complex initial home assessment visits. This will involve leading for medical devices, managing the AAC equipment, keeping up to date with advances in technology and trialling different systems with patients as is appropriate.

Working for our organisation

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (SCFT) is the largest community healthcare provider in Sussex.

• Over 8,400 full time, part time and bank staff members
• Medical, nursing and therapeutic care provided to over 10,000 children and adults a day
• July 2018 Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating of 'Good' with 'Outstanding' features
• Flexible working patterns offered across all services
• Thriving BAME, Disability and Wellbeing, LGBT+ and Religion and Belief staff networks
• Accredited Level 3 Disability Confident Leader

SCFT is an inclusive employer that promotes equality and challenges discrimination, and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds. Applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates, disabled candidates and LGBT+ candidates are particularly encouraged, to ensure the Trust's workforce reflects the diverse communities it serves.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To complete non-complex SaLT assessments under direction of a registered SaLT and use own clinical judgement to make recommendations based on robust clinical evidence.

To implement, regularly monitor and modify a range of deliver individual programmes without prior consultation with a registered SaLT.

To work independently to deliver individual therapy programmes, with the support of SaLT, which may be at a distance.

To be able to independently trial a range of low-tech and high-tech communication aids with patients, reporting back to the SaLT the findings. To independently problem solve if issues arise and liaise with specialist communication aids centres when indicated.

Please refer to the full job description and person specification for further details

Person specification

Qualifications
Essential criteria

• Evidence of a general standard of education such as GCSE grade 4-9 in Maths and English

Desirable criteria

• NVQ Level 3/Foundation Degree or equivalent

Experience
Essential criteria

• At least 18 months experience of working within a relevant clinical service such as a physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy or rehabilitation assistant within a neurological setting.
• Experience working in partnership with people who have complex communication and/or swallowing difficulties their carers and significant others

Skills and Knowledge
Essential criteria

• Good verbal communication and interpersonal skills, and a positive manner including a good telephone manner
• Ability to work as an effective member of a team
• Ability to deal with a wide range of people at all levels, including clients, carers, health and social care colleagues and other professionals
• Theoretical knowledge of types of neurological condition such as stroke, Parkinson's, MS and MND and the impact these conditions can have on a patient's functional daily life
• Ability to provide speech and language therapy interventions for a variety of different neurological conditions under the guidance of a qualified therapist

This post may close earlier than the published closing date if sufficient applications are received.

Correspondence relating to this vacancy will be conducted electronically. If you have not heard from us within two weeks please assume that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. Please ensure that you check your emails, including your junk folder, on a regular basis. References will be requested electronically as well; please ensure you provide correct contact details for referees.

Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

• JD and PS ( PDF , 736.8 KB )
• PS - SLTT ( PDF , 221.1 KB )
• Supplementary info SALT B4 Post ( PDF , 101.0 KB )
• Staff Benefits Brochure ( PDF , 484.5 KB )
• Easy Read Application Form ( PDF , 1.1 MB )