Senior Speech & Language Therapist Older Persons (10.012 (2023))

Permanent

Tallaght, County Dublin, Ireland

Job Details

Job Title: Senior Speech & Language Therapist in Older Persons Panel - Permanent & Temporary posts available 
Reference No: 10.012 (2023)
Department / Directorate: Speech & Language Therapy Department, COO Directorate
Reports to: Manager of Speech & Language Therapy or Deputy

Tallaght 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 Values
The 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 Age-Related Health Care department of TUH provides a wide range of services, some of which are detailed below:
  • A multidisciplinary Gerontological Emergency Department Intervention (GEDI) service for frail older persons in the ED;
  • Multidisciplinary inpatient care and rehabilitation within the inpatient Age Related Units of TUH;
  • Multidisciplinary specialist off-site non-acute rehabilitation at the Age Related Rehabilitation unit at Tymon North campus;
  • Age Related Day Hospital (Charlie O’Toole Unit) providing multidisciplinary services for ‘community-based’ patient  assessment and rehabilitation of patients either to promote earlier supported discharge or prevention of functional deterioration in chronic disease (e.g. Parkinson’s disease) which might otherwise precipitate acute  admission ;
  • All-age Regional Specialist Memory Service with weekly consultant-led multidisciplinary memory assessment consensus forum;
  • The National Intellectual Disability Memory Service;
  • A consultant-led Integrated Care of Older People team which works with a joint hospital and community team assessing and managing complex care of older people in the community and nursing homes;
  • A hospital consultation service for the assessment of older people requiring extended care, rehabilitation and acute management of Gerontological conditions such as delirium etc.;
  • A Falls Assessment Service.
Senior Speech and Language Therapists in Older Persons currently deliver a Speech and Language Therapy service to a number of the Age Related service areas which include Inpatient Age Related Care and Rehabilitation; Gerontological Emergency Department Intervention (GEDI) team; Tymon North Age Related Rehabilitation Unit; Age Related Day Hospital at the Charlie O Toole Unit (COTU).
The Senior SLT will be responsible for the provision of a high quality Speech and Language Therapy service in the designated area. The Senior SLT will work in conjunction with other team members in coordinating and developing the service in the designated area to meet the needs of the patients and the objectives of the Hospital. 
The Senior SLT in Older Persons roles offer exciting opportunities to continue to develop existing Speech and Language Therapy services with SLT colleagues, as well as close collaboration with the 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 as well as Therapy Assistants, and participate in their continuing professional training and development.
A panel of suitable applicants will be formed for upcoming permanent and temporary Speech and Language Therapy vacancies in Older Persons.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE required
Note: All essential requirements as set out below must be clearly demonstrated on the CV to be shortlisted.
Essential:
  • Be registered as a Speech and Language Therapist with CORU, the professional body for regulating Health & Social Care Professionals in Ireland, or be in the process of obtaining same- acceptable proof of CORU registration application is correspondence from the Speech and Language Therapists Registration Board at CORU confirming their application.
And
  • Candidates with 2.5 years post qualification clinical experience are eligible to apply with a view to forming a panel.
  • Candidates 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.
  • Demonstrate evidence of experience in care of the Older Person.
  • Demonstrate evidence of full and independent competence in the management of adult eating, drinking and swallowing disorders.
  • Demonstrate recent evidence of continuing professional development relevant to Older Persons.
  • Demonstrate experience in the supervision of Speech and Language Therapists 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.
  • Post-graduate competence in adult videofluoroscopy.
  • Have evidence of having engaged in service development/quality improvement.
Reward & Recognition
  • Remuneration is in accordance with the Department of Health Consolidated Salary Scales, grade code 3379.
  • A panel will be formed from which future permanent and temporary positions may be filled.
  • The annual leave entitlement is 29 working days per year (pro rata). The leave year runs from 1st April to the 31st of March each year.
Normal working hours are 35 worked over 5 days. 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 Responsibilities
Clinical 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 Training
  • Keep 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 Research
  • Be 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.
Application process
Applications can be submitted ‘on-line’ at www.tuh.ie/careers by completing the application form and attaching your CV. 
Note: A panel will be formed for any future vacancies arising in the area.
Candidates should be aware that, when applying for a post through the 'On-Line' Application System (Candidate Manager) they will receive an automated replying acknowledging receipt of their application.  Should you for any reason, not receive this automated acknowledgement, you should notify the Human Resources Department, before the closing date, otherwise your application will not be considered.
All candidates should note that, in order to maintain a timely process, the closing date and time for receipt of applications will be strictly adhered to.
 
Informal Enquiries to:
Fiona Hill, Speech and Language Therapist Manager- in-Charge III,
Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Tallaght University Hospital
Telephone (01) 4142780/2776 or email fiona.hill@tuh.ie

This is an open active panel, candidates who meet the criteria will be contacted on a weekly basis for interview