About this role
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to provide clinical leadership for the Speech and Language Therapy Learning Disability Pathway across our medium and low secure services atMaghull Health Park. Maghull Health Park is a specialist hospital site comprising three secure services: Ashworth High Secure Hospital, Rowan View Medium Secure Hospital, and Aspen Wood Low Secure Unit. Aspen Wood provides specialist low secure care for men and women with learning disabilities, while Rowan View includes dedicated wards providing specialist learning disability support for men within a medium secure setting. Together, these services support individuals who require the safety and structure of a secure forensic environment alongside highly specialised NHS care.
Working collaboratively with service users, families, and the wider multidisciplinary team (MDT), we develop personalised care plans that promote recovery, maximise independence, and support progression through services in the most appropriate and least restrictive way. Our services deliver comprehensive assessment and a wide range of evidence-based individual and group interventions tailored to the holistic needs of the population we serve. Care is underpinned by the principles of trauma-informed and recovery-focused practice. All interventions are individualised and supported by robust risk assessment and management processes.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will have clinical and leadership elements within their role.
The post holder should have considerable experience of working with individuals with complex clinical and risk presentations including within institutional settings and as part of a multi-disciplinary team. This should include work with clients whose needs may mean that they find it difficult to engage with services. Experience of working in complex service and organisational settings is required alongside an ability to constructively manage the personal, professional, and ethical opportunities and challenges such work can involve.
The successful candidate will be expected to:
Provide direct intervention to enhance communication to empower service users to actively participate in their care and treatment. Support the development of independence, and life skills. Reduce both offending-related risk linking to communication difficulties; and physical risk due to dysphagia. Support the wider team in providing a collaborative and accessible communication environment. Advocate for and implement reasonable adjustments that enable each individual to achieve their full potential. Clinical supervision and line management responsibilities for the Speech and Language Therapy team Lead ongoing service development projects, audits and initiatives.
About us
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.
Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.
Job description Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification document for full details of this role.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Completion of a recognised training course awarding relevant degree/diploma approved by the RCSLT and HPC Registered with the HPC - License to practice Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses up to Master's level or equivalent Experiential training which demonstrates highly specialist skills in specialist area Evidence of leadership / management training Membership of relevant special interest groups Evidence of leadership training
Desirable
Post graduate certificate in speciality Postgraduate Dysphagia qualification / competencies Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)
Knowledge and Experience Essential
Relevant experience at undergraduate/post graduate level Experience of carrying out specialist assessments and intervention Proven ability to work independently, prioritise and manage own complex caseload. Experience of working with highly complex cases, such as progressive illness and rare conditions Evidence of experience of: Multi disciplinary team working Leading in service projects Developing and leading training of others and Language Therapists Advanced knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions relevant to the client group and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits In depth knowledge of the principles of clinical governance/audit Understands the roles of other professionals relevant to the client group Understands the standards of record keeping Understands confidentiality as relating to the NHS
Desirable
Student training Experience of delivering/developing training to staff/carers Experience of facilitating groups Experience of providing supervision to staff members Experience of being a Clinical Educator Experience of using iPads and other forms of technology
Skills Essential
Excellent interpersonal skills - including, listening and empathy skills Highly developed negotiation and problem solving skills Excellent analytical and reflection skills Excellent presentation skills written and verbal Able to be a good team member and assume leadership responsibilities Able to work independently recognising own limits Learns from experience and willing to adapt accordingly, including learning new skills. Ability to communicate highly complex or sensitive advice and information to others Well-developed concentration skills. Excellent organizational skills Prioritisation and time management Skills Good Auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe phonetically Flexible and able to cope with change Able to critically appraise research Articles
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
Address Aspen Wood Low Secure Unit
Maghull Health Park, Parkbourn
Liverpool
L311HW
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)