The role requires managing a complex caseload, utilizing advanced clinical reasoning skills to contribute to the assessment of individuals with complex mental health and developmental needs, and developing tailored treatment plans. The therapist will collaborate closely with other healthcare professionals, maintain comprehensive records, and ensure adherence to health and safety guidelines, all while navigating the challenges posed by clients with histories of offending behavior and serious mental health conditions. Continuous professional development opportunities are also highlighted as part of the role.
This is an exciting and unique opportunity to join the newly developed Forensic Intellectual and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (FIND) Community Team in South West London & St George's Mental Health Trust. The forensic service sits within the Specialist Service Line of the Trust and is a provider within the South London Mental Health and Community Partnership (SLP) Forensic Provider Collaborative (PC).
The SLP Forensic PC's overarching goals centre on bringing care closer to home, improving patient pathways and outcomes by delivering excellent care in better environments. The SLP has a track record of delivering highly effective, clinically informed service developments across the Pathways within the Forensic PC. The post holder will be joining a skilled, motivated and innovative multidisciplinary team committed to continual learning and development and will be offered excellent CPD opportunities.
This speech and language therapy (SLT) role will sit within the FIND multi-disciplinary team, the postholder will access professional support and development from the B7 SLT working on the linked inpatient ward for people with intellectual disabilities. The postholder will work with those with speech, language and communication difficulties and/or dysphagia.
To deliver highly specialist clinical work as part of the multidisciplinary team. This includes working with clients with communication and swallowing difficulties / providing a specialist dysphagia service, for individuals within the Forensic intellectual and neurodevelopmental (FIND) team Working closely with AHP Lead , professional Lead and senior management team to scope the needs of the SLT service for this service .
The team will support in facilitating discharge planning of South West London patients from the Oak Unit and from Independent Sector secure services by enabling direct transfer to the FIND community caseload. Aside from the quality-of-life benefits of timely transfer to community settings closer to home, this close working at the interface with secure inpatient facilities, will also enable effective flow through the pathway. The FIND Community Team will sit alongside the two well stablished forensic community teams, namely the South West London & St George's Community Forensic Team (the Forensic Outreach Service)
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To be responsible for the delivery of Speech and Language Therapy witiin the FIND team providing assessment and implementing specialist SLT treatment and programmes of care, writing reports, reflecting specialist knowledge.
To manage, triage and prioritize own complex caseload providing a SLT assessment, formulation, diagnosis, intervention and advice based on evidence-based practice
To use specialist knowledge to screen all new referrals where appropriate with the multi-disciplinary team, and allocate priority for intervention, based on client need.
To contribute to the assessment of people with complex mental health needs, LD needs or ASD needs within the service using a range of standardized and non-standardized assessments and other assessment tools, together with advanced analytical clinical reasoning skills in order to form a baseline measure from which to plan intervention.
To demonstrate acute observational skills in working with clients with complex mental health conditions and histories of trauma who display subtle communication
To use a holistic, client centred approach, gathering and synthesising information from other professionals and relatives/carers, in order to ensure that intervention packages are best suited to patient, relatives and place of delivery
To develop and implement speech and language therapy treatment plans for individuals and groups using expertise to create innovative ways of working where appropriate, to promote and maximise individual potential as well as to plan for and advise others regarding the management of clients with communication and/or feeding/swallowing difficulties within the context of an MDT and in consultation with patients and relatives
To frequently contribute to complex clinical decisions taking into account conflicting priorities of airway protection, quality of life, nutritional compromise and client autonomy
To liaise with other team specialists and professional groups to refer clients for further investigation and/or second opinion as required.
To manage the emotional consequences of working with people who have a history of offending behaviour and/or serious mental health conditions, and be aware of the needs, demands and pressures on their relatives and carers
To work safely at all times, with an understanding of the risks for self and clients when handling foods and fluids
To work within infection control and health and safety guidelines in order to deal appropriately with unpleasant conditions related to client contact when they arise (e.g. exposure to body fluids and/or infectious conditions encountered on a regular basis)to refer patients/clients for further investigation and/or second opinion as required
Maintain adequate records of assessment, management and treatment of patients/clients as well as writing and submitting reports summarising proposed care plans in keeping with Professional and Trust standards
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