Supervisor Speech – Language Therapy/Pathology

Summary

Responsible to coordinate and supervise all operational medical and clinical aspects of the speech-language pathology and swallowing program.  Participates in the development of departmental programs, policies, systems and procedures; and is responsible for their effective implementation.

Education / Qualification Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree of Speech Language Pathology
• Master’s Degree in Speech Language Pathology or in relevant field

Experience:

• Minimum Six (6) years of postgraduate experience in field of speech and hearing sciences or in speech-language pathology.
• Evidence of specialist knowledge, minimum Two (2) years of demonstrates leadership. For tertiary hospital and rehabilitation centers with minimum 6 staffed units.

License:

• Current and in a Good Standing License to practice in country of residence.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Taking a lead in the development and the implementation of local evidence based policies on matters relating to diagnosis and treatment, in response to local and national guidance
• Providing comprehensive specialist assessment (including differential diagnosis), treatment and information regarding patients with communication, developmental speech and language delay and disorder, social communication disorder including dysfluency and motor speech disorder and/or swallowing disorders, ensuring full patient involvement, underpinned by a broad range of specialist knowledge and experience
• Adapting practice to meet individual patients’ circumstances, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences
• Demonstrating the ability to reflect on different aspects of patients’ communication and to identify appropriate strategies to facilitate and enhance communicative effectiveness
• Providing specialist treatment, e.g. Electropalatographic (EPG) and Manometry, as necessary
• Assessing complex/undifferentiated abnormalities (e.g. Second Opinions) and develop the necessary treatment plans
• Using investigative skills and a broad knowledge of standardized assessments together with sound, analytical clinical reasoning skills in order to form a baseline measure or differential diagnosis from which to plan a Programme of intervention
• Utilize and allocate SLT staff to enable the whole service to run smoothly (to include supervision of annual leave allocation
• Delivering therapy intervention ensuring that speech, language and communication programmes are an integral part of the patient’s learning and daily routines
• Taking in depth case histories to include medical, social, psychological, educational and developmental information
• Providing timely and targeted individualized management, treatment and advice for patients, involving families, careers and educators and providing appropriate recommendations and training to professionals from other agencies and other disciplines
• Ensuring a productive therapeutic relationship is established with patients, careers and families, agreeing decision-making which is relevant to the patient’s management, taking into account challenging communication impairment, challenging behavior, psychological and emotional state and differing cultural attitudes and expectations
• Accurately recording patient details and data, taking corrective actions where appropriate and to raise standards accordingly
• Identifying opportunities to improve the service in order to provide the best patient care within resources available and make recommendations for change
• Assisting section/department manager in leading and supervising the team by means of continuous monitoring of work, activities and responsibilities
• Participating in conducting thorough workforce planning exercises assuring adequate and efficient staffing of the various teams and effective allocation of resources
• Chairing on behalf of the department manager all meetings pertaining to the department or the multidisciplinary meetings
• Might be having signatory powers in conjunction with department manager on purchases and budget spending
• Supervising the work of junior staff in the delivery of care to patients and provide advice and support as required
• Providing support, teaching, specialist and highly specialist advice to other staff within the team on a planned and spontaneous basis. e.g. less experienced Therapists; technical instructors / assistants, medical or work experience students on observational visits
• Being responsible for the safe and competent use of equipment by patients and students/assistants through teaching, training and supervision of  practice
• Being responsible for the equipment and devices used in the department, approves maintenance, discharge and replacement taking into consideration general health, safety policies and patient needs and requirements
• Assist department manager in conducting periodic assessments, appraisals and performance management activities of all section/department staff
• Maintaining a high control over infection, safety and health regulations and making sure that all concerned parties follow the same
• Maintaining the strictest confidence in relation to patient information whether formally or informally recorded