Knowledge, training and experience

As a Speech and Language Therapist that has completed the RCSLT Foundation Level B
Dysphagia and Newly Qualified Practitioners Competency Framework across Community
Outpatient Adult rotations, I am keen to continue developing experience and professional
development across the Acute rotations advertised in the post. I am interested in in the post
with the Kings College NHS Foundation Trust as I have a strong commitment to improving
the quality of life of client and carers & family affected by swallowing & communication
impairment. Accordingly, I am self-motivated to independently research, engage in and chair
peer supervision and access internal and external training courses in order to gain and apply
theoretical and clinical knowledge in a practical patient centred manner. Additionally, I have
attended a Dementia SIG and have enquired regarding the London Adult Neurology SIG.
In delivering patient centred care, I have been interested in researching, applying (and
gaining) funding, and utilising computer and tablet communication programs, including
aphasia software and AAC programs. Furthermore, I have been leading a Trust research
project (with supervision from my line manager and an external supervisor) evaluating
services with and without aphasia software intervention across the trust, and I am interested
in further developing my research and audit skills. Also, I utilise basic level Information
Technology (IT) skills on a daily basis throughout my job role, e.g. Word Processing for
reports, Excel Spreadsheet for caseload management, and image editing software for
production of therapy materials and information/leaflets.

I have had the opportunity for significant experience of dysphagia management at a

postgraduate level working as a Band 5 Therapist. I have completed rotations on 1) a Health
Centre Setting with a general swallowing and communication caseload, 2) a Community
Rehabilitation Service(CRS) with a neurological caseload and 3) a general, CRS, voice and
neurological caseload.

Finally, I am registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) and I am a
member of the RCSLT.

Communication and Relationship skills

I have enjoyed working across all areas of the rotation in my current job role, and I am
willing to work in all areas on rotation in the post advertised.

I feel that my communication skills are a strength. For example, observation, listening and
empathy skills have been conducive to creating an ideal client (and family/carer)-therapist
relationship and therapeutic environment, and promoted motivation and engagement with
assessment, goal-setting and intervention. As testament, I have received positive feedback on
the above areas from service users and their family & carers.
Communicating complex and emotive information has been intrinsic to the job role, and I
have employed a reflective log and situation analysis to develop the associative skills. The
clinical skills involved have been fundamental to discussion, feedback and meetings
regarding:

- complex information for e.g. risk-feeding decisions, informed choice for instrumental
assessment or alternative feeding, and emotive information
- emotive information regarding e.g., palliative care and feeding, prognosis e.g. post-
stroke or with neuro degenerative conditions

The importance of working as a member of a Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) has been

highlighted throughout development as a student and a newly qualified practitioner (NQP).
As an NQP, an initial objective was to gain insight into the holistic care of a client in the
community. Subsequently, I have conducted collaborative working with a number of health
professionals, e.g. posture and swallowing with a Physiotherapist, cognitive communication
difficulties and Occupational Therapy, management of oral trials and PEG feeding with
nutrition and dietetics, care meetings with District Nursing Staff and General
Practitioners. Throughout the process, I have consciously developed team working skills of
e.g. reliability, and constructive communication & active listening.

I feel that my verbal and written presentation skills are a merit, and have displayed
appropriate professional presentation in line with professional and national guidelines, and
Trust values. For example:
- upholding Information Governance and Data Handling legislation and RCSLT guidelines
on record-keeping in written communication
- positive feedback and outcome measures on the presentation of dysphagia training, and
feeding back and verbally summarising information to clients and carers/family

I have had the opportunity to contribute to the clinical education of students on placement,
taking on students for one day a week (over a 6-week block). I have discussed and provided
learning opportunities in context of the RCSLT Standards of Proficiency, and a student’s
current experiences and personal preferences. Additionally, I have discussed in supervision
and reflected on the supervisor skills involved in promoting reflective practice, appraisal of
the evidence base and application to clinical practice.
I have not currently had the opportunity to formally supervise an assistant in a supervisor
role, but I have worked with assistants across all of my rotations. I have been motivated to
actively reflect on the formulation and handing over of therapy plans and duties, and joint
assistant working (e.g. observation of therapist, joint assessment and therapy in e.g.
communication screening clinic, and case discussion) in order to facilitate professional
development. Accounting for varying competencies and experience has been integral in the
process of management of allocating duties and supervising therapy assistants.

Analytical Skills

Working with a range of communication and swallowing needs across the specialities and
opportunities in my job rotations has required the ability to undertake a range of management
and therapeutic decisions. For example:
- construction and implementation of a care plan
- onward referral to other health professionals, and clinical decision making for referral for
instrumental assessment (including FEES vs. Videofluoroscopy)
- appraisal of the evidence base and rationale for therapy approach (including discussion
with client and family and facilitation of an informed decision)
- management of negotiation and goal setting & the discharge process
I have accessed observation, joint working and supervised sessions as part of development
following identification of limitations of own knowledge & experience. My Personal
Development Plan has identified areas of development in knowledge and experience, and
identified appropriate action plans to facilitate learning opportunities and development.
Additionally, I have sought advice from the Safeguarding team, escalated concerns to my line
manager, and contacted my supervisor when faced with concerns or limitations of in my
knowledge and experience.

Throughout my job role as a community Speech and Language Therapist I have developed
transferrable skills that can be applied to an acute setting and post. I have worked within a
Multidisciplinary team throughout my rotations and knowledge of health professions and
team working skills can be applied to the acute MDT. Additionally, the application of time
management and organisational skills when working under pressure, meeting deadlines, and
managing a caseload (including prioritisation and managing a large volume of referrals).
Also, I have developed transferrable verbal and non-verbal feedback skills for family and
staff, and interpersonal and clinical skills in facilitating engagement with assessment and
intervention, and client and carer centred care. Finally, I am looking forward to applying my
knowledge and skills of communication and swallowing disorders to an acute post.

Planning and Organisation Skills

I have autonomously managed a caseload and work within a busy service, complying with
Trust and Departmental guidelines, protocols and policies, whilst adhering to RCSLT
guidelines and professional codes of conduct and HCPC requirements.

Efficient organisational and time management skills have been necessary to successfully
organise a caseload within a busy service. Additionally, the rotational aspect of the job has
provided regular opportunity to hand over and pick up a new caseload, and promoted active
reflection of the requisite skills to apply management skills to a new setting and caseload. For
example, on my current rotation, I have discussed with my supervisor practical steps (and an
action plan) to maximise efficiency in adapting my organisation and caseload management
skills to the setting’s clinic policies and to a new element of a booking system through a call
centre.

Self-motivation and initiative have been fundamental to implementing service improvements

in conjunction with autonomously managing a caseload. For example, whilst working with a
caseload of individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), service user feedback highlighted a
demand for general education on PD, and on PD and communication. I set up a PD group to
provide education, and also to provide therapeutic input for individuals on a waiting list for
the Lee Silverman Voice Training Program. Additionally, identifying a large volume of
inappropriate referrals and variability in adherence to recommendations in Nursing Homes
across the borough, I planned and implemented dysphagia training for Nursing Homes.

My current service provides a 5 day a week service, but I am able to offer a flexible approach
to working patterns and participate in providing a 7-day service.

Physical Skills
I have applied and developed auditory and perceptual skills through dysphagia (clinical
bedside assessment, discussion of FEES and Videofluoroscopy images) and formal and
informal communication assessment and management.