About the Role:

• Provide Speech Pathology assessment, therapy and management for consumers referred to Community Health with speech and language difficulties, feeding and swallowing issues and other communication-related conditions
• Manage complex and varying consumer presentations, and offer referral to alternate/specialist services if the consumer’s needs are greater than what can be provided
• Plan, co-facilitate and review paediatric group programs
• Collaborate with other clinicians in the Community Health team and external service providers to facilitate integrated care and positive consumer outcomes
• Provide timely and professional reports and letters to other stakeholders involved in the consumer’s care (such as GPs, Paediatricians, other medical specialists, Maternal and Child Health Nurses, carers and kindergarten/school staff)) to facilitate coordinated care.
• Provide direction and supervision for Team Assistants in the organisation, administration and implementation of group programs and other Community Health Speech Pathology services
• Complete all statistics, data entry and administrative tasks in a timely manner to comply with Community Health’s data reporting requirements
• Perform timely triage of Community Health Speech Pathology referrals and wait list management in collaboration with other team Speech Pathologists
• Monitor active consumer lists regularly to ensure timely review and appropriate discharge
• Provide supervision and mentoring for less experienced Community Health Speech Pathology staff to continually improve clinical and non-clinical skills in the area of Speech Pathology
• Coordinate and provide clinical supervision for Speech Pathology student placements and participate in broader Community Health student placement programs
• Participate in quality improvement activities relating to the Community Health Speech Pathology service and the program as a whole.
• Attend team meetings and participate in all other required meetings/groups as directed by the Manager.
• Communicate any issues with the Manager as they arise and use collaborative problem-solving methods to provide solutions for any such issues.

Requirements:

• Bachelor of Applied Science (Speech Pathology)
• Member of Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) and the SPA professional self-regulation program.
• Excellent knowledge and skills in the assessment and provision of therapy and advice/education for the treatment of speech and language conditions, along with feeding difficulties, in predominantly paediatric consumers
• Knowledge of evidence-based approaches to Speech Pathology and the ability to apply these to consumer care
• Understanding of how service delivery can be impacted by rural or regional location of consumers, and a commitment to delivering care in line with the principles of Community Health, including recognition of the social determinants of health.
• Knowledge of the service system, and ability to liaise and advocate across the full spectrum of health and community services
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills, including computer literacy and the ability to produce well-written reports
• Ability to work collaboratively as an individual practitioner within a multidisciplinary team environment including the ability to initiate and maintain effective professional relationships
• Proven organisational and time management skills with an ability to prioritise and manage a diverse caseload.

Desirable:

• Knowledge and/or experience in delivering services to individuals and families from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and individuals from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.

Benefits:

• Generous salary packaging
• Recruitment bonus of up to $2,500
• Flexible work practices
• Paid parental leave
• Professional development and study leave
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Social club memberships