Band 7 Highly Specialist Speech And Language Therapist

Whittington Health Nhs Trust; England; On-site; GBP 8,600 - 12,000; Full time

Job summary

Whittington Health NHS Trust in London is seeking an experienced Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist to join the Camden Child Development Team on a 0.2 WTE fixed-term post for one year, maternity cover.

The role focuses on assessment and intervention for children aged 0-5 with complex needs, including feeding and dysphagia, working within an MDT and supervising junior staff.

Qualifications

• Bachelor-level degree in Speech and Language Therapy and HCPC registration is required.
• Membership of RCOT and HCPC registration essential.
• Experience with paediatric populations and dysphagia is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Carry a personal clinical caseload to a high level of competence.
• Assess and plan therapy for children with speech, language and communication needs.
• Provide feedback to parents and carers and supervise others as needed.
• Lead second opinions and contribute to MDT discussions.
• Adapt practice to individual cultural and linguistic circumstances.

Skills

Good written communication

Organisational skills

Team leadership

Verbal and written reporting

Adaptability

Negotiation / conflict resolution

Analytical skills

Education

Degree or equivalent and Licence to Practice

Membership of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and HCPC

Job description

Job overview

Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist

The post is being offered as 0.2 WTE one year fixed term

We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated band 7 Speech and Language Therapist to work as part of Camden Child Development Team covering a maternity leave.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will be based within the Camden Child Development Team which delivers assessment and intervention to children with complex needs aged 0 - 5 years, including those with feeding and dysphagia needs.

The postholder will work as part of a supportive MDT providing diagnostic assessments for children under six years old. They will co-ordinate SLT for the assessment clinic and will contribute to and lead feedback appointments to parents and carers.

Working as a specialist in early years, the post holder will also provide second opinions and supervision to other therapists within the team.

There may also be an opportunity to contribute to dysphagia assessments as dictated by the needs of the service

Working for our organisation

Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

See job description for further details and main responsibilities

1. 1.To carry a personal clinical caseload to a high level of professional competence and demonstrate clinical expertise.
2. 2.To assess, differentially diagnose, plan therapy for children with speech, language and/or communication difficulties on own caseload and supervise others to do so.
3. 3.To work effectively with clients, carers, and colleagues around individual case management; providing advice, guidance and support as necessary and involving them in the planning and prioritisation of care wherever possible
4. 4.To provide second opinions in your field of clinical expertise to Whittington Health clinical staff on children with complex communication disorders.
5. 5.To reflect on clinical practice; adequately identifying strengths & needs of clients, reviewing their response to therapy and providing evidence of sound clinical judgement.
6. 6.To monitor and review the progress of children on caseload and facilitate the development or modification of packages of care / targets as appropriate using evaluation/outcome measurement tools as a key part of the MDT
7. 7.To adapt practice to meet individual client/carer’s circumstances, taking into account cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
8. 8.To produce accurate, & detailed reports, advice and information as necessary in a timely manner.
9. 10.To refer children/young people to other Health, Education or Social Services professionals as necessary.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Degree or equivalent and Licence to Practice
• Membership of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and HCPC

Desirable criteria

• post graduate dysphagia qualification

Experience

Essential criteria

• Work with babies and children with a wide range of speech, language and communication difficulties including those associated with complex needs and/ or feeding difficulties
• Collaborative work with parents and other professionals, across settings
• Training others, supervising and/or supporting others
• Knowledge of the evidence base of area of speciality (feeding difficulties of babies and children)
• Work with the Clinical team lead in the day to day management of other team members including annual leave, and sickness monitoring and carrying out appraisals.
• Knowledge of current diagnostic framework for a range of complex needs (DSM-5 criteria)

Desirable criteria

• Clinical educator training
• Minimum 5 yrs post Postgraduate experience of working with children in a paediatric setting

Knowledge/skills

Essential criteria

• Health needs in a diverse cultural and socio- economic community
• Advanced knowledge of appropriate range of assessments and interventions for education and in field of complex physical and cognitive disabilities, utilising a range of approaches and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits to individual children.
• Religious, Cultural and Linguistic issues impacting upon caseload management principles and models of Adult-Child Interaction
• In-depth knowledge of national policies and procedures , eg SEND reforms
• Understanding of the roles of other professionals (relevant to the client group) especially within MDT
• Awareness of adapting communication styles with different people

Desirable criteria

• Previous NHS experience
• Current issues in the delivery of community based services Health needs in a diverse cultural and socio- economic community

Skills & Abilities

Essential criteria

• Good written communication
• Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills
• Demonstrates ability to be a good team member and assume leadership
• Clear, concise verbal and written reporting skills and excellent presentation skills of complex information
• Ability to reflect and adapt practice to suit individuals’ needs
• Ability to deal with and resolve conflict demonstrating highly developed negotiation and Problem-solving Skills
• Demonstrates excellent analytical and reflection skills

Other

Essential criteria

• Commitment to equal opportunities
• Commitment to Continuing Professional Development
• Able to respond to pressure appropriately

Personal qualities

Essential criteria

• Flexibility
• Able to take the initiative

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND ADULTS

To comply with the Trust’s Safeguarding Children and Adults policies, procedures and protocols. All individual members of staff (paid or unpaid) have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults This will require you to:

• Ensure you are familiar with and comply with the London Child Protection Procedures and protocols for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people.
• Ensure you are familiar and comply with the London Multi Agency Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Pan London Procedures.
• Ensure you are familiar and comply with local protocols and systems for information sharing.
• Know the appropriate contact numbers and required reporting lines.
• Participate in required training and supervision.
• Comply with required professional boundaries and codes of conduct

Whittington Health is committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.