Principal Specialist Speech and Language Therapist Cleft Palate & VPD

NHS; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 53,000; Part time

Job description

Principal Specialist Speech and Language Therapist Cleft Palate & VPD

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

A vacancy has arisen in Trent Regional Cleft Network for a highly specialised Principal Speech and Language Therapist in the area of cleft palate and related disorders.

This post will either be at Band 8a or Band 7 (with potential for development to Band 8a) dependent on experience.

The post holder will be employed by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to contribute to a service level agreement to deliver SLT services to Trent Cleft Network hosted by Nottingham University Hospitals. The post will be based at the Trent Regional Cleft Centre, situated on the Nottingham City Hospital Campus.

Trent Regional Cleft Network supports children and adults with cleft lip and palate and related disorders across a large geographical area covering Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster, Scunthorpe and Grimsby. The service caters for approximately 80-100 new cleft births per year.

Nottingham SLT Service (hosted by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust) is a large paediatric department with a range of specialist therapists, training opportunities & professional support.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work closely with the regional lead SLT and a team of specialist SLTs across the region, to provide an effective regional cleft SLT service.

They will act as the specialist managing the cleft caseload for an agreed area of the region. They will work closely with local SLT services across the region to ensure clients with cleft receive the highest standards of care.

The post-holder will be required to deputise for the Lead SLT for Trent Regional Cleft Network as necessary.

The post holder will be an integral member of the multidisciplinary cleft team working closely with the surgeons, orthodontists, nurses and psychologists to ensure holistic care-planning.

The successful applicant will need to have excellent communication and organisational skills, broad paediatric experience, specialist knowledge & skills in the area of cleft palate and velopharyngeal dysfunction and an ability to motivate others. They will need to be highly motivated and compassionate with excellent team-working skills.

The post is likely to be required to work on an outreach basis across the region for up to 50% of the time. A current driving license and a willingness to travel and work away from the base is therefore essential.

Owing to existing clinic arrangements, a commitment to working on Friday will be essential.

The post would suit an existing specialist or someone who can show an outstanding commitment to developing their skills and knowledge in this area.

Job responsibilities

To take a lead role in the assessment and treatment of a highly specialised caseload of patients/clients with cleft palate and related disorders.

To be autonomous and responsible for the assessment, formulation and management of a highly specialist clinical caseload ensuring evidence-based practice.

To coordinate SLT care plans for children and adults with cleft lip & palate / velopharyngeal disorder in a designated area of Trent Regional Cleft Network. This includes providing support to local SLTs and other professionals involved with these clients in the form of expert advice, second opinions and joint visits.

To act as a key member of the multidisciplinary cleft team, provide regular clinical input to combined cleft clinics and palate investigation clinics and contribute to clinical management decisions.

To participate in research and audit projects both locally and nationally in collaboration with other members of the Trent Regional Cleft multidisciplinary team and colleagues across the UK.

To contribute to Trent Regional Cleft Service training and research presentations at a national/international level.

To provide support to less experienced SLTs around Trent Region and supervise students on placement allocated to the pathway.

Required to attend specialist short courses and advanced training and development in order to maintain and develop relevant skills and knowledge required of a highly skilled specialist therapist working in the field of cleft lip and palate / velopharyngeal disorders (through attendance at Clinical Excellence Networks, relevant courses, peer review, clinical shadowing and reading) and maintain HCPC and RCSLT registration.

To maintain up-to-date and accurate case records in line with Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC UK) standards and Trust policies and procedures.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.

A full UK driving licence and vehicle for business use is required for this post; however reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled individuals in line with the Equality Act 2010.

Person Specification

Contractual Requirements

• A full UK driving licence and vehicle for business use is required for this post; however reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled individuals in line with the Equality Act 2010.
• Willingness to work on Fridays as required.

Qualifications

• Recognised SLT degree qualification or equivalent.
• Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) License to practice.
• Member of Cleft National Clinical Excellence Network (CEN).
• Registered member of Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists.

Training

• Evidence of successful completion of relevant specialist in-depth courses and advanced post-graduate training up to masters level (e.g., post-graduate certificate-cleft, CAPS-A phonetic training).
• Evidence of Completion of Paediatric Eating and Drinking difficulties Training at post-graduate level.

Experience

• Fully competent, experienced specialist in cleft with extensive post-qualification experience of assessing and providing therapy for children with cleft lip and palate and velopharyngeal dysfunction underpinned by evidence-based practice.
• Five years minimum experience of working with children with cleft lip and palate and related disorders.
• Experience of attending cleft clinics & interpreting lateral videofluoroscopies and nasendoscopies.
• Experience of managing complex & specialist caseload independently.
• Experience of providing advice and professional guidance on complex clinical issues including cleft & related disorders.
• Experience of working collaboratively in a multidisciplinary cleft team.
• Proven evidence of leadership skills.
• Experience of collaborative research.
• Experience of delivering cleft-related training packages.
• Fully competent and experienced to advise and support in cases of children with complex feeding difficulties.
• Nationally recognised specialist in area of cleft and related disorders who has made a significant contribution to clinical practice.

Knowledge

• Highly specialist knowledge in the area of cleft-related speech difficulties underpinned by current evidence-based practice.
• High level of knowledge of assessment tools and therapy approaches relevant to cleft palate and VPD.
• Evidence of maintaining own knowledge base through CPD and membership of appropriate local, regional and national Clinical Excellence Networks.
• Able to use specialist knowledge to inform sound clinical judgements/decision making for complex cases.
• Understanding of national and local clinical guidelines on cleft.
• Knowledge of application of risk assessments, clinical governance and national policies and procedures relevant to Specialist Client Group.
• Extensive knowledge of current diagnostic and management issues across the multidisciplinary team related to cleft & related disorders.
• High level of knowledge about objective tools to assess VPD such as lateral videofluoroscopy and nasendoscopy.
• A thorough understanding of the literature in relation to differential diagnosis and treatment of velopharyngeal dysfunction.
• Contributes to national knowledge base through presentations at regional, national and international meetings.

Physical Requirements

• Moderate physical effort required to complete daily tasks e.g., transporting equipment.

Values & Behaviours

• All staff should be able to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as identified within the Trust's Equality and Diversity Policy and associated Equality, Diversity and Human Rights legislation.
• All colleagues are expected to demonstrate that they act in line with Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Values: Trust, Honesty, Respect, Compassion, Teamwork.

Skills

• Highly developed and trained auditory discrimination and perceptual skills.
• Ability to transcribe speech phonetically as an integral part of assessment and plan packages of care.
• Skilled in interpreting lateral videofluoroscopy, nasendoscopy and other objective assessments of VP function.
• Ability to provide support and advice to professionals from a range of disciplines.
• Highly skilled in developing and delivering therapy programmes to children with a range of cleft-related speech disorders.
• Excellent presentation skills, written and verbal and IT based.
• Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills and negotiation skills, management of conflict, listening, empathy and influencing.
• Highly motivated, reliable team-worker.
• Externally validated listening skills based upon peer review and consensus listening.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Trent Cleft Centre, Nottingham City Hospital, NUH

£46,148 to £52,809 a year (pro rata for part time)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

186-473-25-MH

Job locations

Trent Cleft Centre, Nottingham City Hospital, NUH