Senior Speech & Language Therapist

NHS Jobs; Exeter; Hybrid; GBP 2,816,000 - 3,390,000; Full time

Job summary

Children and Family Health Devon is seeking a Band 6 Senior Speech & Language Therapist to manage a caseload of paediatric clients with complex SLCN, and to provide supervision within the team. The role involves coordinating clinics, reporting outcomes, and ensuring evidence-based practice alongside ongoing professional development.

The post requires HCPC registration, RCSLT membership, and specialist paediatric expertise, with opportunities to contribute to audits and service improvements

Qualifications

• Recognised degree in Speech and Language Therapy.
• Full HCPC registration is required.
• Registration with the RCSLT is required.
• Membership of relevant special interest groups is desirable.
• Evidence of postgraduate short courses in paediatric communication disorders is required.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of children and young people with complex SLCN.
• Supervise less experienced SLTs within the team.
• Co-ordinate clinic and caseload management with the Clinical Team Manager.
• Lead or participate in audits and monitor outcomes of interventions.
• Maintain HCPC and RCSLT registration and participate in continuing professional development.

Skills

Speech and Language Therapy

Analytical skills

Presentation skills

Interpersonal skills

Team leadership

Education

Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent

Full Registration with Health Professions Council

Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

Membership of relevant Special Interest Groups

Specialist post graduate short courses (paediatric communication disorders)

Job description

Bank Band 6 Senior Speech & Language Therapist

Children and Family Health Devon is a system-wide service that delivers an integrated, coordinated support model which wraps around the child, young person and family. It has been specifically designed to respond to all elements of the commissioners strategy and specification along with the vision and strategic direction of the Integrated Care System for Devon. It builds on our strong relationships across education, health, social care and voluntary sector services in Devon, and, most importantly, it has been developed and refined in partnership with children, young people and their families/carers.

Children and Family Health Devon is part of an Alliance that is unique and brings together five leading providers of adult and childrens community, acute and mental health services in Devon:

• Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
• Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust
• Livewell South West

Key voluntary sector organisations:

• Vranch House
• Kooth

Academic partners:

• University of Exeter
• University of Plymouth

Children and Family Health Devon is committed to promoting equity and inclusion for all communities; to providing specialist children and young peoples health services which are accessible, appropriate and which recognise the diversity of people, their needs and choices.

Main duties of the job

• Manage a caseload of children and young people with complex Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), which may include speech, language, communication and/or eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties, using evidenced based practice, assess, plan, formulate, implement, evaluate interventions in a variety of settings (individually and/or in groups and as part of a multidisciplinary team). Working within a CFHD pathway of care, provide clinical support and supervision to the less experienced SLTs in the team and across the designated pathways of care these can include but are not limited to; Speech, Language and Communication Pathway, Managing Neurodiversity Pathway, Community Childrens Nursing, Physical and Sensory pathway and Vulnerable Childrens Pathway
• Work with Clinical Team Manager to co-ordinate clinic and day to day caseload management andthe provision of student placements.
• Co-ordinate the team audit/monitoring of outcomes for interventions and report to locality lead
• Using a strengths-based approach; ensure clinical effectiveness through the use of evidence-based interventions, goal-based, collaborative practice and routine outcome measures
• Promote/support participation of service users across the service
• Participate in clinical audits and clinical research
• Attend relevant training/development in order to maintain/develop skills and knowledge required of a specialist therapist working in the field of children, maintain up to date HCPC and RCSLT registration

About us

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people’s recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification which will provide further information on this role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
• Full Registration with Health Professions Council
• Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
• Membership of relevant Special Interest Groups
• Evidence of successful completion of specialist post graduate short courses relating to paediatric communication disorders including Learning Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorders

Specific Skills

• Competence in use of alternative and augmentative communication systems
• Demonstrates excellent analytical and reflection skills
• Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal, ability to plan workshops and teaching sessions appropriately for a variety of personnel or groups
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and relationship skills including observation, listening and empathy skills
• Highly developed negotiation and problem-solving skills to work with complex difficulties. Ability to work closely with clients, families and carers agreeing decision making relevant to the childs management
• To work within infection control and health and safety guidelines in order to deal appropriately with exposure to infectious conditions including MRSA, lice, fleas, halitosis, sputum, body fluids, encountered on a regular basis
• To employ appropriate strategies to manage verbal aggression from patients and carers
• Sitting or standing for long periods of time
• Frequent sitting in a constrained position when working with patients
• Demonstrate highly developed auditory and perceptual skills in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of patients / clients
• Demonstrate skills in handling patients with disabilities
• To have due regard for own personal safety and that of patients / carers, in particular to have regard to moving and handling regulations, restraining policies and ensure the safe positioning of self and others
• Occasional distressing situations, imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature of the communication difficulties and implications of the same
• Proven ability to employ counselling skills for/to families and carers who have highly complex needs and are under stress
• Demonstrable ability to maintain sensitivity at all times to the emotional needs of patients and their families particularly when imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature of their difficulties and the implications for the future
• Managing children with challenging behaviours including the application of appropriate management strategies
• Ability to work in emotionally hostile environments and handle conflict effectively
• Frequent intense concentration required during observation, assessment of clients and during treatment prolonged periods. In particular, to monitor auditory, visual and kinaesthetic aspects of clients communication, adapting and facilitating according to perceived client needs, including cultural and linguistic differences
• To be able to collate and analyse information from a variety of sources
• To be flexible to the demands of the environment, including unpredictable work patterns, varying caseloads, deadlines and frequent interruptions

Experience

• Highly developed specialist knowledge (acquired through attending specialist short courses) to enable post holder to work autonomously
• Highly developed specialist knowledge of independent management of complex and highly specialised caseload and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits
• In depth knowledge of children with special needs and associated conditions underpinned by current evidence-based practice
• Well established knowledge of a broad range of assessment and therapeutic tools relevant to working with children and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits
• Ability to make a differential diagnosis, choose appropriate treatments from a range of options and provide specialist intervention and evaluate outcomes by use of evidence-based practice
• Ability to use specialist experience to inform sound clinical judgements/ decision making for case management
• Relevant experience at undergraduate/post graduate level
• Proven relevant experience post qualification in managing a complex varied caseload and in working autonomously in the community
• Competence in delivering language development training to both professional and untrained staff in the community
• Experience supervising speech and language therapy programme implementation by early years and mainstream school staff
• Experience in team leading and organising a local service/clinic
• Experience of supervising less experienced Speech and Language Therapists
• Experience working within multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience working in early years, school age and specialist settings.

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.

Depending on experience£20.44 - £24.61 per hour