Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

NHS; Ealing; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity to join the Ealing Speech and Language Therapy Team as a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist. This role focuses on providing assessment and intervention for children with diverse communication needs, working in both early years and mainstream school settings. The successful applicant will thrive in a supportive environment, committed to continuous professional development and making a meaningful impact in children's lives.

Benefits

Continuous Professional Development opportunities

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Postgraduate experience with children having communication difficulties.
• Knowledge of speech and language therapy assessment tools and interventions.
• Continuing professional development evidence.

Responsibilities

• Assess and manage a specialist caseload of children.
• Deliver training and workshops to parents and professionals.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Teamwork

Interpersonal skills

Presentation skills

Analytical skills

Reflection skills

Negotiation skills

Conflict resolution

Problem solving

Education

Registration with Health Professions Council

Recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree

Registered member of RCSLT

Job description

Go back Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

The closing date is 24 June 2025

• 3 days Early Years (2 days clinic, 1 day Specialist Nursery/complex needs MDT clinic)

Do you want to be part of a forward thinking, innovative team? Are you interested in applying your clinical skills to the rich and diverse community of Ealing? Do you want to work for an SLT service that is committed to Equality Diversity and Inclusion and Staff Wellbeing?

We have an exciting opportunity for Speech and Language Therapists to join the Ealing team working in Early Years and Mainstream schools.

This permanent position would provide the opportunity to work with a varied caseload across early years clinic, early years complex needs in specialist nursery/MDT clinic, and mainstream schools. The successful applicant will further develop and consolidate their speech and language therapy knowledge in a highly supportive environment whilst learning and advancing their skills within Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy. We will consider split posts and/or flexible working opportunities.

Do state in your "supporting information" section within the application, which role(s) you are applying for.

Please note that applicants must be able to commit to working a minimum of 22.5 hours per week (3 days/0.6 wte) within the Ealing Speech and Language Therapy team.

Main duties of the job

This exciting post will provide a varied opportunity for assessment and intervention for children with a range of communication needs referred into the service. Opportunities to deliver training and workshops to parents and professionals will also be integral to this post. As part of Ealing Services for Children with Additional Needs (ESCAN) the posts will also involve regular collaborative working with other professionals.

You will be part of a forward thinking department that provides a range of services and is always striving to be innovative and put research into practice to improve patient outcomes: Developing our team members in their career path is the corner-stone of this. This will be an ideal opportunity for a therapist looking to develop their skills in paediatric speech and language therapy who also has values that align with those of our organisation and is passionate about making a difference to children and young people.

The needs of the communities we serve can change requiring the service to evolve and develop. In light of this, the duties required in this role may also change in line with the service and therefore the successful candidate needs to be flexible to accommodate this.

About us

We're thrilled that you are thinking of joining us. With the new Elizabeth line, our trust has never been so well-connected to East and Central London and as far out as Reading making it easier to further your career with us!

Working within this role will require travel across the vast Borough of Ealing to a range of settings with your mainstream schools base being Carmelita House (W5 2PJ) and your early years base being a clinic and/or specialist nursery.

Our vision

Keeping children and young people's education, health and well-being at the centre of decision making to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Ealing Speech & Language Therapy Department feel strongly that Continual Professional Development is central to the delivery of the service and the development of the staff who work within it.

We are fortunate to work in Ealing, one of the most ethnically diverse boroughs in the UK, and we are striving to ensure our team reflects the communities we serve.

Ealing Speech and Language Therapy department is a friendly team who embody the Trust values of Compassion, Respect, Empowerment and Partnership. We are committed to providing care and services which are inclusive and treat everyone with respect. The trust is committed to supporting equality, diversity and inclusion and have an Inclusive Heritage Staff Network whose focus is to improve EDI, staff voice and experience and promoting active bystander behaviour.

Job responsibilities

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

• To demonstrate specialist knowledge in clinical specialism underpinned by current evidence based practice.
• To continue to develop in the assessment, diagnosis and management of a designated specialist caseload of children with communication with support: this includes complex cases
• To learn how to cater for children in the community and/or attending a specialist setting with a range of communication difficulties
• To reflect on practice with peers and identify strengths and needs.
• To show evidence of sound clinical judgement, evidence based practice and outcome measures.
• To communicate verbally and in writing, with parent/ carer/ client assessment findings, diagnosis and therapy intervention plan. This may include breaking bad news in a sensitive manner.
• To write appropriate reports and case notes, reflecting specialist knowledge.
• To negotiate with parents/clients/other professionals around case management with support as necessary and to recognise potential breakdown and conflict when it occurs and seek advice and support to resolve.
• To employ negotiation skills in the management of conflict with patients, carers and colleagues.
• To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible.
• To attend and contribute to relevant Speech and Language Therapy Team meetings and participate in team projects.
• To attend and participate in departmental study/development days.
• To work collaboratively as a member of multidisciplinary teams by discussing speech and language therapy input around client needs.
• To supervise assistants and volunteers as directed.
• To contribute to the teaching / training of parents, carers and other professionals.
• To be able to target training appropriately to the needs of course participants.
• To mentor newly qualified speech and language therapists.
• To provide full student speech and language therapy placements.
• To comment on proposed service/policy developments.
• To monitor service delivery and own specialist service delivery and report to line manager
• To be responsible for implementing agreed changes in working practice
• To monitor stock levels in own service area and request new equipment as appropriate.
• To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained including equipment loaned to clients.
• To maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT professional standards and local trust policies.
• To share information with others, observing data protection guidelines.
• To gather activity data accurately and regularly, ensuring the provision of such information promptly within local Trust guidelines.
• To participate in departmental research and clinical governance/audit projects, collecting and providing research data as required.
• To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries.
• To work within defined departmental and national protocols/policies and professional code of conduct.
• To undergo appraisal at pre-determined intervals within departmental and Trust guidelines.
• To identify and attend relevant training and development in line with appraisal and service needs.
• To keep up to date with new developments within the profession.
• To develop a working knowledge of Clinical Governance and its application to professional practice.
• To monitor auditory, visual and kinaesthetic aspects of clients communication. This may require prolonged periods of concentration.
• Any other duties commensurate within the band.

This job description gives a general outline of the post and is not intended to be inflexible or a final list of duties. It may therefore be amended from time to time in consultation with the post holder.

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further details on the role. When completing the supporting information section of your application, please ensure you show how you meet each of the criteria of the person specification providing illustrative examples where possible; as this is what you will be shortlisted against.

The successful applicant will have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

• Registration with Health Professions Council as a speech and language therapist
• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree qualification or equivalent
• Registered member of RCSLT
• Membership to appropriate CEN

Experience

• Postgraduate experience of assessing, diagnosing and implementing appropriate management plans for children with a wide range of speech, language and communication difficulties, and eating, drinking and swallowing, difficulties
• Evidence of continuing professional development and advanced training, e.g. whole class work, Makaton and EDS.
• Specialist knowledge of assessment tools relevant to the client group
• Specialist knowledge of a range of appropriate educational and therapeutic interventions effective for working in nurseries
• Knowledge of prioritisation issues within client group
• Knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to the client group
• Knowledge of principles of clinical governance

Skills, Abilities and Attributes

• Demonstrate ability to be a good team member
• Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy skills
• Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal
• Demonstrate excellent organisational, analytical and reflection skills
• Demonstrate negotiation, conflict resolution and problem solving skills

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.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

£42,939 to £50,697 a yearper annum (pro rata P/T) incl. HCAS