Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

The Methodist Church in Britain; Shiremoor; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Clinical supervision

Regular team meetings

Annual appraisal

In-service training

Quality improvement and innovation

Involvement in annual planning

Regional Clinical Excellence Networks

Links with Newcastle University

Job summary

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join the Complex and Additional Needs SLT team. The post focuses on assessing and managing complex paediatric communication needs, supporting families and settings to apply strategies in daily life, and leading service delivery on the caseload.

The role is paediatric-led, with sessions in pre-school and community settings, including homes and schools, and involves supervising junior therapists.

Qualifications

• Recognised speech and language therapy degree or equivalent.
• Evidence of specialist short courses up to Master's level or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Assess and manage complex communication difficulties in paediatric caseload.
• Lead service delivery within the caseload area.
• Supervise junior speech and language therapists.
• Work across paediatric settings (pre-school, community, homes, schools).
• Contribute to multi-agency planning across health and education.

Skills

Complex case management

Team collaboration

Supervision

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Education

SLT degree

Masters level courses (specialist)

Job description

This Specialist Speech and Language Therapist post sits in the Complex and Additional Needs Speech and Language Therapy team at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The work centres on assessing and managing complex communication needs in children, supporting families and settings to use communication strategies day to day, and leading service delivery on the caseload. The post is paediatric-led, with sessions across pre-school and community services in homes, early years settings and schools, and includes supervising junior therapists. Candidates need an HCPC licence and postgraduate-level experience.

What the job involves

• Work mainly with the paediatric part of the team, with sessions across the pre-school and community teams in homes, early years settings and schools
• Work jointly with other professionals within a child's multi-disciplinary team
• Take a lead role in developing, coordinating and evaluating service delivery within the caseload area
• Supervise junior speech and language therapists
• Assess and manage complex communication difficulties, including autism, cerebral palsy and severe learning disability
• Support families and settings to embed communication strategies into daily practice
• Contribute to multi-agency working across health and education to deliver holistic care

What’s required

Qualifications

• Recognised speech and language therapy degree or equivalent
• Evidence of specialist short courses up to Master's level or equivalent

Registration & licences

• HCPC licence to practise
• Registered member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

Experience

• Significant relevant experience at postgraduate level
• Relevant specialist experience within the specified clinical area
• Experience supervising, mentoring and supporting less experienced SLTs, students and assistants
• Experience developing and delivering training packages

Skills & knowledge

• Knowledge and skills in assessing and managing complex communication difficulties
• Knowledge and skills in supporting families and settings to embed communication strategies
• Excellent organisational, prioritisation and time management skills
• Well-developed interpersonal and influencing skills
• Contributing effectively to multi-agency teams across health and education

Nice to have

• Knowledge and skills in assessing and managing eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties

What’s offered

• Clinical supervision
• Regular team meetings, peer support and clinical focus groups
• Annual appraisal
• In-service training, including clinical leadership
• Opportunities to contribute to Trust and Local Authority quality improvement and innovation
• Involvement in the design and implementation of the team's annual planning
• Opportunities to attend Regional Clinical Excellence Networks and work with the Regional Communication Aid Service
• Close links with Newcastle University and regional services such as the Great North Children's Hospital