Specialist Speech & Language Therapist

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

Benefits offered by this job

HCAS payment

Job summary

The Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust seeks a specialist Speech and Language Therapist to work mainly with children under five who have speech, language and communication needs. You will deliver clinic-based therapy, initial assessments and triage referrals, while supporting the daily drop-in clinic and community initiatives.

You will collaborate with SLTs, families, nurseries and Family Hubs, ensuring culturally appropriate practice and pathway development across services.

Qualifications

• Recognised speech and language therapy degree or equivalent.
• Significant post-qualification experience with preschool children with speech, language and communication needs.
• Experience of training others and working with families.
• Good understanding of equal opportunities and working with diverse communities.

Responsibilities

• Deliver speech and language therapy to children on the clinic caseload.
• Triages referrals, manages clinic caseload and supports the daily drop-in clinic.
• Lead and support therapists and assistants, monitor progress and service pathways.
• Deliver individual and group therapy and initial assessment.
• Provide community training and support in Early Years settings and Family Hubs.
• Collaborate with partners and stakeholders to develop services.

Skills

Clinical communication

Preschool experience

Training others

Stakeholder engagement

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor/Master in Speech and Language Therapy

Job description

A specialist post in the clinic team of Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, working mainly with children under five who have speech, language and communication needs. The work covers individual and group therapy, initial assessment, triaging new referrals and acting as clinic link, with support for the drop-in clinic. The caseload also includes older children who stammer or need help with speech sounds, plus preventive work in Lewisham education and Early Years settings. The post needs HCPC licence to practise and RCSLT membership.

What the job involves

• Deliver speech and language therapy to children and young people on the clinic caseload
• Manage a clinic caseload: triage new referrals, handle queries, prioritise and escape to clinic leads
• Act as clinic link, administering the caseload and leading team work in the clinic
• Deliver individual and group therapy and initial assessment, and support the daily drop-in clinic
• Deliver a preventative service in Lewisham settings, including training, support and nursery visits
• Provide community support and training with Family Hubs and Early Years settings on early communication
• Plan, set up and monitor specialist treatment programmes carried out by parents, carers and staff
• Monitor and review children's progress, ensuring sound clinical practice with regard to cultural and linguistic differences
• Oversee therapists' caseloads, monitoring demand, capacity, risk and staffing, and advise the line manager
• Work with clinic colleagues on clinical pathways and service development projects
• Support negotiation with stakeholders, including service users, on service implementation
• Work alongside SLTs and SLT Assistants to support children and families

What's required

Qualifications

• Recognised speech and language therapy degree or equivalent

Registration & licences

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

Experience

• Significant post-qualification experience with preschool children with speech, language and communication needs
• Significant experience working with parents and carers
• Experience of training others
• Experience of working with children and young people aged 5 and over
• Experience of working with partners and stakeholders in the community

Skills & knowledge

• Working knowledge of national procedures, policies and legal frameworks for the service area
• Up-to-date knowledge of assessment tools and interventions for speech, language, communication, eating and drinking needs
• Understanding of equal opportunities and applying it in practice
• Knowledge of IT and computer systems
• Effective written and verbal communication

Other

• Flexible and adaptable to different working environments and modes of service delivery
• Self-motivation and initiative

Nice to have

• Membership of relevant clinical excellence networks
• Postgraduate study relevant to the field, or equivalent specialist short courses
• Experience of supporting less experienced staff or students
• Experience of working with speech and language therapy assistants
• Ability to target and evaluate training to the needs of course participants

What's offered

• HCAS payment in addition to salary