Speech and Language Therapist

NELFT NHS Foundation Trust; England; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider is seeking a Speech and Language Therapist to deliver high-quality therapy services to adults with learning disabilities. This role involves assessment, formulation of treatment plans, and support for junior staff. Candidates must have HCPC registration and be members of RCSLT. The position offers a supportive environment with opportunities for professional development and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Flexible working opportunities

Health and wellbeing support

Training and development programs

Qualifications

• Registered HCPC and RCSLT member.
• Experience with learning disabilities.
• Relevant training attended.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality speech therapy services.
• Conduct comprehensive assessments and treatment plans.
• Support junior staff and uphold professional standards.

Skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Disability awareness

Education

HCPC registration

Member of RCSLT

Tools

Speech assessment tools

Job description

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Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for three consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.

Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video

Job overview

Aim of the role:

The expectation of this post holder will be to support their team, department and organisation to achieve the Trust’s Values in their day to day work. These Values are:

●We are Kind.

●We are Respectful.

●We work together with our communities.

The post holder will achieve this by:

The postholder will provide high-quality speech and language therapy services to adults with Learning Disabilities within the community. This includes conducting comprehensive assessments, formulating personalised treatment plans, and supporting individuals with complex communication and swallowing needs. The postholder will work both autonomously and as part of a multidisciplinary team (MDT), contributing to service development and improvement.

This role also involves supporting junior staff, students, and assistants while upholding professional and ethical standards in all clinical practice.

Main duties of the job

JOB SUMMARY:

The post holder will work alongside the Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) Lead in the Redbridge Community Health & Social Care Team Fairlop with an Integrated Learning Disabilities Team. The primary role will be in the provision of Speech and Language Therapy services to service users accessing this service. You will work independently on a daily basis with regular support from the Speech and Language Therapist Clinical Lead.

This post also involves regular liaison with other members of the Community Health & Social Care Team Fairlop Learning Disabilities Team, Provider organisations and Mainstream Health Services.

Detail of the role is below:

• To provide assessment, therapy and advice to clients with a range of communication/swallowing

difficulties.

• To organise and run intensive or group treatment for relevant client groups within level of competence

(as assessed by line manager)

• To provide therapy care plans to be carried out by Support staff members, while retaining overall

responsibility for the clients

• To provide written reports and guidelines and undertake appropriate liaison with medical staff, families,

Working for our organisation

Starting with NELFT

NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

High-Cost Area Supplement

This post also attracts payment for High-Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (minimum payment of £4,714 and a maximum payment of £5,941) pro rata for part time staff.

Certificates of Sponsorship

Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points based system

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Leadership

• To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries, seeking

advice as appropriate

• To assist in the induction, training and supervision of SALT Support Workers

• To be responsible for Speech and Language Therapy Support Workers and volunteers involved in the

treatment of individual clients or in group therapy and ensure that the service policy for working with

these groups is adhered to

• To explain the role of the SALT to visitors/volunteers/students and assist in the development of

students from other professional groups as appropriate

• To participate in departmental research and clinical governance/audit projects

• To collect and provide research data as required

Clinical Skills

• To complete Band 5 Newly Qualified Therapist (NQT) document within acceptable time frame as

designated by supervising clinician and within RCSALT guidelines.

• To independently manage and prioritise own caseload using theoretical knowledge to inform clinical

decision-making. To identify when support / guidance from a more experienced therapist is required.

• To assess, differentially diagnose, treat and/or discharge clients with communication and/or feeding

and swallowing difficulties with appropriate supervision as required

• To ensure regular attendance at supervision meetings to enable Band 5 NQT document to be

completed in line with development of competencies as an independent practitioner.

• To ensure that clients are involved in the planning and prioritisation of care plans wherever possible

• To maintain high levels of professional competence, whilst accessing specialist therapists for second

Opinions / advice where necessary

• To manage and prioritise workload of SLT students and Support Workers working within your area of

management.

• To provide written and verbal reports on designated clients as necessary, accessing support and

guidance from supervising clinician or other therapists, as needed.

• To keep up to date case records in accordance with Professional and Service standards

• To maintain high professional standard of practice as designated by the Royal College of Speech and

Language Therapists and the Clinical Lead for Speech & Language Therapy, including maintaining

Continual professional development (CPD) and registration with the Health and Care Professions

• To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence based practice, care aims and outcome

measures

• To adapt practice to meet individual patients’ circumstances, including due regard for cultural diversity

and linguistic differences

• To be involved in clinical audit as part of the Community Health & Social Care Team in order to

evaluate service provision and to generate appropriate strategies for caseload management

Use of AI

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

Person specification

Based on person specification

• Member of RCSLT
• HCPC registered
• Some experience working with learning disabilities

Based on person specification

• Attended relevant training

We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer at NELFT:

• A long-standing and award-winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff.
• A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our effortsto support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a ‘Top 10 Family Friendly Employer’ from the Working Families Charity.
• Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors.
• Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time hours or another flexible pattern.