Speech and Language Therapist Band 5 - 7

Bidvane; Amersham; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

HCAS Fringe Payment

Job summary

Young Epilepsy is recruiting a Band 5–7 Speech and Language Therapist to join the SALT department. The role covers School, FE College and Assessment and Rehabilitation Unit, 30 hours per week, term time plus three weeks.

Requires HCPC and RCSLT registration and an RCSLT certificate to practise. Responsibilities include independent caseload management, dysphagia and AAC support, collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams, staff training, safeguarding, and involvement in service development and

Qualifications

• Certificate to practise from RCSLT.
• HCPC registration and RCSLT membership.
• Considerable postgraduate clinical SLT experience across settings.
• Experience in paediatrics, learning disability and/or acquired disorders.
• Strong communication, organisation and record-keeping skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage and prioritise a caseload independently with guidance from the SALT Lead, covering students at the School, Further Education College or Assessment and Rehabilitation Unit.
• Assess, diagnose, treat and consult on communication needs and, where trained in dysphagia, eating and drinking difficulties; establish baselines, review progress and consider effects of epilepsy.
• Advise on whether Young Epilepsy can meet a prospective student’s needs and provide recommendations for education and care plans.
• Explain therapy aims to parents, share communication strategies with others supporting each student and promote aided language stimulation and total communication across settings.
• Coordinate AAC support through assessment and selection of suitable approaches, arrange equipment and direct the AAC technician’s work.
• Work with therapy, psychology, education, residential and other health disciplines, recognising their roles and coordinating support for students.
• Direct the work of a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant and AAC Technician where available, and support SLT trainees on clinical placement.
• Train and coach staff, carers and families through workshops, induction, talks and courses, including training for external staff where appropriate.
• For dysphagia work, support safe practice, raise safeguarding concerns, refer complex cases to a senior SLT and make external referrals such as for videofluoroscopy.
• Recognise work outside personal clinical competence and seek advice or refer on as needed.
• Contribute to service development, quality improvement and outcome monitoring.
• Support children and young people’s participation and engagement, and carry out duties in line with health and safety procedures.

Skills

Caseload management

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Documentation

Staff training

Education

Certificate to practise from RCSLT

Job description

The Band 5–7 Speech and Language Therapist is part of Young Epilepsy’s SALT department within its wider therapies team. The post assesses communication and eating, drinking and swallowing needs, develops interventions and supports staff and families to use communication strategies. It serves children and young people with epilepsy, autism and complex developmental or acquired needs across the School, Further Education College and Assessment and Rehabilitation Unit; hours are 30 a week over 42 weeks, Monday to Friday, term time plus three weeks. Applicants need HCPC and RCSLT registration and an RCSLT certificate to practise.

What the job involves

• Manage and prioritise a caseload independently with guidance from the SALT Lead, covering students at the School, Further Education College or Assessment and Rehabilitation Unit; newly qualified Band 5 staff receive a…
• Assess, diagnose, treat and consult on communication needs and, where trained in dysphagia, eating and drinking difficulties; establish baselines, review progress and consider the effects of epilepsy and other…
• Advise on whether Young Epilepsy can meet a prospective student’s needs and provide recommendations for education and care plans
• Explain therapy aims to parents, share communication strategies with others supporting each student and promote aided language stimulation and total communication across settings
• Coordinate AAC support through assessment and selection of suitable approaches, arrange equipment and direct the AAC technician’s work
• Work with therapy, psychology, education, residential and other health disciplines, recognising their roles and coordinating support for students
• Direct the work of a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant and AAC Technician where available, and support SLT trainees on clinical placement
• Train and coach staff, carers and families through workshops, induction, talks and courses, including training for external staff where appropriate
• For dysphagia work, support safe practice, raise safeguarding concerns, refer complex cases to a senior SLT and make external referrals such as for videofluoroscopy
• Recognise work outside personal clinical competence and seek advice or refer on as needed
• Contribute to service development, quality improvement and outcome monitoring
• Support children and young people’s participation and engagement, and carry out duties in line with health and safety procedures

What’s required

Qualifications

• Certificate to practise from RCSLT

Registration & licences

• HCPC registration
• RCSLT membership

Experience

• Considerable postgraduate clinical SLT experience across a range of settings
• Experience in paediatrics, learning disability and/or acquired disorders

Skills & knowledge

• PC literacy
• Good written and verbal communication
• Good organisation, time management and prioritisation
• Accurate and timely record keeping
• Specialist-level clinical knowledge or willingness to develop a specialism

Other

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Flexible team member with a strong team ethic
• Able to work independently towards deadlines
• Able to provide and receive complex, sensitive information
• Willingness to improve communication for students on the caseload

Nice to have

• Evidence of higher study
• Signing qualification or experience using signing, such as Signalong, Makaton or BSL
• Dysphagia qualification
• Experience in an education setting
• Experience assessing and managing dysphagia
• Experience with autism or complex needs
• Experience supervising other staff
• Some experience providing staff training

What’s offered

• HCAS Fringe Payment