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Job overview
Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist Dysphagia & Complex Needs
The post is being offered as 1 WTE
- Hours Per Week
We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated band 7 Speech and Language Therapist in Barnet Children's Integrated Therapies Complex Needs and Dysphagia team in our early years complex needs and dysphagia team. The post is being offered as 1 WTE to join our wonderful team.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will be based within the Barnet Complex Needs and Dysphagia SLT Team which delivers services to children aged 0 - 5 years in their homes, health clinics and in early years settings.
The postholder will hold a clinical caseload of complex children including babies / young children with dysphagia and provide both assessment and intervention. This will involve a high level of MDT working and regular liaison with specialist and tertiary services. You will work alongside SLT colleagues who carry similar caseloads and work closely together. The post holder will be expected to support the communication development and where necessary the swallowing /feeding needs of children on their caseload.
Working as a specialist in early years, the post holder will also provide training, second opinions and supervision to other therapists within the team and the wider workforce.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
See job description for further details and main responsibilities
- To carry a personal clinical caseload to a high level of professional competence and demonstrate clinical expertise.
- To assess, differentially diagnose, plan and implement therapy for children with dysphagia and speech, language and/or communication difficulties on own caseload and supervise others to do so.
- To work effectively with clients, carers, and colleagues around individual case management; providing advice, guidance and support as necessary and involving them in the planning and prioritisation of care wherever possible
- To provide second opinions in your field of clinical expertise to Whittington Health clinical staff on children with dysphagia/complex communication disorders.
- To reflect on clinical practice; adequately identifying strengths & needs of clients, reviewing their response to therapy and providing evidence of sound clinical judgement.
- To monitor and review the progress of children on caseload and facilitate the development or modification of packages of care / targets as appropriate using evaluation/outcome measurement tools as a key part of the MDT
- To adapt practice to meet individual client/carer’s circumstances, taking into account cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
- To produce accurate, & detailed reports, therapy programmes, advice and information as necessary in a timely manner.
- To respond to the requirements of the Children and Families Act 2014 completing written advice (EHCP) for children/young people who may have Special Educational Needs.
- To refer children/young people to other Health, Education or Social Services professionals as necessary.
- To undertake home visits, as necessary, in compliance with the local Home Visiting Safety Policy.
Person specification
Other
Essential
- • To be able to travel efficiently throughout the area
- • Commitment to equal opportunities
- • Professional manner
- • Uses initiative
- • Commitment to Continuing Professional Development
- • Able to respond to pressure appropriately
Desirable
- Car driver
Experience
Essential
- • Work with babies and children with a wide range of speech, language and communication difficulties including those associated with complex needs and/ or feeding difficulties
- • Collaborative work with parents and other professionals, across settings
- • Training others, supervising and/or supporting others
- • Knowledge of the evidence base of area of speciality (feeding difficulties of babies and children)
- • Experience of working in the community
- • Work with the Clinical team lead in the day to day management of other team members including annual leave, and sickness monitoring and carrying out appraisals.
- • Experience of clinical governance framework to monitor and improve patient care
- • Experience of organising and implement training programmes for colleagues and other professionals
- • Use of outcome measures
- • Involvement in audit and research
Desirable
- Clinical educator training
- Minimum 5 yrs post Postgraduate experience of working with children in a paediatric setting
- Dysphagia experience at the highly specialist level including a minimum of 2 years experience working with babies and infants with complex needs
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ level 2 or equivalent standard of literacy and numeracy
- Degree or equivalent and Licence to Practice
- Membership of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and HCPC
- Further study to master’s or equivalent level in clinical field, including completion of short courses
- Member of relevant clinical excellence network
Knowledge/skills
Essential
- An awareness of NHS Plan, NSF and clinical governance
- Sound understanding of confidentiality
- Health needs in a diverse cultural and socio- economic community
- • Normal Child Development of Speech & Language and general developmental milestones
- • Advanced knowledge of appropriate range of assessments and interventions for education and in field of complex physical and cognitive disabilities, utilising a range of approaches and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits to individual children.
- • Religious, Cultural and Linguistic issues impacting upon caseload management principles and models of Adult-Child Interaction
- • In-depth knowledge of national policies and procedures (especially Code of Practice), Education Practice and Policy and Foundation Curriculum
- • Understanding of the roles of other professionals (relevant to the client group) especially within MDT
- • Knowledge of professional standards of record keeping
- • Holistic view of communication and philosophy to back this
- • Awareness of adapting communication styles with different people
- • Awareness of the need to gain support from supervising clinician
- • Knowledge of the evidence base of area of speciality (feeding difficulties of babies and children)
Desirable
- Previous NHS experience
- Current issues in the delivery of community based services Health needs in a diverse cultural and socio- economic community
Personal qualities
Essential
- Flexibility
- Able to take the initiative
- Awareness of and Demonstration of the Trust values
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Good organisational skills
- Good verbal communication
- Good written communication
- Good listening skills
- Good problem-solving skills
- Manual dexterity required for Makaton signing and working with a child with physical disabilities including moving and handling
- Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills
- Good auditory discrimination skills
- Demonstrates ability to be a good team member and assume leadership
- IT literate and able to use a range of specialist programmes including word processing and use of email
- Able to independently manage own and others’ clinical caseload and prioritise as required
- Clear, concise verbal and written reporting skills and excellent presentation skills of complex information
- Ability to reflect and adapt practice to suit individuals’ needs
- Ability to deal with and resolve conflict demonstrating highly developed negotiation and Problem-solving Skills
- Sensitivity to others’ differing needs
- Demonstrates excellent analytical and reflection skills
- Well-developed concentration skills
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist Dysphagia&Complex Needs with Whittington Health NHS Trust in London, London, England. It is listed as a Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist role. The advertised salary is £55,524 - £62,652 Per Annum (Pro Rata) Including HCAS. The contract type is Permanent: Full time. The application deadline is 23 Jul 2026.
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