Head of Speech and Language Therapy

Job overview

We have an exciting opportunity for a dynamic and highly skilled SLT to lead acute and community services across North Cumbria and act as Professional Lead across the whole organisation.  This can be offered as a development position or for an experienced lead. With the Lake District, the coast and the historic city of Carlisle on your doorstep alongside a clinically-led and diverse organisation spanning acute and community care, a work-life balance is guaranteed.

This role requires a forward thinking SLT with the skills to utilise the specialist clinical practice that already exists within the team, with strategic and operational leadership, utilising innovation to evaluate, develop, implement and analyse working practices within the SLT service through the use of evidence based practice, audit, research and outcome measures to ensure effective and efficient pathways of care and service delivery for the population of North Cumbria.

As the Head of SLT you will provide strategic, operational, professional, clinical leadership and governance for SLTs. Alongside the Associate Director of AHPs and AHP leads you will play an integral role in the fulfilment of NCIC's focus and vision of moving care closer to home. You will also lead on workforce development with an emphasis on recruitment, retention, role development and lead on developing research and education within the profession and with academic partners.

Main duties of the job

• To provide leadership to the professional staff group within the System ensuring that professional standards are set, implemented, monitored and maintained.
• To manage the service specific staff within SLT Services to include recruitment, retention through career development and appraisal, management of poor performance and sickness absence.
• To represent The Profession within the System and externally participating in professional and multi- agency forums across the region and nationally as required ensuring the wider contribution from the profession.
• To work closely with the ADAHP to develop an environment of flexibility and interdisciplinary co-operation leading to the provision of a comprehensive and responsive professional service to patients and carers.
• To provide professional advice to Clinical care Groups and Partnership Organisations based upon evidence and good practice.
• To take a lead role in workforce planning and career structure design for the profession within the System to inform recruitment and retention within the service.
• To ensure that the service is provided within designated budget, identifying and delivering efficiency measures as appropriate.
• To oversee the education of the professions’ students, co-ordinating practice placements and liaising with University and Colleges
• To be responsible for own continued professional development

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification for further information regarding the role and the essential and desirable criteria required to be met by applicants.

Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL).  Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment. Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed.

If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme or Armed Forces Covenant and you meet all the essential criteria for a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.

Relocation assistance may be available for successful applicants moving to the region for certain posts.  Please see our Policy for eligible vacancies.

• Please ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.
• If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.

Important Information

Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.

For candidates applying using a Hotmail account or have strict firewall settings please ensure the following:

• Junk Mail is checked regularly

Disclosure and Barring Service:

On 28 November 2020, the new Disclosure and Barring Service filtering rules will come into effect.

The changes mean that:

• youth cautions, reprimands and final warnings will no longer be subject to automatic disclosure
• the multiple conviction rule has been removed, meaning that if an individual has more than one conviction, regardless of offence type or time passed, each conviction will be considered against the remaining rules individually, rather than being automatically disclosed.

If you are unsure about whether you need to disclose certain criminal record information, free confidential advice may be sought from one of the charity bodies listed below. These bodies can advise you on what you are legally required to declare and may also be able to advise you on how you can disclose criminal record information to a prospective employer and your legal rights when doing so.

Nacro – Tel: 0300 123 1999, or email: [email protected]

Unlock – Tel: 01634 247350, email [email protected] or complete the online form on the Unlock website

Please note the cost of the DBS check is increasing from 2nd December and the new cost will be

Standard DBS check £21.50, Enhanced DBS check £49.50 + any admin costs.

The Trust is committed to safeguarding adults and children therefore if the post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended) the successful candidate(s) will be subject to a criminal records check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction. DBS charges are as follows if applicable to the post:

Standard Check: £18 + Administration cost of £3.85 = £21.85. Deducted at £6.85 from 1st month salary and £5 deducted from salary over following 3 months.

Enhanced Check: £38 + administration cost of £3.90 = £41.90. Deducted at £11.90 from 1st month salary and £10 deducted from salary over following 3 months.

As part of the one of the largest employers in the UK NCIC future employees will have also access to the following benefits.

A lease car may be available for this position; further details will be provided upon appointment if applicable.

27-day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years

Flexible working Scheme

Excellent opportunities for development

Competitive NHS Pension scheme

Access to NHS discounts with retailers and leisure companies

EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work-related problems

These schemes are subject to availability