Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Job overview

We have a new opportunity for a highly specialist role in the clinical specialism of Early Years and Community in our growing Children’s Community Speech and Language Therapy team. We are a department that promotes Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in our workforce and practice,  value difference and welcome everyone.

We are a team of innovative, enthusiastic clinicians, delivering a range of Speech and Language Therapy services in partnership with parents, Health, Education, Social Services, Local Authority, Youth Justice Services and the voluntary sector working across Lambeth & Southwark.

The Speech and Language Therapy department provides focused and clinically driven services across the community (Lambeth & Southwark).  Our aim is to ensure clear delivery and development of services for the specific populations we serve, enabling smoother transitions, enhanced skill development across the team and greater job satisfaction.

Main duties of the job

In the Early Years and Community Team you will:

• manage a caseload of children in the Early Years & Community service
• focus on input to community clinics, children's centres, and nurseries
• have responsibility to co-lead a Cluster (small team of SLTs and SLTAs), co-ordinating the delivery of universal, targeted and specialist work and Early Years’ service development.

As a senior therapist, you will be expected to take on service development work supported by departmental Clinical Leads.

We provide separate line management and clinical supervision to ensure strong clinical performance and development opportunities. You would  offer line management and clinical supervision to junior colleagues (with support from Leadership) and offer second opinions to colleagues as needed.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities -

Professional / Clinical responsibilities

• To provide highly specialist, autonomous clinical case management including highly specialist assessments and intervention, adapting practice to meet individual client’s circumstances, overcoming any barriers to understanding.
• To assess, develop and implement highly specialist speech and language therapy intervention programmes to meet the needs of clients; adapting practice based on individual clients’ or families’ circumstances and outcomes, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences.
• To develop information, specialised programmes and resources for clients, families and relevant others about speech, language and communication needs,
• To provide advice to others regarding the management and care of clients with communication, interaction and/or feeding and swallowing difficulties.
• To write comprehensive reports to be shared with families and a range of professionals, reflecting specialist knowledge in line with department guidance.
• To keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and maintenance of good practice.
• To demonstrate good negotiation skills in dealing with a range of complex issues and to generate appropriate strategies for caseload management.
• To develop, implement and review care pathways and recommend changes in practice as appropriate.
• To identify and make appropriate onward referrals to other agencies.
• To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of careful analysis and interpretation of complex situations utilising and guiding evidence based practice and outcome measurement.
• To ensure that service users are able to express their views and opinions and are involved in the planning and prioritisation of their care plans.
• To raise local awareness of the importance of developing communication skills within service area.
• To identify training needs and to develop, provide and evaluate appropriate specialist training to parents, carers, volunteers, educators and practitioners.
• To plan, guide and support the work of educators and carers responsible for implementing strategies and programmes of work in support of children’s speech and language therapy goals.
• To lead and participate in projects, activities and events including attendance at team meetings.
• To establish appropriate partnerships with agencies and disciplines which are seeking to promote social and educational inclusion for children with speech, language, and communication difficulties.
• To receive and communicate complex, sensitive or contentious information to clients, carers, families and other professionals. This may include those who are under stress and/or have severely challenging communication difficulties.

Management and Leadership

• To take a delegated role or lead, as requested by SLT Leadership team, in working groups, policy development groups, specific projects and events.
• To use highly specialist knowledge to inform line manager on issues of service delivery/ policy development, including access and equity shortfalls and service pressures.
• To develop care protocols/packages relating to specialist area in liaison with Team Leader to improve client care.
• To contribute to interagency/multi-disciplinary working and team-building.
• To negotiate with others including health, education and social care professionals to achieve seamless services for children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs.
• To use highly specialist knowledge to inform service/policy developments.
• To propose ideas for improving services to highly specialist area/whole service and to contribute to service development.

Financial and physical resources responsibilities

• To monitor stock levels in own service area, requesting and purchasing new equipment as appropriate.
• To develop resources of interest to specialist client group.
• To follow procedures for ensuring the security, care and maintenance of equipment, taking responsibility for maintaining standards of infection control and safety– including assessment resources and equipment loaned to clients.

Education & Professional Development

• To engage in reflective practice with peers through participation in peer review, peer mentoring and supervision as appropriate.
• To provide line management, supervision, mentoring, advice and support to more junior Speech and Language Therapists, Assistants, speech and language therapy students, and volunteers.
• To facilitate the development of others’ problem solving/negotiation skills within peer review/support.
• To plan, monitor and support the work of assistants, students, administration staff and volunteers.
• To resolve verbal complaints about the Speech and Language Therapy service in liaison with SLT Leadership team.
• To generate appropriate strategies for management of own workload.
• To take on organisational responsibilities within, and contribute to, team meetings.
• To develop and review induction packages, to provide induction for colleagues, including more junior members of staff.
• To develop and provide regular specialist training on a range of topics.
• To provide second opinions linked to clinical specialism.
• To explain the role of Speech and Language Therapists to parents, visitors, students, other professionals and volunteers.
• To provide full student placements, including assessment of the placements as appropriate.
• To support students from other professional groups as appropriate.
• To contribute to identifying and meeting training needs within the team.

Information management

• To maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with HCPC/RCSLT professional standards and local trust policies.
• To share information with carers, school staff and other professionals, observing data protection guidelines and client confidentiality.
• To gather and update activity data accurately and regularly, ensuring the provision of such information promptly within local Trust guidelines.
• To participate in areas of risk management, quality standards and clinical effectiveness.
• To lead team-wide initiatives to seek the views of children, parents and partner organisations on the quality and effectiveness of service provided.
• To participate in departmental research, Clinical Governance/Audit projects, including collection and provision of research data as required.
• To work across borough boundaries, accessing and recording information using mobile devices, and coming into offices for meetings or specific events

• Freedom to act

• To provide leadership within specialist area and team(s).
• To manage a complex caseload independently.
• To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries, seeking advice as appropriate
• To work within defined departmental and national protocols/policies and professional code of conduct and the Trust’s value based behaviours.
• To work independently accessing line management, supervision, and performance development reviews (appraisal) at pre-determined intervals.