Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Job overview

We are offering an exciting opportunity for a Speech and Language Therapist to secure a full time Band 6 post, 12-month fixed term contract with Camden Service for Young People (CSYP 11-19s). The SLT will have clinical caseloads of young people aged 11-19+ and may work within mainstream secondary schools and/or post-16 college settings. The SLT would provide assessment, 1:1 and group interventions, close working with the school/college team and provide universal input such as staff training, whilst being part of a large team of creative and innovative SLTs who specialise in working with the 11+ age group.

Currently, Camden secondary schools and college settings commission additional time from our service on annual service level agreements. Subject to service needs, the role provides potential for working in other well-established Camden or Whittington Health SLT teams after the initial 12 months.

Although this is a full-time post, candidates who are looking for part time, flexible working or job share opportunities will be considered. We have an agile working policy which offers opportunities to work from home, particularly in the school holidays.

Main duties of the job

Please see the Job Description and the Persons Specification for further details about the job role. If you are unable to access the PDFs, the details of the job description can also be found in the 'Detailed Job Description and Main responsibilities' section.

Find out what it is like to work in our friendly, supportive teams which span hospital and community settings across vibrant and diverse North Central London first hand, visit www.whittington.nhs.uk/CYPrecruitment (you may have to copy and paste this link into your browser) to hear from some of our current staff about why they chose to join and stay at Whittington Health.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical

• Implement interventions and staff development at a whole school level including joint target setting and outcome monitoring.
• Use specialist clinical expertise in the assessment, treatment and management of language and communication problems in children and young people, providing appropriate specialist assessment and intervention and evaluating outcomes – in face to face and/or online sessions.
• Use specialist knowledge in supporting children and young people with speech, language and communication needs underpinned by current evidence-based practice and outcome measures.
• Make appropriate differential diagnoses and specialist clinical decisions on evidence from assessment of complex cases.
• To use / apply specialist knowledge to inform sound clinical judgements/decision making for case management, developing clear care plans based on best practice.
• Use an understanding of how to develop and differentiate the curriculum in subject areas and develop communication schemes of work for the student population alongside school staff.
• Work with feeder schools/services to support effective transition of students into and out of the school/setting.
• Provide advice to others regarding the management and care of children and young people with a wide range of SLCN, Learning Disabilities, SEMH and ASD and DLD.
• Work closely with children/young people, carers and families, in order to agree plan of management.
• Deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible.
• Employ excellent communication skills.
• Demonstrate skills in motivating children/young people and /or carers to engage in the interventions, targets, and outcomes.
• Employ counselling skills with carers/young people with highly complex needs.
• Always maintain sensitivity to the emotional needs of children/young people when imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature of the child’s/young person’s difficulties and implications of the same.
• Manage children/young people with challenging behaviours including applying appropriate management strategies as designated by the commissioning provisions.
• Monitor and review the progress of children/young people against the targets set and agreed, and to modify targets as appropriate.
• Reflect on clinical practice both individually and with peers identifying strengths and needs and providing evidence of sound clinical judgements, based on research and evidence-based practice.
• Demonstrate knowledge of current policies and practice in education and incorporate these into the model of working as appropriate e.g., the local offer.
• Manage and prioritise a complex and specialist caseload under supervision, advising line manager on issues of service delivery including shortfall, service pressures etc.
• Contribute to multi-agency assessment procedures as required, including Educational, Health and Social Care Plans.
• Demonstrate good negotiation skills across a range of issues and situations, recognising and resolving potential breakdown and conflict when it occurs.
• Ensure that children/young people are referred to other services as appropriate.
• Contribute to Whittington Health’s systems of clinical governance, developing innovations in areas of risk management, quality standards setting and clinical effectiveness in collaboration with others.
• Be accountable for professional action and recognising professional boundaries and working within defined departmental and national protocols/policies and professional code of conduct.

Liaison and Teamwork:

• Contribute to the function of clinical teams both multi disciplinary and uni disciplinary by discussing own and others input around children/young people’s needs ensuring a well co-ordinated care plan.
• Liaise and share information with health, educational and other professionals as appropriate, observing data protection guidelines.
• Contribute to meetings, annual reviews, case conferences and co-production meetings, as appropriate, contributing to inter-agency / multi-agency team building and policy development where appropriate, e.g., education, social services and the voluntary sector.
• Provide clinical placements for undergraduate, post graduate and MSc students training to be speech and language therapists, as required.
• Undertake any other duties as required by the Head of Speech and Language Therapy, which may include a change in workplace.

ADMINISTRATION

• Carry out administrative duties including activity data collection, updating this accurately and regularly, ensuring the provision of such information promptly within local Trust guidelines and GDPR compliance.
• Be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained – including equipment loaned to clients.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Participate in annual appraisal ensuring that the objectives set reflect the Service, School and organisational plans.

• Attend specialist short courses and advanced training in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required of a specialist SLT working in this field and maintain up to date HCPC and RCSLT registration.

• Contribute to team meetings and participate in in-service training as required.