Speech and Language Therapist

Job overview

As a Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist in the Intensive Support Team, you will play a key role in providing specialized speech and language therapy services to individuals with learning disabilities and or autism who are experiencing crisis situations. Your primary responsibility will be to deliver intensive community-based support, aiming to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and facilitate the individual's well-being and recovery within their familiar environment.

• Conduct comprehensive assessments of individuals' communication abilities, including speech, language, and social communication skills. This involves gathering relevant information, such as case history, previous assessments, medical records, and input from other professionals and individuals' families or caregivers.
• Utilize standardized assessment tools and clinical observations to identify specific areas of difficulty and provide accurate diagnosis. The postholder is expected to be able to select and administer appropriate assessments based on the individual's age, developmental stage, and specific communication concerns.

Main duties of the job

• Assessing Swallowing and Feeding Skills: In some cases, the post holder will also assess swallowing and feeding abilities. This involves evaluating an individual's oral motor skills, swallowing coordination, and safety during eating and drinking. Various clinical tools, observations, and, if necessary, instrumental assessments like video fluoroscopy may be used. The postholder will be expected to train and develop in assessment competencies should this be required for effective service delivery.
• Providing Diagnostic Reports: The postholder will be responsible for documenting and communicating and swallowing assessment results in clear and concise diagnostic reports. These reports outline the individual's communication and swallowing strengths, areas of difficulty, diagnosis or classification, and recommendations for intervention or further assessment as needed.
• Collaborating and Sharing Findings: The postholder will collaborate with other professionals involved in the individual's care, such as GPs, Consultants, nurses, psychologists, educators, or occupational therapists - sharing assessment findings and contributing to multidisciplinary discussions to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the individual's needs and facilitate appropriate intervention planning, initiating referrals as required. · ·

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Ensuring Ethical and Cultural Considerations: Throughout the assessment process, the postholder will adhere to professional ethics and consider cultural factors that may influence an individual's communication. The postholder is expected to respect individuals' rights, maintain confidentiality, and ensure assessments are culturally sensitive and appropriate for diverse populations.

Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer to this when completing your application.

We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Please apply as soon as possible as some posts close early to limit the number of applications.

Certificates of Sponsorship

Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.

Use of AI

Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.