Job summary
This post is based at Thomas Wolsey Ormiston Academy, also working with Hillside and Riverwalk schools, as part of the School Age Complex Needs Pathway within our large and dynamic countywide service. We require an experienced therapist to provide staff development, supervision, caseload management, training, problem solving and service improvement for students with eating and drinking needs alongside a complex communication or medical profile.
In this role you will manage eating and drinking needs in the context of the whole child; knowledge of and ability to support their communication profile is essential. You will be experienced in working with pupils with complex physical, behavioural and communication needs and learning disability, and in using a range of communication approaches. The successful applicant will work together with experienced colleagues as well as develop staff and students.
Further hours are available to make up a fulltime role. We are a large, friendly team who embrace innovation and teamworking. We work in the beautiful county of Suffolk with towns, coast and countryside to provide a quality service for local children and young people.
Main duties of the job
Provide a lead therapist role for the management of EDD across the SACN pathway
Manage caseloads & deliver provision for students with a range of speech, language, communication, and eating and drinking needs across the county.
Evaluate/update EHCP targets, write Annual Review reports
Ensure a holistic approach through liaison with families, health professionals & school staff
Manage expectations & matters arising e.g. compliments / complaints
Deliver & evaluate (virtual) training packages (school/home), develop new packages as needed
Update /inform & upskill families & carers to create effective partnerships
Safeguard students, support other staff to do so
Keep accurate & timely records to a high standard using SystmOne
Use therapy outcome measures
Develop staff & SLT students, including 1 to 1s & appraisals
Support/generate wider service development projects
Collect, analyse & disseminate service data as required
Promote team-work & best practice within the school, pathway & service level.Maintain high levels of reflective practice & keep clinical skills up to date through CPD
Attend/participate in team meetings
Deputise for Pathway Lead as required
About us
#BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community
We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.
The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.
Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.
We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and team work guide how we work and behave as a team.
With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.
We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyones voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.
Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the job description and person specification attached for further information on the role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the job description and person specification attached for further information on the role.
Person Specification
Education & Qualification
Essential
- Recognised Speech & Language therapy degree qualification
- Registered with the Health & Care Professions Council
- Member of the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists
- Evidence of continuing professional development via RCSLT log or portfolio
- Evidence of further post graduate short courses or training relevant to clinical caseload: Makaton, SCERTS, stammering approaches, Nuffield, Intensive Interaction, Attention Autism, PECS Eating/Drinking
Desirable
- Masters level additional relevant qualification
- Committee role or other active role within a Clinical Excellence Network
- Certified trainer for relevant specialist areas e.g. Attention Autism/Makaton/ADOS/TOMs
- Coaching / leadership or mentoring courses or qualifications
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of carrying out a significant number of Paediatric speech, language and communication assessments
- Evidence of planning and delivering a significant number of therapy interventions with children and parents
- Evidence of working with children with EHCPs in educational settings
- Evidence of in-depth knowledge in working with dysphagia in children with complex communication and learning needs
- Experience of assessments and interventions used with paediatric dysphagia
- Experience of liaising with medical and education colleagues and of working in partnership with parents/carers.
- Experience of using outcome measures
- Experience of delivering in-service training within a range of settings
- Experience of the digital therapy offer
- Experience in supervising junior staff and students
Desirable
- Post -graduate experience/knowledge of working with a range of paediatric dysphagia and eating and drinking difficulties.
- Experience of offering second opinions / supporting differential diagnosis
- Experience of reaching resolutions, managing challenging situations & differences of opinion
- Experience of developing a training offer
- Experience of being Lead Educator for student placement Educator Training
- Experience of management supervision / appraisals
- Experience in contributing to service improvement
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- In depth knowledge of child development ages and stages and application to speech language and communication diagnosis and treatment
- In depth knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions
- Knowledge of the National Curriculum & Statutory Assessment Procedure and experience of writing Statutory Assessment and Annual review reports
- Up to date Safeguarding for CYP
- Skilled at managing complex clinical situations
- Enhanced written and verbal communication skills, including record keeping, interpersonal and training others.
- Digitally literate: able to use digital methods for record keeping and communicating
- Able to triage
- Able to generate ideas for the improvement of the service
- Good organisational skills including ability to prioritise work and caseload for self and team
- Ability to demonstrate good analytical and reflection skills
- Ability to work under pressure
- Well-developed concentration skills
- Good awareness of relevant policies & procedures pertaining to working in a health care environment e.g health & safety legislation, clinical governance, equality & diversity
Desirable
- Experience of record keeping via SystmOne
- Coaching / mentoring or team leadership skills
- Ability to support others to work to agreed standards e.g. supporting performance issues and concerns
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills: including observation, active listening and empathy skills
- Negotiation and problem solving skills
- Able to cope with exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances
- Flexible approach to working hours/duties
- An awareness of own communication style and ability to adapt to any situation
- Ability to work in a team
- Able to travel across the Trust
Desirable
- Experience with managing difficult / changing circumstances
- Able to lead e.g. small teams, project work or equivalent
Person Specification
Education & Qualification
Essential
- Recognised Speech & Language therapy degree qualification
- Registered with the Health & Care Professions Council
- Member of the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists
- Evidence of continuing professional development via RCSLT log or portfolio
- Evidence of further post graduate short courses or training relevant to clinical caseload: Makaton, SCERTS, stammering approaches, Nuffield, Intensive Interaction, Attention Autism, PECS Eating/Drinking
Desirable
- Masters level additional relevant qualification
- Committee role or other active role within a Clinical Excellence Network
- Certified trainer for relevant specialist areas e.g. Attention Autism/Makaton/ADOS/TOMs
- Coaching / leadership or mentoring courses or qualifications
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of carrying out a significant number of Paediatric speech, language and communication assessments
- Evidence of planning and delivering a significant number of therapy interventions with children and parents
- Evidence of working with children with EHCPs in educational settings
- Evidence of in-depth knowledge in working with dysphagia in children with complex communication and learning needs
- Experience of assessments and interventions used with paediatric dysphagia
- Experience of liaising with medical and education colleagues and of working in partnership with parents/carers.
- Experience of using outcome measures
- Experience of delivering in-service training within a range of settings
- Experience of the digital therapy offer
- Experience in supervising junior staff and students
Desirable
- Post -graduate experience/knowledge of working with a range of paediatric dysphagia and eating and drinking difficulties.
- Experience of offering second opinions / supporting differential diagnosis
- Experience of reaching resolutions, managing challenging situations & differences of opinion
- Experience of developing a training offer
- Experience of being Lead Educator for student placement Educator Training
- Experience of management supervision / appraisals
- Experience in contributing to service improvement
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- In depth knowledge of child development ages and stages and application to speech language and communication diagnosis and treatment
- In depth knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions
- Knowledge of the National Curriculum & Statutory Assessment Procedure and experience of writing Statutory Assessment and Annual review reports
- Up to date Safeguarding for CYP
- Skilled at managing complex clinical situations
- Enhanced written and verbal communication skills, including record keeping, interpersonal and training others.
- Digitally literate: able to use digital methods for record keeping and communicating
- Able to triage
- Able to generate ideas for the improvement of the service
- Good organisational skills including ability to prioritise work and caseload for self and team
- Ability to demonstrate good analytical and reflection skills
- Ability to work under pressure
- Well-developed concentration skills
- Good awareness of relevant policies & procedures pertaining to working in a health care environment e.g health & safety legislation, clinical governance, equality & diversity
Desirable
- Experience of record keeping via SystmOne
- Coaching / mentoring or team leadership skills
- Ability to support others to work to agreed standards e.g. supporting performance issues and concerns
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills: including observation, active listening and empathy skills
- Negotiation and problem solving skills
- Able to cope with exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances
- Flexible approach to working hours/duties
- An awareness of own communication style and ability to adapt to any situation
- Ability to work in a team
- Able to travel across the Trust
Desirable
- Experience with managing difficult / changing circumstances
- Able to lead e.g. small teams, project work or equivalent
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
