Job summary
Lead the way in providing specialist Speech and Language Therapy for Autism, shaping the future of communication support for children. As the clinical lead for Autism within the Children's Speech and Language Therapy team, you'll use your expertise to offer highly-specialist assessment, diagnosis, and treatment across various settings, including homes and schools. You'll also provide second opinions and guidance to fellow SALT colleagues, ensuring the highest standards of care are maintained. This role presents a fantastic opportunity to mentor and line-manage a small team, influence service development, and collaborate with health, education, and social care partners to deliver exceptional, holistic care. If you're an experienced, dedicated practitioner with a passion for leadership and Autism, this is your chance to make a lasting impact. Join a team driven by innovation, support, and positive change
Main duties of the job
In this role, you'll lead a team while providing highly-specialist assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for children with Autism across various settings. You'll guide and mentor colleagues, providing second opinions and offering clinical advice, ensuring a high standard of practice is maintained across the service. Effective communication will be key, as you'll engage with multi-disciplinary teams, external agencies, and carers, to develop coordinated care plans and improve multi-agency pathways within the Balanced System. You will be accountable for patient care, using advanced clinical reasoning to manage a complex caseload and deliver evidence-based interventions. Leadership skills are essential as you'll be responsible for managing a small team, overseeing appraisals, supervising staff, and leading service development projects. You'll also be involved in policy and service development, driving continuous improvement while ensuring that the team adheres to the Trust's standards and objectives. The ability to manage clinical risk, handle sensitive issues, and demonstrate a proactive approach to teaching and training will be critical to your success in this role. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced practitioner to make a meaningful impact and contribute to the development of a forward-thinking, innovative service.
About us
We hold a unique position in the Stockport community as the provider of healthcare and we are one of its largest employers.
We believe that the best organisations are those that reflect the communities they serve. We are therefore seeking to improve the diversity of our workforce to make it truly representative of our local population.
We actively encourage applications irrespective of race, age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage & civil partnership, or pregnancy or maternity. Recognising those communities that are underrepresented within our workforce, we would particularly welcome applications from you.
If you require support with your application please contact a member of the recruitment team, who can discuss alternative application methods.
We recognise that flexible working is important. We take requests for flexible working seriously, consider any request we receive and try to work with you, so we can explore if your request may fit with the needs of the service.
Benefits we offer to you:
- Between 27-33 days of annual leave plus bank holidays
- NHS pension scheme membership
- Salary sacrifice schemes for lease cars, home electronics and more, to make your salary go further
- NHS Staff discounts
- Cycle to work scheme
- Salary finance - for loans, savings, budget planning and tips on managing debt
- Stockport Credit Union- for local financial advice
Job description
Job responsibilities
This role is for 22.5 hours per week. Please see the attached job description and specification for full information.
The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and promote safeguarding by implementing the Trusts policies and procedures, acting promptly on concerns, communicating effectively and sharing information appropriately.
If successful this vacancy will require an enhanced DBS check at a cost of £54.90. This cost will be deducted from your first Trust salaryIn addition to this it will be a condition of your employment that you will join the DBS update service and pay the annual subscription fee of £16.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This role is for 22.5 hours per week. Please see the attached job description and specification for full information.
The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and promote safeguarding by implementing the Trusts policies and procedures, acting promptly on concerns, communicating effectively and sharing information appropriately.
If successful this vacancy will require an enhanced DBS check at a cost of £54.90. This cost will be deducted from your first Trust salaryIn addition to this it will be a condition of your employment that you will join the DBS update service and pay the annual subscription fee of £16.
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- SALT Registration with the Health Professions Council
- Evidence of CPD
- Registration with RCSLT
Desirable
- Member of Special interest group relevant to role
- management and leadership skills training
- Trained in a recognised and approved Autism diagnostic tool (e.g. ADOS, ADI-R)
Knowledge
Essential
- Highly specialist/advanced knowledge of a range of relevant conditions and their management including Autism and the variety of communication approaches individuals may use
- Working knowledge of DSM V diagnostic criteria for Autism
Desirable
- Understanding of the Balanced System methodology
Experience
Essential
- Recent experience of working with children with SLCN as a speech and language therapist
- Current of previous experience of working at a highly specialist level.
- Experience of working within a Paediatric MDT responsible for diagnosing or contributing to the diagnosis of Autism
Desirable
- Leadership in a uni-professional or multi-professional team
- Experience of using EMIS or similar EPR
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- 2 = All criteria met, 1 = criteria partly met, 0 = criteria not met
Desirable
- 2 = All criteria met, 1 = criteria partly met, 0 = criteria not met
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- SALT Registration with the Health Professions Council
- Evidence of CPD
- Registration with RCSLT
Desirable
- Member of Special interest group relevant to role
- management and leadership skills training
- Trained in a recognised and approved Autism diagnostic tool (e.g. ADOS, ADI-R)
Knowledge
Essential
- Highly specialist/advanced knowledge of a range of relevant conditions and their management including Autism and the variety of communication approaches individuals may use
- Working knowledge of DSM V diagnostic criteria for Autism
Desirable
- Understanding of the Balanced System methodology
Experience
Essential
- Recent experience of working with children with SLCN as a speech and language therapist
- Current of previous experience of working at a highly specialist level.
- Experience of working within a Paediatric MDT responsible for diagnosing or contributing to the diagnosis of Autism
Desirable
- Leadership in a uni-professional or multi-professional team
- Experience of using EMIS or similar EPR
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- 2 = All criteria met, 1 = criteria partly met, 0 = criteria not met
Desirable
- 2 = All criteria met, 1 = criteria partly met, 0 = criteria not met
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).
