Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity to join the Cheshire and Merseyside Specialist Speech and Language Therapy Network for Deaf People. If you have a passion for working in the field of Deafness, then we have the vacancy for you. We are looking to appoint a Highly Specialist SLT and we welcome applications from candidates with highly specialist skills as well as from those who aspire to develop their knowledge and experience in this specialist clinical area, through a dedicated competency framework, with access to regular supervision from experienced clinicians, focused CPD activities and a clear pathway for completion of your training (including British Sign Language Levels 1 and 2).
As part of the Cheshire and Merseyside SLT Network for Deaf People, you would work for Alder Hey Foundation Trust based in the community in Liverpool. You will work with children, young people, adults, and their families in settings, across the city. You would also be part of the wider Network, working with a team of Highly Specialist SLTs who are dynamic and passionate about the service they provide. This offers a great support network throughout the team. You will work alongside our local community SLT team to provide specialist assessment and intervention, with the opportunity to train and support local professionals. We work collaboratively with our education colleagues (such as Teachers of the Deaf) and audiology.
Main duties of the job
You will be part of the Network team based in Liverpool, providing highly specialist support for children, young people and adults who are Deaf, and their families, across a range of settings (that may include resource bases).
You will manage a complex and highly specialist caseload, using evidence-based practice/client-based principles to assess, plan, formulate, implement, and evaluate interventions.
You will work collaboratively with SLTs; Teachers of the Deaf; and other education professionals, to meet the needs of the caseload.
You will also utilise your specialist skills in Deafness to support differential diagnosis and support of co-occurring conditions, such as Autism, Developmental Language and Speech Disorders. You will work with colleagues in the community team to support and develop their knowledge in Deafness, providing training and second opinions as needed.
You will contribute to service development and quality improvement projects to shape the delivery of specialist speech and language therapy for Deaf people across the Network.
We offer an induction period to enable you to shadow and work with the therapists across the region as well as ongoing support, supervision, training and CPD opportunities.
About us
As one of Europe's biggest and busiest children's hospitals, at Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, we treat everything from common illnesses to highly complex and specialist conditions. In addition to our main hospital site, we offer paediatric services at a number of community sites and hold local clinics across Merseyside, Cumbria, Shropshire, Wales and the Isle of Man. We also provide specialist inpatient care for children with complex mental health needs in our recently relocated and newly opened state of the art facility.
Alder Hey has a thriving research portfolio and leads research into children's medicines, infection, inflammation and oncology. We are becoming recognised as one of the world's leaders in children's healthcare and research. We contribute to public health, lead cutting-edge research and teach the next generation of children's specialists. Alongside this is ourInnovation Hub, a dedicated space where clinicians and industries can come together to create new products and technologies.
We know that a children's trust is different and that our job is more than just treating an illness. To us, every child is an individual. As well as giving them the very best care, we set out to make them feel happy, safe and confident as they play, learn and grow. At Alder Hey we are here to look after a child and their family and that includes mums, dads, brothers and sisters.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This is an annex 21 post dependent on the duration of the post. The salary would be paid at 65% of the top of band 7 for the 1st year, 70% of the top of band 7 for the 2nd year and then 75% of the top of band 7 for the 3rd year. If this takes the salary under national minimum wage, it will be topped up to comply with the national minimum wage
The Cheshire and Merseyside Specialist SLT Network for Deaf People is the only regional network in the country that highly provides specialist speech and language therapy support for Deaf people. Recognised as a model of good practice by the RCSLT, as a regional service we offer consistent, high-quality evidence-based interventions to the population of Cheshire and Merseyside. We provide peer and managerial supervision by therapists who are clinical specialists in the field of Deafness.
Please see the attached job description and person specification for further details about this post.
This post is also offered through Annex 21 as a development position on Band 6. You will be required to complete competencies within 12 months of employment. Upon completion of training, you will then be uplifted to the Band 7 pay scale.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This is an annex 21 post dependent on the duration of the post. The salary would be paid at 65% of the top of band 7 for the 1st year, 70% of the top of band 7 for the 2nd year and then 75% of the top of band 7 for the 3rd year. If this takes the salary under national minimum wage, it will be topped up to comply with the national minimum wage
The Cheshire and Merseyside Specialist SLT Network for Deaf People is the only regional network in the country that highly provides specialist speech and language therapy support for Deaf people. Recognised as a model of good practice by the RCSLT, as a regional service we offer consistent, high-quality evidence-based interventions to the population of Cheshire and Merseyside. We provide peer and managerial supervision by therapists who are clinical specialists in the field of Deafness.
Please see the attached job description and person specification for further details about this post.
This post is also offered through Annex 21 as a development position on Band 6. You will be required to complete competencies within 12 months of employment. Upon completion of training, you will then be uplifted to the Band 7 pay scale.
Person Specification
Education and Training
Essential
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree qualification or equivalent
- Registration certificate of HCPC
- Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
- Evidence of successful completion of specialist post graduate short courses
- Knowledge of British Sign Language
Desirable
- Evidence of successful completion of Communication Skills Development (CSD) Working with Deaf People Part 1 and Part 2.
- Membership of Clinical Excellence Network for deafness.
- British Sign Language qualification Level 2
- Masters level or other recognised post-graduate course linked to specialism
Experience
Essential
- Working as a specialist speech and language therapist in deafness.
- Multi-agency working, and an in-depth knowledge of SEND legislation and its relevance to deafness, with links to national policies
- Developing and delivering training packages to other disciplines, carers and service users.
- Adapting a broad range of assessments and appropriate therapeutic interventions in SLT for deaf clients
- Working in community paediatric settings.
Desirable
- Participating in research and audit
- Supervising junior members of staff
- Participating in service development initiatives or projects.
- Transcribing speech using auditory and visual information
- Working with 0 -2 age group
- Working with deaf adults
- Leadership in a clinical role.
Knowledge
Essential
- Specialism and skills as a result of experience or CPD
- An in depth understanding of appropriate therapeutic interventions for deaf people and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits.
- Audiological assessments and their relevance to client management.
- BSL and the use of sign systems in supporting communication.
- A broad range of clinical disorders, assessments and appropriate therapeutic interventions in SLT and adaptations for deaf clients
Desirable
- National policies and procedures relevant to deaf clients.
- Deafness and communication development.
- Deaf Culture
- Functional listening skills and delivery of appropriate auditory training programmes for deaf people
Person Specification
Education and Training
Essential
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree qualification or equivalent
- Registration certificate of HCPC
- Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
- Evidence of successful completion of specialist post graduate short courses
- Knowledge of British Sign Language
Desirable
- Evidence of successful completion of Communication Skills Development (CSD) Working with Deaf People Part 1 and Part 2.
- Membership of Clinical Excellence Network for deafness.
- British Sign Language qualification Level 2
- Masters level or other recognised post-graduate course linked to specialism
Experience
Essential
- Working as a specialist speech and language therapist in deafness.
- Multi-agency working, and an in-depth knowledge of SEND legislation and its relevance to deafness, with links to national policies
- Developing and delivering training packages to other disciplines, carers and service users.
- Adapting a broad range of assessments and appropriate therapeutic interventions in SLT for deaf clients
- Working in community paediatric settings.
Desirable
- Participating in research and audit
- Supervising junior members of staff
- Participating in service development initiatives or projects.
- Transcribing speech using auditory and visual information
- Working with 0 -2 age group
- Working with deaf adults
- Leadership in a clinical role.
Knowledge
Essential
- Specialism and skills as a result of experience or CPD
- An in depth understanding of appropriate therapeutic interventions for deaf people and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits.
- Audiological assessments and their relevance to client management.
- BSL and the use of sign systems in supporting communication.
- A broad range of clinical disorders, assessments and appropriate therapeutic interventions in SLT and adaptations for deaf clients
Desirable
- National policies and procedures relevant to deaf clients.
- Deafness and communication development.
- Deaf Culture
- Functional listening skills and delivery of appropriate auditory training programmes for deaf people
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).
Employer details
Employer name
Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Alder Hey Community Therapies, Kilby House
Innovation Park, Digital Way
Liverpool
L7 9NJ
Employer's website
https://alderhey.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
