Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist Complex Needs Dysphagia

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see Job Description attached, which details the responsibilities within this post.

You will be joining an innovative and agile CYP Therapies service committed to delivering high quality care and transforming lives. Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust provides Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Services for families across the county. Our service is jointly commissioned by health and education, allowing us to provide a seamless pathway of care from early years through to schools, specialist provisions and further education settings.

Successful candidates will be enthusiastic and motivated. Advanced communication, clinical reasoning and organisational skills are essential. You must be a team player but be able to work autonomously and have the ability to champion the needs of children and young people through upskilling the wider workforce. As a highly specialist SLT, there will be opportunities for you to facilitate professional supervision groups and provide managerial supervision to less experienced colleagues.

You will be joining a well-established, supportive team of therapists and assistants. CYP Therapies at HCT pride ourselves on the support we provide to staff. Please see below comments from a current member of the team:

I love working in CYPT/HCT - everyone in the team is super dedicated. There is strong management support, but also space for being flexible and creative to meet childrens needs; innovation & good practice is valued and encouraged. I enjoy & appreciate the robust supervision structures, training in supervision & coaching, and the many opportunities for personal development and learning, including for example in-house training days and tutorials. I have worked in many teams across Hertfordshire, all without exception friendly and welcoming. There is an ethos of peer support and encouragement & sharing learning; everyone works hard but there is a sense of belonging and always time for a quick chat and plenty of laughs. I feel valued here and I value my lovely colleagues and the fabulous children & young people we work with.

If you have any questions at all or you would like to come and visit us, please do contact us - we are only too happy to help and would love to tell you more about our Service.

Applications for full time and part time work will be considered. A full valid driving licence and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

In addition to the basic salary, this post attracts a High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of basic salary subject to a minimum payment of £1,192 and a maximum payment of £2,011 per annum (pro rata where applicable and dependent on base location).

If you would like to contact us for further information about this post, please contact Katie Tucker, Operational Manager, on 07833 237273.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Degree or equivalent in Speech and Language Therapy with experience and highly specialist knowledge in paediatric speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) acquired through further theoretical training, and experience to Master's level or equivalent relevant to complex communication needs and Paediatric dysphagia.
• Continued Professional Development in the area of dysphagia as evidenced by attendance at specialist postgraduate courses and/or completion of Dysphagia Practitioner competencies (RCSLT eating, drinking and swallowing competency framework) and membership of relevant CENs to maintain and develop specialist knowledge and expertise.
• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent (post graduate diploma or MSc in Speech and Language Therapy leading to registration with HCPC)
• HCPC Licence to Practice, Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, Membership of relevant CEN.

Experience and Knowledge

Essential

• Experience of carrying out complex dysphagia assessments and differential diagnosis in identifying aspiration risk to provide comprehensive management plan to effectively optimise safe and efficient eating and drinking, including referrals into other service professionals as required
• Experience of delivering specialist training to peers and other professionals in the area of eating and drinking/dysphagia.
• In depth and expert knowledge of a range of appropriate assessment tools and therapeutic interventions relevant to the service, and high level clinical skills in assessment, diagnosis and intervention.
• Working knowledge of electronic patient record system.
• Evidence of involvement in service policy development in area of specialism.
• Knowledge of NHS, Education Policy and directives including Tribunals where these impact on area of specialism or service delivery.
• Experience of supervising students and less experienced staff.

Desirable

• To demonstrate some knowledge of power-based AAC including hardware, software and access methods and have experience of supporting CYP with complex needs who require a range of AAC.

Skills and abilities

Essential

• Excellent communication skills both oral and written, including the ability to liaise and negotiate
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels across organisations and with a range of audiences.
• Knowledge of barriers to understanding and ability to explain complex issues simply.
• Able to analyse and interpret complex data
• Excellent group presentation skills both written and verbal, as well as computer literate including use of Excel spreadsheets, databases and PowerPoint, Word.
• Knowledge of barriers to understanding & ability to explain complex issues simply.

Other

Essential

• Hold a full valid driving licence and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust

Address

Sandridge Gate

St Albans

AL4 9XR

Employer's website

https://www.hct.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)