Job summary
We are looking for an experienced, passionate Speech & Language Therapist with complex needs experience and paediatric dysphagia skills to be part of our dynamic team in Merton.
Your role will be to provide assessment, advice and treatment for dysphagia to infants, children and young people (birth-19yrs) and for communication to an early years complex needs caseload in the community.
You will also support and develop the wider team's paediatric dysphagia knowledge. You will work as part of the Preschool Complex Needs Team, including work in clinics/schools and family homes with a largely preschool population.
This is a unique opportunity for the right person to develop and support the paediatric dysphagia skills of SLTs in Merton. The successful candidate will also need to demonstrate an understanding of current alternative and augmentative communication approaches (high, mid and low tech) to ensure children with complex needs maximize their SLT outcomes.
Main duties of the job
Be an active member of the clinical team, providing a comprehensive Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapy service to children with complex communication needs (Early Years) and eating and drinking difficulties (0-19 years).
Work within professional standards and clinical guidelines, promote best practice and to undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner including assessing and treating own caseload of patients/clients and maintaining professional documentation.
Build up and maintain key relationships with referring services (including within the MDTs, primary and secondary care services, voluntary and third sector organisations) to facilitate appropriate referrals and an understanding of the role of the Speech & Language Therapist and the Multi-professional team.
About us
Just as we care about our patients' wellbeing, we care about yours!
We can offer you:
- A comprehensive induction into the community service followed by a local induction to introduce you to the role
- Car lease scheme *T&C's apply
- Flexible working options
- Annual travel card loan
- Training, support and development in your career
To have a full look at our benefits and what it's like working for us please go here: https://www.clch.nhs.uk/job/pay-and-benefits
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to Job Description and Person Specification for outline of skills, knowledge and experience required.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to Job Description and Person Specification for outline of skills, knowledge and experience required.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised SLT degree or equivalent.
- Current AHP with UK HCPC registration
- Member of a relevant Clinical Excellence Network
- Evidence of competence in managing complex dysphagic patients including those requiring enteral feeding
Desirable
- Evidence of relevant post-registration education and training e.g. SCERTS, VERVE, Intensive Interaction, Attention Autism, Hanen, Gestalt Language Processing, AAC, Dysphagia, Infant Feeding, Breastfeeding, Tracheostomy
Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience of working in a variety of clinical settings
- Experience of working and liaising with other MDT professionals
- Recent experience within community SLT setting, specialising in complex needs and dysphagia
- Ability to understand complex issues, problem solve and propose solutions.
- Able to communicate with families and young people in an empathetic manner regarding their treatment and procedures.
- Experience of supervising/ managing junior staff and students
- Experience working with families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
- Experience in the assessment and management of patients who require AAC
- Participation in audit; research projects; service development
Desirable
- Experience of working within a community paediatric SLT service
- Experience of working through the RCSLT NQP and dysphagia frameworks with junior SLTs
Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy skills
- Highly specialist knowledge of a wide range of appropriate therapeutic interventions and evidence of a specialist level of clinical expertise in relevant areas.
- Independence in managing dysphagia within a paediatric population
- Experience in using a range of assessment techniques for managing patients with dysphagia and complex needs.
- In-depth knowledge of principles of clinical governance and audit.
- Ability to use IT including PowerPoint, Excel, Word
- Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal.
- Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills.
- Highly developed negotiation and problem-solving skills.
- Good analytical & organisational ability
- Ability to identify and assess the potential risks involved in work activities and processes for self and others.
- Ability to deputise for service lead as required.
- Ability to listen effectively and provide constructive feedback to families and colleagues.
- Awareness of the management and use of data in the NHS setting
- Ability to identify and assess the potential risks involved in work activities and processes for self and others.
Desirable
- Postgraduate research in a relevant area.
- Completion of CPD related to dysphagia management
Key Attributes
Essential
- Ability to work in a team and be a proactive member and able to engage in change process in the team
- Ability to self-organise, prioritise and delegate effectively.
- Ability to motivate others.
- Flexible work ethic
- Ability to assume leadership responsibilities.
- Ability to address sensitive issues e.g.complex condition-related information to families/carers.
Desirable
- Able to demonstrate initiative and innovative approaches towards work.
- Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010) or be able to travel around independently using public transport or another mode or transport
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised SLT degree or equivalent.
- Current AHP with UK HCPC registration
- Member of a relevant Clinical Excellence Network
- Evidence of competence in managing complex dysphagic patients including those requiring enteral feeding
Desirable
- Evidence of relevant post-registration education and training e.g. SCERTS, VERVE, Intensive Interaction, Attention Autism, Hanen, Gestalt Language Processing, AAC, Dysphagia, Infant Feeding, Breastfeeding, Tracheostomy
Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience of working in a variety of clinical settings
- Experience of working and liaising with other MDT professionals
- Recent experience within community SLT setting, specialising in complex needs and dysphagia
- Ability to understand complex issues, problem solve and propose solutions.
- Able to communicate with families and young people in an empathetic manner regarding their treatment and procedures.
- Experience of supervising/ managing junior staff and students
- Experience working with families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
- Experience in the assessment and management of patients who require AAC
- Participation in audit; research projects; service development
Desirable
- Experience of working within a community paediatric SLT service
- Experience of working through the RCSLT NQP and dysphagia frameworks with junior SLTs
Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy skills
- Highly specialist knowledge of a wide range of appropriate therapeutic interventions and evidence of a specialist level of clinical expertise in relevant areas.
- Independence in managing dysphagia within a paediatric population
- Experience in using a range of assessment techniques for managing patients with dysphagia and complex needs.
- In-depth knowledge of principles of clinical governance and audit.
- Ability to use IT including PowerPoint, Excel, Word
- Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal.
- Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills.
- Highly developed negotiation and problem-solving skills.
- Good analytical & organisational ability
- Ability to identify and assess the potential risks involved in work activities and processes for self and others.
- Ability to deputise for service lead as required.
- Ability to listen effectively and provide constructive feedback to families and colleagues.
- Awareness of the management and use of data in the NHS setting
- Ability to identify and assess the potential risks involved in work activities and processes for self and others.
Desirable
- Postgraduate research in a relevant area.
- Completion of CPD related to dysphagia management
Key Attributes
Essential
- Ability to work in a team and be a proactive member and able to engage in change process in the team
- Ability to self-organise, prioritise and delegate effectively.
- Ability to motivate others.
- Flexible work ethic
- Ability to assume leadership responsibilities.
- Ability to address sensitive issues e.g.complex condition-related information to families/carers.
Desirable
- Able to demonstrate initiative and innovative approaches towards work.
- Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010) or be able to travel around independently using public transport or another mode or transport
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.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
