Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Job responsibilities

PLEASE REFER TO THE ATTACHED JOB DESCRIPTION FOR FULL DUTIES OF THE ROLE

To provide a specialist speech, language and communication service to patients with a wide range of speech, language, communication, eating and drinking difficulties across a range of community settings including Health Centres, mainstream schools, specialist provisions and early years settings.

To provide clinical support and mentoring for less experienced Speech and Language Therapists and supervision for students and Speech and Language Therapy assistants.

To develop and deliver specialist training and education programmes re. speech and language disorders to parents, carers and other professionals

To participate in clinical governance activity i.e. research, audit, evidence based practice

To liaise with and advise other agencies/professionals involved with the patient.

To contribute to service planning, improvement and modernisation to ensure patient safety

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• 1.Excellent interpersonal skills - including observation, listening and empathy skills.
• 2.Ability to communicate effectively with Health, Education and Social Services professionals, as well as parents/families/carers.
• 3.Influencing and problem-solving skills
• 4.Demonstrate excellent analytical, assessment, deduction and reflection skills
• 5.Well-developed concentration skills
• 6.Excellent presentation skills - written and oral
• 7.Excellent organisational and time-management skills
• 8.Prioritisation skills
• 9.Innovative thinking skills
• 10.Highly-developed discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically
• 11.Demonstrates ability to be a good team member and assume supervisory responsibilities of assistants and mentoring responsibilities of less experienced therapists
• 12.Independent and autonomous working

Experience

Essential

• 1.Significant knowledge and experience of a wide range of developmental speech, language and communication difficulties and their treatments.
• 2.Experience of working within multi-disciplinary teams.
• 3.Experience liaising with other health, education and social professionals.
• 4.Experience of planning and delivery of training for other professionals and parents/carers.
• 5.Relevant experience at post-graduate level e.g. assessment and intervention with more complex communication disorders and writing reports on outcomes.
• 6.Experience of working alongside highly specialised therapists for highly complex cases

Desirable

• Relevant specialist experience post-qualification e.g. Dysfluency key-worker, Developmental language Disorder, Complex Language and Learning, Autism, Dysphagia.

Physical Requirements

Essential

• 1.To have due regard for own personal safety and that of clients/carers, in particular to have regard to moving and handling regulations and ensure the safe positioning of self and others.
• 2.Lifting and carrying equipment for assessment and treatment on a regular basis.
• 3.To maintain intense concentration in all aspects of client management for prolonged periods, in particular, to monitor auditory, visual and kinaesthetic aspects of clients communication, adapting and facilitating according to perceived client needs including cultural and linguistic differences.
• 4.To be flexible to the demands of the environment including unpredictable work patterns, deadlines and frequent interruptions.
• 5.To employ counselling skills with carers and clients (including clients with highly complex needs)
• 6.To demonstrate the ability to manage clients with challenging behaviours, including the application of appropriate management strategies
• 7.To be adaptable to the demands of a variety of working conditions and/or a wide range of clients
• 8.To work within infection control and Health & Safety guidelines in order to deal with unpleasant conditions relating to client contact as they arise, for example exposure to body fluids, infectious conditions, encountered on a regular basis
• 9.To be aware of how to employ appropriate strategies to manage verbally aggressive behaviour within the workplace
• 10.Competent computer skills
• 11.To be able to meet the travel demands of the role

Desirable

• Car driver/owner or access to mobility support

Qualifications

Essential

• 1.Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree qualification
• 2. Membership of Health Care Professions Council.
• 3.Eligibility for membership of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
• 4.Fulfilment of NQT RCSLT competency criteria.
• 5.Evidence of attendance at a wide range of short courses in specialist area e.g. Motor Speech Disorders, Specific Language Disorders
• 6.Evidence of CPD including successful completion of specialist post-graduate training e.g. RCSLT accredited Dysphagia Management Course (Paediatrics), Hanen Certificate, Makaton Signing System
• 7.Membership of relevant Special Interest Groups
• 8.Well-established knowledge of a range of specialist assessment tools relevant to a wide range of paediatric communication disorders
• 9.Knowledge of current national policies and procedures e.g. Education, Health and Care Planning process ( Children and Families Act 2014).
• 10.Knowledge of trends/best practice across the clinical specialisms
• 11.In-depth knowledge of a range of therapeutic interventions relevant to the client groups and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits of each
• 12.Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance/audit
• 13.Understanding of the roles of other professionals relevant to client group
• 14.Knowledge of standards of record-keeping
• 15.Working knowledge of child protection and vulnerable adult policies
• 16.Working knowledge of structure, policies and functioning of the NHS and and Local Educational Authorities

Desirable

• Good working knowledge of structure, policies and functioning of STSFT and Local Educational Authorities.
• Good working knowledge of speech and language therapy service provision and examples of care pathways

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).