Job summary
Are you a paediatric and/or acute specialist SLT looking for an exciting new challenge? Do you thrive working as part of a close knit team, combining specialist knowledge with a creative approach to provide the best patient- and family-centred care?
Due to additional funding, we are offering a rare and exciting opportunity for a B7 to join the SLT team working in Children and Teenage Cancer Services at University College Hospital (UCH). This is a 0.8 wte post.
We are looking for an SLT who may have skills and experience in head and neck cancer (adult or paediatric), paediatric dysphagia and communication, or acute neurology. We recognise this is a rare position so do not expect applicants to have all the requisite experience. We will offer excellent training and supervision to support the optimisation of transferable skills you bring to the post.
You will provide both in-patient and out-patient SLT expertise across the child and teenage age range including at the national Proton Beam Centre and be part of an innovative and expert multi-professional team, including 3 SLT's, delivering cancer care at the forefront of innovative practice.
Main duties of the job
- You will be an autonomous practitioner providing a specialist communication and dysphagia service to children and teenagers with a wide range of cancer diagnoses at all stages on their treatment pathway.
- You will deliver SLT care to teenage and paediatric patients with diverse presentations and complex physical, psychological, and emotional needs.
- You will be an excellent team player with strong communication and negotiation skills, who thrives working as part of a large innovative MDT alongside many experts in this field.
- As part of the multi-professional team you will help facilitate effective and timely management of patients at various stages of their diagnostic trajectory; some of whom may be at the end of life
- You will liaise effectively with various agencies within a wide geographical area, including social services, schools, charitable bodies, health teams and other hospital departments including specialist and partnership services.
- We recognise that paediatric oncology experience is rare and so alongside a keenness to learn and ability to utilise transferable skills, the role will include excellent opportunities for professional learning including regular supervision and specialist oncology teaching.
- You will also have the opportunity to be a key contributor to cutting edge service improvements, including helping to shape our National Proton Beam Therapy service which has recently opened.
About us
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is the Primary Treatment Centre for a large number of children, teenagers and young people diagnosed with an array of different cancers and blood disorders. It has the largest UK paediatric and young adult centrefor radiotherapy and the largest Teenage Cancer Trust Unit in the country. It operates as a unified cancer centre together with Great Ormond Street, is one of only 2 centres in the UK delivering Proton Beam Therapy and is one of Europe's largest sarcoma service.
At UCLH, we place a great emphasis on quality patient care and teamwork. We are committed to staff development and satisfaction and we prioritise health and wellbeing. You will be working within an inclusive team environment and have access to supervision and training.
The renowned Paediatric and Neonatal SLT team at UCLH delivers high quality clinical care to high risk neonates, acute paediatrics and children and teenagers with cancer. We will provide you with strong managerial and leadership support and offer an established supervision system.
The Trust aims to become a world leader in cancer care and cancer services and is set to develop significantly over the next few years. Development includes the recent opening of our Proton Beam Therapy centre.
Hence the opportunities to learn and develop are both exciting and extensive.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To work as an autonomous practitioner (with regular access to supervision and support) responsible for collaboratively managing and prioritising a defined caseload of paediatric and adolescent patients within the children and teenage cancer services. This will include inpatients and outpatients including those undergoing radiotherapy and being seen within the new Proton Beam Therapy Service.
- To be responsible for delivering a comprehensive and highly specialist service to children and teenagers presenting with a range of feeding, swallowing and /or communication problems as a result of cancer diagnoses and/or its treatment effects. This includes adapting specialist assessment and intervention in line with pre-existing diagnoses such as learning or physical difficulties or health conditions.
- The post includes input to those children and teenagers who may have tracheostomy in situ and for older teenagers this may include in-reaching into the adult ICU. It also includes input for children who are on both curative and palliative pathways.
- The post-holder will provide assessment, differential diagnosis and programmes of intervention. S/he will have a strong knowledge of instrumental assessments of swallowing and may be competent in, for example, videofluoroscopy, tracheostomy and FEES.
- As the largest childrens cancer service in the UK and with UCLH recently opening it's Proton Beam Therapy Centre, the postholder will have an essential role in supporting the SLT service in cancer services. This will include collection of data to inform any audit, research and or business case/service development.
- S/he will work closely with colleagues in other specialist units, within the local community and across regional and national networks (radiotherapy and PBT accept referrals nationally) in order to ensure that integrated care pathways are utilised and that effective transfer of information is maintained. Depending on banding and experience s/he will provide clinical supervision and support to less experienced colleagues/students both within the team and the wider service.
- Whilst the primary focus is within children and teenage cancer services it will also include provision to the acute paediatric wards and the adolescent unit as required.
Person Specification:
Please see the attached person specification for full details.
Essential criteria include:
- Degree in Speech & Language Therapy
- HCPC license to practice as an SLT
- Significant clinical experience working in a relevant specialist field (e.g. neuro/oncology/head & neck/ paediatric dysphagia)
- Detailed knowledge of and experience in multi-disciplinary team working
- Excellent communication skills including the ability to communicate sensitive information to those in high levels of distress
- Effective time management skills and ability to prioritise own caseload
- Knowledge of and adherence to local and national clinical guidelines
*****
Want to find out more?
Please do get in touch and contact:
Liz Clark. Clinical Lead in Oncology and Complex Paediatrics.liz.clark3@nhs.net
or
call us on 07971 776303
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To work as an autonomous practitioner (with regular access to supervision and support) responsible for collaboratively managing and prioritising a defined caseload of paediatric and adolescent patients within the children and teenage cancer services. This will include inpatients and outpatients including those undergoing radiotherapy and being seen within the new Proton Beam Therapy Service.
- To be responsible for delivering a comprehensive and highly specialist service to children and teenagers presenting with a range of feeding, swallowing and /or communication problems as a result of cancer diagnoses and/or its treatment effects. This includes adapting specialist assessment and intervention in line with pre-existing diagnoses such as learning or physical difficulties or health conditions.
- The post includes input to those children and teenagers who may have tracheostomy in situ and for older teenagers this may include in-reaching into the adult ICU. It also includes input for children who are on both curative and palliative pathways.
- The post-holder will provide assessment, differential diagnosis and programmes of intervention. S/he will have a strong knowledge of instrumental assessments of swallowing and may be competent in, for example, videofluoroscopy, tracheostomy and FEES.
- As the largest childrens cancer service in the UK and with UCLH recently opening it's Proton Beam Therapy Centre, the postholder will have an essential role in supporting the SLT service in cancer services. This will include collection of data to inform any audit, research and or business case/service development.
- S/he will work closely with colleagues in other specialist units, within the local community and across regional and national networks (radiotherapy and PBT accept referrals nationally) in order to ensure that integrated care pathways are utilised and that effective transfer of information is maintained. Depending on banding and experience s/he will provide clinical supervision and support to less experienced colleagues/students both within the team and the wider service.
- Whilst the primary focus is within children and teenage cancer services it will also include provision to the acute paediatric wards and the adolescent unit as required.
Person Specification:
Please see the attached person specification for full details.
Essential criteria include:
- Degree in Speech & Language Therapy
- HCPC license to practice as an SLT
- Significant clinical experience working in a relevant specialist field (e.g. neuro/oncology/head & neck/ paediatric dysphagia)
- Detailed knowledge of and experience in multi-disciplinary team working
- Excellent communication skills including the ability to communicate sensitive information to those in high levels of distress
- Effective time management skills and ability to prioritise own caseload
- Knowledge of and adherence to local and national clinical guidelines
*****
Want to find out more?
Please do get in touch and contact:
Liz Clark. Clinical Lead in Oncology and Complex Paediatrics.liz.clark3@nhs.net
or
call us on 07971 776303
Person Specification
Knowledge & Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in Speech and Language Therapy
- HCPC Licence to practice as SLT
- Successful completion of highly specialist post-graduate study relevant to setting and caseload, including knowledge of feeding/ swallowing disorders and communication. (e.g. accredited dysphagia course, accredited communication course, VFS, oncology courses, tracheostomy)
- Basic counselling
- Evidence of working within the NHS
Desirable
- Member of relevant Special Interest Group(s)
- Training in SLT student clinical supervision
- MSc or Diploma relating to SLT
Experience
Essential
- Significant clinical experience working at this level in a relevant field post-registration, including 2 years at a specialist level
- Of working at a complex specialist level within relevant specialist fields e.g. neuro/oncology/headandneck/paediatric dysphagia and associated communication issues.
- Of delivering and evaluating training to a range of audiences
- Of audit and service evaluation and/or development with data capture
- Proven experience of a highly/specialist range of assessment tools and procedures to evaluate feeding and swallowing disorders, speech & language skills in a complex and/or paediatric/teenage population.
Desirable
- Of supervising SLT students
Communication & Customer Care
Essential
- The ability to communicate complex, sensitive information
- Excellent verbal and written skills
- Skilled in delivering presentations and training including basic adaptations to presentation/ training style for a range of audiences
Personal & people development
Essential
- The ability to reflect on practice
Quality and service improvement
Essential
- Demonstrates knowledge of and commitment to the Equal Opportunities policy, Infection Control and Health and Safety Guidelines
- Demonstrates knowledge of appropriate legislation affecting working practice e.g. Working with Vulnerable Adults, Safeguarding Children
- The ability to develop & implement short term clinically based projects
Information processing (IT skills)
Essential
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Demonstration of effective management of change skills including the flexibility in approach to changes in patient and service needs
Physical Effort
Essential
- Highly specialist lifting &/ or positioning of clients
Person Specification
Knowledge & Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in Speech and Language Therapy
- HCPC Licence to practice as SLT
- Successful completion of highly specialist post-graduate study relevant to setting and caseload, including knowledge of feeding/ swallowing disorders and communication. (e.g. accredited dysphagia course, accredited communication course, VFS, oncology courses, tracheostomy)
- Basic counselling
- Evidence of working within the NHS
Desirable
- Member of relevant Special Interest Group(s)
- Training in SLT student clinical supervision
- MSc or Diploma relating to SLT
Experience
Essential
- Significant clinical experience working at this level in a relevant field post-registration, including 2 years at a specialist level
- Of working at a complex specialist level within relevant specialist fields e.g. neuro/oncology/headandneck/paediatric dysphagia and associated communication issues.
- Of delivering and evaluating training to a range of audiences
- Of audit and service evaluation and/or development with data capture
- Proven experience of a highly/specialist range of assessment tools and procedures to evaluate feeding and swallowing disorders, speech & language skills in a complex and/or paediatric/teenage population.
Desirable
- Of supervising SLT students
Communication & Customer Care
Essential
- The ability to communicate complex, sensitive information
- Excellent verbal and written skills
- Skilled in delivering presentations and training including basic adaptations to presentation/ training style for a range of audiences
Personal & people development
Essential
- The ability to reflect on practice
Quality and service improvement
Essential
- Demonstrates knowledge of and commitment to the Equal Opportunities policy, Infection Control and Health and Safety Guidelines
- Demonstrates knowledge of appropriate legislation affecting working practice e.g. Working with Vulnerable Adults, Safeguarding Children
- The ability to develop & implement short term clinically based projects
Information processing (IT skills)
Essential
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Demonstration of effective management of change skills including the flexibility in approach to changes in patient and service needs
Physical Effort
Essential
- Highly specialist lifting &/ or positioning of clients
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).
