Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose

The post holder will independently manage a specialist caseload in the locality and the surrounding area. The client group is children who have a range of difficulties in understanding and/or using speech and language. The post holder will work independently with access to more senior colleagues as needed. The post holder will provide supervision and guidance to colleagues

1. To independently manage a specialist caseload of pre-school and school age children who have speech, language, and communication difficulties.
2. To undertake a range of assessments, both standardised and non-standardised, taking account of medical, social, and educational factors, which combined with specialist theoretical knowledge will lead to differential diagnosis
3. To plan, deliver and evaluate specialist intervention following professional guidelines and agreed service standards
4. As part of that process, to be able to plan appropriate long term and short-term goals working towards transfer of care
5. To undertake administrative duties connected with the caseload including maintenance of case notes and provision of written reports, following service standards
6. To ensure that all work is carried out in close collaboration with all those involved in childrens care so that the approach to intervention and support is co-ordinated and comprehensive
7. To identify when there is a need for a second opinion, referring to senior colleagues or SLT specialists as appropriate
8. To make onward referral as appropriate
9. To identify any variations to service delivery or demands and inform the Operational Lead and Locality Lead of the likely impact on the service
10. To provide student placements and be a lead educator (once appropriate training undertaken) where required
11. Directs and provides clinical supervision to Speech and Language Therapy Assistant Practitioners and Assistants in relation to specific cases
12. To be a point of contact for a number of named settings within the locality and liaising with them to provide advice and support
13. Assess, diagnose, and treat eating and drinking difficulties within a holistic framework (based on a specific role)
14. Maintains a special interest within a locality for one or more clinical pathways providing clinical assessment, advice, management, interventions and support to designated staff based in localities in consultation with pathway lead.
15. To undertake work in a range of ways according to individual case and service model, including face to face, virtual, clinical single point of access and signposting to universal resources accordingly.

1. To participate in development of policy, clinical guidelines, clinical governance and service development through discussion and involvement in projects as appropriate, including innovative practice, in collaboration with senior colleagues
2. Responsibility for specific, clearly defined projects as delegated by the Locality Co-ordinator.
3. To be familiar with local and national standards and to work in line with these
4. To ensure that parents/carers are aware of the standards they should expect from the speech and language therapy service

1. To ensure effective communication of complex condition-related information to parents/carers regarding the assessment process, assessment findings and planned intervention, including engagement of parents/carers in intervention
2. To ensure children are involved in goal setting and decision making around their own care as appropriate to their age, developmental level and language skills
3. To ensure parents/carers are involved in decision making around their childs care including transfer of care
4. To liaise effectively and work in partnership with other professionals (particularly setting staff), including the development of shared goals for intervention
5. To write reports on children, in line with service standards, including contributions to statutory assessment
6. To offer advice to others concerning support for individual children
7. To actively contribute to case conferences/ review meetings for children on the caseload
8. To recognise how and when information may be shared within the bounds of confidentiality and the Data Protection Act
9. To attend SLT team meetings, actively contributing as appropriate
10. Contribute to CCS internal communication strategies ensuring effective two-way communication and engagement within the organisation
11. Contribute to CCS external communication strategies working with the Head of Communications to raise awareness and promote the reputation of CCS services

To contribute to ensuring that CCS responsibilities to engage and consult with patients and the public are met in line with statutory requirements

Training

1. To participate in training other professionals/ parents, using both digital and face to face as appropriate
2. To identify training needs in the multi-disciplinary team needed to support the care of children on the caseload
3. To attend all Trust mandatory training

1. To access and accept clinical supervision from senior or specialist colleagues in line with service policy
2. To supervise and clinically support Speech and Language Therapy Assistant Practitioners and Assistants / teaching assistants /volunteers as appropriate
3. To mentor newly qualified SLTs providing support and contributing to induction with guidance from more senior colleagues
4. To provide clinical placements for SLT students including contributing to the assessment of exam placements
5. Maintaining own professional development and requirement to take part in appraisal and KSF process

1. To maintain and update skills and knowledge in relevant areas
2. To develop and monitor own clinical expertise in specialist area through planned CPD
3. To participate in service audit and projects as agreed with the leadership team
4. To actively reflect on practice with peers and more senior colleagues to promote professional development and evidence based decision making
5. To keep up to date with developments in current practice

1. Observe and maintain strict confidentiality with regards to any patient/family/staff/records and information in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.
2. Any data that is taken/shared as part of a phone call or transported, faxed, or transferred electronically must be undertaken with regard to the Trust Information Governance and Information Security policies.
3. The post holder must adhere to the Trust risk assessment and risk management processes
4. The post holder must adhere to infection control policies and procedures
5. It is a condition of your employment that you are currently registered with HCPC, and it is your responsibility to maintain your professional registration.
6. Undertake mandatory training and any other training relevant to the role as required by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust.
7. The post holder must participate in clinical and safeguarding audits as required
8. Provide patients and their families /carers with information on standards they should expect from the team
9. Participate in clinical supervision on a regular basis
10. Safeguard wellbeing of children and adults and maintain mandatory safeguarding training and supervision
11. The post holder is required to participate in relevant emergency preparedness process for their team.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree or Postgraduate equivalent in Speech and Language Therapy
• Registered Member of RCSLT
• Registered Member of HCPC
• Evidence of successful completion of short specialist courses

Desirable

• Evidence of commitment to CPD
• Membership of relevant Clinical Excellence Network

Experience

Essential

• Experience of developing and delivering training
• Recent and comprehensive experience working in community clinics, schools and pre-schools
• Experience of working in a range of multi-agency settings and with interagency teams

Desirable

• Previous experience supervising less experienced colleagues
• Experience of advising/providing further opinions

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Well established knowledge about developmental speech and language disorders
• In-depth knowledge of a broad range of assessment procedures relevant to the client group
• Knowledge of best practice and developing trends in clinical specialism

Desirable

• Working in a mainstream school with children who have complex communication needs
• Previous experience of working with children with complex speech disorders
• Ability to use various Microsoft programmes to collect data, prepare reports and presentations e.g. Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc

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

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust

Address

Vancouver House

20 County Ct Rd

King's Lynn

PE30 5EJ

Employer's website

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