Specialist Speech

To contribute to the coordination, development and provision of a specialist clinical service to children with a complex and diverse range of speech, language and communication difficulties. Generate appropriate strategies to manage an individual specialist caseload including the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and discharge of a diverse range of clients with complex developmental speech, language and communication difficulties with support and supervision from locality lead and clinical leads. Develop and implement specialist care protocols and programmes of care and treatment, to meet the needs of clients in conjunction with their parents, carers, education staff and other members of the appropriate multi-disciplinary team (MDT) with support and supervision from locality lead and lead clinicians. Independently manage and negotiate the management of complex cases with others e.g.

onward referral to highly specialist clinicians or other specialist support agencies e.g. consultants, Educational Psychologists, with support from the locality lead. To support less experienced staff in the areas of case and caseload management, providing supervision as appropriate. To provide day to day management of allocated assistant practitioners and autonomous generalist therapists working in the locality including work allocation and checking, reviewing work performance and progress, and appraisal as required.

To ensure clients/families are involved in the planning and prioritisation of their care plans wherever possible. Provide specialist education, training and supervision to speech and language therapy assistant practitioners and to speech and language therapists with less experience in the management of the client group, with appropriate supervision from the locality lead. Work with the locality lead to develop and coordinate service provision and policy development for children with speech, language and communication difficulties.