Lead Slt for Developmental Language Disorder

We are seeking a dedicated Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist at a Band 7 level to work as part of the leadership team in the Children and Young People's Therapy Service within Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. The service comprises Paediatric Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists as well as Therapy Support Practitioners and Administrators.

We are looking for a therapist with an interest and specialist knowledge in working with children with a range of communication needs and specialist interest in DLD. The successful applicant will lead a team of specialist therapists across the county and work with the management team and the other SLT leads to develop the wider SLT service offer. This will involve close work with a diverse range of Health and Education professionals throughout Somerset. You will have supervisory responsibility for junior staff and an advisory role to therapists and managers on this specialist area. Included in the post is some generalist work to maintain your competencies in a range of communication impairments and to further support your role as a clinical supervisor.

This post will be based in one of our four local integrated teams but as this is a county wide role, travel will be required across the whole county.

Acts as Clinical Specialist for Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) in children and young people for the Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy Service (as part of the Children and Young People’s Therapy Service (CYPTS).

This post holder will have clinical specialism in managing DLD, representing the CYPTS on relevant multi-agency groups and advising the CYPTS management team, other Speech and Language Therapy colleagues, service users and managers of partner services and agencies on issues that relate to this clinical area and wider Speech and Language difficulties.

Works as part of the SLT Clinical Leadership team (which includes specialists for Fluency, Dysphagia, Learning Difficulties, Early Years/Complex Needs, SSD/School Age) providing support to the management team in delivering the service, encompassing areas such as staffing decisions,

The post is countywide and involves supervision, training and support to band 6 staff specialising in this clinical area.

As an organisation, the NHS offers a wide range of benefits including flexible working, fantastic pension contributions, market leading annual leave allowance, career progression and regular conversations, not to mention our Blue Light Card and NHS exclusive discounts.

The benefits of working in Somerset include the idyllic countryside, with our areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines. You will get to enjoy these perks whilst still only being a stone’s throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London.

There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable. You will be able to experience the best of both in Somerset, the countryside and the cosmopolitan - there is truly something for everyone

See attached job description for full list of responsibilities.

1. Works closely with Managers in the Children and Young People’s Therapy Service as well as colleagues in Education, Health and Children’s Social Care to:

- develop policies and protocols
- write clinical guidelines for DLD
- develop coordinated care pathways
- offer integrated support for children and families

2. Independently assesses, diagnoses, manages and is accountable for a complex and highly specialist caseload of children undergoing assessment and treatment for communication difficulties

3. To supervise therapy colleagues working with children with DLD and support them to develop clinical skills in this area and provide a safe and equitable service

4. Works with the other Clinical Lead SLTs and the wider leadership team to ensure paediatric SLT is providing high quality evidence-based care equitably across the county including attendance at clinical leads meetings