Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

We are offering an exciting opportunity for a Speech & Language Therapist to secure a permanent full time Band 5 or Band 6 post with Camden Service for Young People (CSYP 11-19s). The post is suitable for applicants who are currently at Band 5 or Band 6 level, and for band 5 applicants could be offered as a Band 5-6 run through post. The SLT will be based across mainstream secondary schools and hold clinical caseloads. The SLT would provide assessment, 1:1 and group interventions, close working with the school team and providing universal input such as staff training, whilst being part of a large team of creative and innovative SLTs who specialise in working with the 11+ age group.
A Band 5 to Band 6 ‘run through’ development post offers additional support and training towards competencies which, once achieved, will result in a promotion to Band 6 permanent post. Currently, Camden secondary schools and college settings commission additional time from our service on annual service level agreements. Subject to service needs, the role provides potential for working in other well-established Camden or Whittington Health SLT teams after the initial 12 months.
Please see the Job Description and the Persons Specification for further details about the job role. If you are unable to access the PDFs, the details of the job description can also be found in the 'Detailed Job Description and Main responsibilities' section.
Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.
Clinical
To demonstrate clinical expertise in the assessment, treatment and management of language and communication difficulties in young people aged 11-19 years (+), providing appropriate specialist assessment and intervention and evaluating outcomes.
To monitor and review the progress of children on the caseload and facilitate the development or modification of packages of care/targets as appropriate using evaluation/outcome measurement tools.
To demonstrate an ability to implement interventions and staff development at a whole school level including joint target setting and outcome monitoring.
To make appropriate differential diagnoses and specialist clinical decisions on evidence from assessment of complex case.
To demonstrate an understanding of how to develop and differentiate the curriculum and develop communication friendly schemes of work.
To work with Camden Language and Communication Service who work in Camden primary schools, and special schools and adults with learning disability teams as relevant, to support effective transition of children into and out of this service provision.
To provide advice to others regarding the management and care of children with a wide range of SLCN, including Autism.
To work closely with children, carers and families and school staff in order to agree plan of management.
To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible.
To employ excellent communication skills.
To demonstrate skills in motivating children and /or carers to engage in the interventions, targets and outcomes.
To employ counselling skills with parents/carers of children on the caseload.
To maintain sensitivity at all times to the emotional needs of children in particular when imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature of the children’s difficulties and implications of the same.
To monitor and review the progress of children against the targets set and agreed, and to modify targets as appropriate
To reflect on clinical practice both individually and with peers identifying strengths and needs and providing evidence of sound clinical judgements, based on research and evidence based practice.
To demonstrate knowledge of current policies and practice in education and incorporate these into the model of working as appropriate e.g. the local offer.
To manage and prioritise a specialist caseload under supervision, advising line manager on issues of service delivery including shortfall, service pressures etc.
To contribute to multi-agency assessment procedures as required, including Educational, Health and Social Care Plans.
To demonstrate good negotiation skills across a range of issues and situations, recognising and resolving potential breakdown and conflict when it occurs.