Job Description

Would you like to be part of a team of talented, skilled and compassionate Speech and Language Therapists and Support Practitioners?



Are you looking for a new challenge and motivated to make a difference?



We are recruiting for an enthusiastic Specialist Speech and Language Therapist who is a first class clinician with strong communication and interpersonal skills to join our friendly and welcoming team. This is a 0.6 WTE (3 days) 12 month fixed term contract to cover a maternity leave. An experienced therapist at band 6 or 7 would be considered.



The successful candidate will work as part of our special schools team in Luton as part of our wider complex needs team, working with children with communication difficulties.

As a Trust:

Cambridgeshire Community Services is not merely a healthcare institution but a beacon of universal care, diversity, exceptional patient care, lifelong learning, and an enriching work-life balance.

As a Service we provide:

Full Trust and service induction.



Formal and informal training for the role, including shadowing opportunities.



Regular clinical supervision and a mentoring system.



Excellent Continued Professional Development opportunities including in-house training and external courses.



Reflective clinical forums and buddying systems.



Regular whole service and locality team meetings.



Should we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after 04-08-2025



Working as part of the complex needs team, the post holder will support the delivery of Speech and Language Therapy provision to children in special schools in Luton.



The post holder will hold a communication caseload.



Rated 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.



There's one reason why our services are outstanding - and that's our amazing staff - who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.



If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.

Job Purpose:

The post holder will provide specialist clinical input to the special schools across Luton and independently manage the caseloads in these settings.

They will:

Use specialist clinical skills to manage a caseload of children with complex difficulties in speech, language, communication.



Use specialist clinical skills in AAC.



Use specialist skills to identify, assess, and diagnose communication impairments and determine appropriate intervention for effective treatment.



To assess children and provide written recommendations and ongoing support for implementation, for class teams.



Attend and provide reports to Annual Reviews/Multi Agency Meetings as appropriate.



Provide Communication Support and advice in relation to functional communication, to support teaching and learning.



Demonstrate specific speech and language therapy support programmes and the use of equipment to specific teachers or groups of staff.



Provide guidance and whole school training in relation to functional communication including receptive, expressive, and interactional skills.



To attend relevant meetings as required within school or as part of wider SLT team.



Main Duties and Responsibilities



To work collaboratively and liaise with a wide range of professions across a variety of locations and agencies.



To attend and report to case conferences/review meetings etc. for patients on the caseload with support as requested for situations where conflict management/negotiation may be required.



To present and communicate complex condition related information in such a manner as to motivate and inform patients, carers, families, and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions, agreeing decision -making relevant to patient management.



To use good interpersonal skills to listen well and counsel patients and carers, so providing support and empathy without prejudice.



To establish and maintain positive interpersonal relationships with other staff, which are characterised by open communication, trust, and respect.



To attend and participate in professional meetings and other relevant meetings.



To communicate effectively with patients with communication problems where difficulties in understanding exist, using observation, listening and empathy.



To use negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations



To assess, develop and implement specialist speech and language therapy intervention as appropriate.



To make a differential diagnosis on the basis of evidence from assessment and design appropriate treatment based on analysis of profile of need.



To analyse and interpret complex information relating to patients and to service provision in order to plan patient care and service development.



To devise care protocols for children with disabilities, including those with AAC.



To use skills and knowledge to generate appropriate strategies for caseload management for complex clinical issues.



Able to plan, organise and prioritise own workload, clinical and non-clinical.



To work within defined departmental and national protocols/policies and professional code of conduct.



To demonstrate knowledge of, and adhere to RCSLT Professional and Clinical and National and Local Clinical Guidelines.



To have a robust working knowledge of relevant statutory legislation and policy including: Safeguarding Children, The Children and Families Act 2014, delivery of SLT relating to SEND procedures, and other relevant legal frameworks.



To participate in the implementation of service/Trust Clinical Governance Plan.



To take delegated lead on the implementation of team objectives or projects in liaison with peers.



To advise line manager on issues of service delivery including shortfall, and service pressures, and clinical risk.



Communication



To share information with others, observing data protection guidelines



Key Relationships

Internal:

Teaching and education staff in special schools

Speech and language therapy colleagues

Other AHPs

Administrative staff

External:

Parent Carer Forum

SEND support team and wider Learning Support teams

Staff in specialist tertiary settings



Budgetary Responsibility



Does not hold budgetary responsibility but is aware of the need to plan non-pay expenditure.



To monitor stock levels in own service area and request new equipment as appropriate.



People Management



Maintaining own professional development and requirement to take part in appraisal and KSF process.



To work independently accessing appraisal within an Individual Performance Framework at pre-determined intervals ensuring that the objectives set reflect the Service and Trust plans, including specific objectives relating to clinical specialism. To follow job plan for role.



To provide leadership within appropriate specialist area.



To use specialist knowledge to inform service/policy developments as appropriate and to implement policy within own specialist area.



Research & Development Activity



To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice and outcome measures.



Clinical and Practice Governance



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.



Any data that is taken/shared as part of a phone call or transported or transferred electronically must be undertaken with regard to the Trust Information Governance and Information Security policies.



The post holder must adhere to the Trust risk assessment and risk management processes.



The post holder must adhere to infection control policies and procedures.



It is a condition of your employment that you are currently registered and maintain up to date HPC and RCSLT registration.



Undertake mandatory training and any other training relevant to the role as required by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust. To attend relevant training (courses, meetings, special interest groups) and development in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required of a specialist/ highly specialist therapist working in this field to keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and maintenance of good speech & language therapy practice in paediatric speech, language, communication.



The post holder must participate in clinical and safeguarding audits as required.



To provide mentoring, advice and support to more junior Speech and Language Therapists, support practitioners and volunteers.



Provide patients and their families /carers with information on standards they should expect from the team.



Participate in clinical supervision on a regular basis.



The post holder is required to participate in relevant emergency preparedness process for their team. To provide full student placements, including assessment of the placements as appropriate.



To provide second opinions to less experienced colleagues, and expert opinions to others.



To explain the role of Speech and Language Therapists to visitors, students, volunteers and other professionals e.g. at Careers events.



To assist in the support of students from other professional groups as appropriate within specialty.



To facilitate the development of others' problem solving/negotiation skills within peer review/support including communication, AAC, speech and language therapy to children with physical disabilities.



To develop and deliver regular specialist training (formal and informal) to Speech & Language Therapists and others in area of clinical expertise, reflecting on and evaluating the training provided.



To identify the training needs linked to specialty for wider service.



To provide advice to non-specialists and other specialists/ professionals within clinical field.



To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible.