Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity for enthusiastic and motivated Speech and Language Therapists to work in Barnet mainstream schools and special schools and to join our wonderful and supportive team (part-time/flexible working will be considered) ensuring that the role offers excellent work/life balance opportunities.



The successful candidates will deliver a Speech and Language Therapy Service to children and young people across the borough of Barnet with a range of language and communication needs. This role will offer the job satisfaction of knowing you are helping to shape and improve the quality of life of children and young people living in Barnet.



You will work with close supervision and support, alongside a friendly, open, supportive and experienced therapy team to deliver assessment and intervention for children and young people with a range of speech, language and communication needs. You will also provide training and advice to empower their families and education staff.



For further information, or for an informal discussion, please contact Claire Turner, Clinical Lead on claireturner3@nhs.net



We look forward to hearing from you!



Please see the and the Persons Specification for further details about the job role. If you are unable to access the PDF, the details of the job description can also be found in the 'Detailed and Main responsibilities' section.



Find out what it is like to work in our friendly, supportive teams which span hospital and community settings across vibrant and diverse North Central London first hand, visit What is it like at Whittington Health? (you may have to copy and paste this link into your browser) to hear from some of our current staff about why they chose to join and stay at Whittington Health.



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.

Key Responsibilities:

Clinical



To provide a comprehensive Speech and Language Therapy service to clients referred with speech, language and communication difficulties within mainstream schools and special schools in the borough



To deliver appropriate formal and informal assessment, make differential diagnosis on the basis of this assessment, and communicate complex condition related information from assessment to children, carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions.



To maintain sensitivity at all times to the emotional needs of clients/carers when imparting complex and distressing information regarding the nature of the client's difficulties and the impact of this on individuals and their families.



Following assessment and differential diagnosis, to design and develop evidence based treatment and management programmes to be implemented within the multi-disciplinary teams available, and within the child's family.



To adapt and facilitate treatment programmes and the use of augmentative communication systems and/or communication aids according to perceived client's needs.



To impart principles and establish the use of language enrichment techniques by parents/carers and fellow practitioners



To support children with identified special educational needs within mainstream and special schools.



To work closely with school staff to embed inclusive speech, language and communication practice within the classroom.



To work closely with clients, carers and families, agreeing decision making relevant to the client management, and providing the family with sufficient information to ensure meaningful choices that promote dignity, independence and quality of life.



To demonstrate empathy with clients, carers and families and colleagues, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understanding exist.



To demonstrate skills in motivating clients and/or carers to engage in the therapeutic process.



To maintain a high level of concentration in all aspects of patient care at all times, in order to monitor auditory, visual and kinaesthetic aspects of communication adaptations, and to facilitate treatment programmes and the use of augmentative communication systems communication aids according to perceived need, with regard to cultural and linguistic differences.



To be able to initiate referrals to other health professionals, specialist services and agencies.



To be computer literate and ensure accurate recording of actions, and updating patient's records, maintaining confidentiality at all times.



Policy/Service Development/Implementation



To work within the borough SALT service guidelines for children's services



To contribute to the provision of speech and language therapy packages of care and clinical care pathways.



To input into service redesign projects.



To take an active interest in working parties and groups within the Trust to develop and improve on service delivery, protocols and guidelines.



Research and Development



To ensure practice is supported by research, evidence based practice, literature and peer review.



To undertake Clinical Governance and Audit projects within the local service



Please see Job description and personal specification for full outline of main role and responsibilities