Job Description

Due to maternity leave within the team, Camden Language and Communication Service (CLCS) are excited to be able to advertise for a Band 5 Speech and Language Therapist to join our wonderful and welcoming team. This post is offered as a full-time fixed-term contract for 12 months. People seeking a part-time pattern of working are also welcome to apply. This post would suit those currently working at Band 5 or a Newly Qualified Therapist.



CLCS is a unique jointly commissioned team of speech and language therapists and specialist language and communication teachers. We are based in a modern office in Pancras Square next to Kings Cross St Pancras station. All maintained Camden Primary schools have access to this team who provide support at universal, targeted and specialist levels. Speech and language therapists are sited with their educational colleagues to enable continuity and coordinated support. CLCS is dedicated to developing a sustainable and effective service model that puts effectiveness and impact as the focus for client contact. We support children with Education and Health Care Plans (EHCPs), Exceptional Needs Grants (ENGs) and also those without additional funding.



The post holder will be based within Camden Speech and Language Therapy Service with a focus on supporting mainstream school environments at primary level. The majority of the work is based within Camden Language and Communication Service which is a specialist multi-agency service for pupils with a range of spoken language and communication difficulties attending around 40 mainstream primary schools, and a primary Language Resource Base, in Camden. The post holder will work in a multi-agency team comprising of Speech and Language Therapists and Specialist Language and Communication outreach teachers (LCTs). The service provided consists of assessment, diagnosis and intervention for individual children as well as providing a whole school support service to schools themselves.



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.



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 www.whittington.nhs.uk/CYPrecruitment (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.

Clinical:

1. To demonstrate an ability to implement interventions and staff development at a whole school level including joint target setting and outcome monitoring.



2. To demonstrate clinical expertise in the assessment, treatment and management of language and communication problems in school aged children up to 11 years, providing appropriate specialist assessment and intervention and evaluating outcomes.



3. To demonstrate specialist knowledge in this clinical area underpinned by current evidence based practice and outcome measures



To make appropriate differential diagnoses and specialist clinical decisions on evidence from assessment of complex cases



To use / apply specialist knowledge to inform sound clinical judgements/decision making for case management, developing clear care plans based on best practice



To demonstrate an understanding of how to develop and differentiate the curriculum and develop communication friendly schemes of work.



To work with Early Years Services and Camden Service for Young People 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 ASD.



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 demonstrate the ability to manage children with challenging behaviours including the application of appropriate management strategies as designated by the commissioning provisions.



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



To ensure that children are referred on to other services as appropriate.



To contribute to Whittington Health's systems of clinical governance, developing innovations in areas of risk management, quality standards setting and clinical effectiveness in collaboration with others



To be accountable for professional action and recognising professional boundaries, and working within defined departmental and national protocols/policies and professional code of conduct

Liaison and Teamwork:

1. To contribute to the function of clinical teams both multi disciplinary and uni disciplinary by discussing own and others input around children's needs ensuring a well co-ordinated care plan.



2. To liaise and share information with health, educational and other professionals as appropriate, observing data protection guidelines



3. To contribute to meetings, co-production meetings, annual reviews, case conferences and multi-agency team meetings, as appropriate, contributing to inter-agency / multi-agency team building and policy development where appropriate, e.g. education, social services and the voluntary sector.



4. To undertake any other duties as required by the Head of Speech and Language Therapy, which may include a change in workplace.



Administration



1. To carry out administrative duties including activity data collection, updating this accurately and regularly, ensuring the provision of such information promptly within local Trust guidelines



2. To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained - including equipment loaned to clients



Personal and Professional Development



To participate in annual appraisal ensuring that the objectives set reflect the Service, School and organisational plans.



To attend specialist short courses and advanced training in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required of a specialist SLT working in this field and maintain up to date HCPC and RCSLT registration



3. To contribute to team meetings and participate in in-service training as required.