Senior Specialist Speech & Language Therapist

at  Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust

Clinical To independently manage a caseload of pre-school and school age children who have speech, and language communication difficulties, working in East Cambridgeshire. To undertake a range of assessments, both standardised and non-standardised, taking account of medical, social and educational factors, which combined with highly specialist theoretical knowledge will lead to differential diagnosis. To plan, deliver and evaluate intervention programmes following professional guidelines and agreed service standards. As part of that process, to plan appropriate long term and short-term goals working towards discharge.
To undertake administrative duties connected with the caseload including maintenance of case notes and provision of written reports, following service standards. To ensure that all work is carried out in close collaboration with all those involved in childrens care so that the approach to intervention and support is co-ordinated and comprehensive. To make onward referral as appropriate. To identify any variations to service delivery or demands and inform the Service Lead of the likely impact on the service.
Communication To ensure effective communication of complex condition-related information to parents/carers regarding the assessment process, assessment findings and planned intervention, including engagement of parents/carers in intervention programmes To ensure children are involved in goal setting and decision making around their own care as appropriate to their age, developmental level and language skills. To ensure parents/carers are involved in decision making around their childs care including discharge from the service. To liaise effectively and work in partnership with other professionals (particularly teachers and teaching assistants), including the development of shared goals for intervention. To write reports on children, in line with service standards, including contributions to statutory assessment.
To offer advice to others concerning support for individual children. To actively participate in multi-disciplinary meetings, case conferences and review meetings, agreeing and negotiating case management, recognising when there are difficulties in that process and generating possible solutions. To recognise how and when information may be shared within the bounds of confidentiality and the Data Protection Act. To attend SLT team meetings, actively contributing as appropriate.
Training To initiate the planning and delivery of training for other professionals and/or parents as appropriate. To actively participate in and /or organise in-service training and other courses as appropriate to promote professional development. To identify training needs in the multi-disciplinary team needed to support the care of children on the caseload. To remain compliant with all mandatory training.
Research & Development/Audit To maintain and update skills and knowledge in relevant areas. To develop and monitor own clinical expertise in area of clinical specialism through planned CPD and specific objectives. To initiate and undertake research/audit/outcome measures to develop the evidence base and improve the effectiveness of the service including collaborative working with colleagues in education. To actively reflect on practice with peers to promote professional development and evidence based decision making.
To advise colleagues on developments in current practice within area of clinical specialism Policy & Service Development To initiate, develop policy, clinical guidelines, clinical governance and service development within the clinical specialism and East Cambridgeshire, in discussion with the Service Lead; this will involve piloting of new initiates with a view to implementing changes across the whole service. To develop care protocols and innovative practice in area of clinical specialism interpreting national and local initiatives. To be familiar with local and national standards and to work in line with these. To ensure that parents/carers are aware of the standards they should expect from the speech and language therapy service.
People Management To take delegated responsibility for co-ordination and clinical management of the community paediatric service in the specific geographical area. Responsible for day to day supervision of staff in the specific geographical area. Maintaining own professional development and requirement to take part in appraisal and KSF process. To supervise and clinically support SLT assistants/ teaching assistants/volunteers as appropriate.
To act as lead clinician across the service for clinical specialism including representing the SLT service in multi-agency working in that area delegated by the Service Lead. To provide second opinions to speech and language therapy colleagues in specialist area. To mentor/supervise more junior SLTs providing support, including objective setting and review and contributing to induction. To provide clinical placements for SLT students including contributing to the assessment of exam placements.
To take on delegated responsibility for the recruitment and selection process when required To be an active member of the Senior Staff Team, attending meetings and taking on tasks as necessary. Please see attached JD & PS for more detail

Please refer the Job description for details