We are seeking a highly experienced bank speech and language therapist to provide support to our dysphagia team across Sussex community NHS Foundation Trust as required.
This bank role will support services across West Sussex, including the Chichester, Worthing, and Central localities.
This is a bank position, offering flexible working opportunities on an as‑needed basis. Hours are not guaranteed and will vary depending on service requirements.
This is an interesting and exciting opportunity to work with children and young people (0–19) with dysphagia.
You will have extensive knowledge of assessment, diagnosis and management of children and young people with eating and drinking difficulties. Accredited Intermediate Dysphagia training and neonatal training (or equivalent) are essential for this role. The role would be across West Sussex as required to meet demands of service. You would be required to provide specialist assessment and support to children and young people with eating and drinking difficulties, working in partnership with parents, speech and language therapy, health and education colleagues.
Main duties of the job
- Provide and develop information for others about speech and language therapy, particularly in your specialist area.
- Take a lead on planning and delivering training on your specialist area within the Department and to other relevant professionals, parents and voluntary groups, as required, and evaluate the training effectiveness.
- Identify individual training and development needs through supervision, maintain clinical expertise, and develop special interest and expertise in the chosen specialist clinical area through attendance at appropriate courses, reading relevant literature, as identified in the Development Plan.
- Enable others to reflect on clinical practice and individual training and development needs through supervision.
- Provide clinical advice and support, including second opinions, to less experienced speech and language therapists.
- Contribute to research design and implementation within the Team(s) and the Department.
- Be aware of, and adhere to, requirements of risk management policies, quality standards, clinical audit and involvement in provision of outcome measures in line with Clinical Governance requirements.
Job responsibilities
- Provide assessment, diagnosis and management to children within the designated caseloads, providing highly specialist programmes of care.
- Advise other professionals and parents to support the needs of children with speech, language and communication delay and disorder in a specialist area.
- Organise caseloads within the scope of the highly specialist post, advising the SLT Service Manager of shortfalls and difficulties as they arise.
- Negotiate with parents, carers and others around individual case management, demonstrating well‑developed negotiation skills and conflict management.
- Be responsible for administration and record keeping conforming to Departmental and Trust regulations concerning the format and security of patient records and the Data Protection Act.
- Be aware of, and adhere to, legal requirements relating to the provision of a Speech and Language Therapy Service and of procedures relating to Child Protection.
- Recognise own professional boundaries and seek advice and support as appropriate.
- Lead in the development of innovative practices, projects and therapy packages in a specialist area in collaboration with the SLT Service Manager.
- Participate in the development of Team and Service clinical policies and plans as directed by the SLT Service Manager.
- Provide timely and accurate statistics as required by the Department.
- Provide appropriate and timely reports and other client‑related correspondence, according to service standards and requirements of other agencies.
- Inform the SLT Service Manager of any complaints by clients, parents/carers or others according to the Trust’s complaint procedure.
- Inform the SLT Service Manager of any accidents and incidents at work in line with Health and Safety Regulations or particular problems associated with service provision.
- Attend compulsory training on an annual basis or as required.
- Comply with the standards and priorities laid down by the SLT Service Manager.
Person Specification
Qualifications and/or Professional Registration
- Degree / Diploma in Speech and Language Therapy
- HPC Registration
- A master’s level qualification or equivalent knowledge and skills demonstrated through a wide range of paediatric experience and training
- Membership of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
Experience
- Wide ranging paediatric SLT experience including at least 3 years as a Specialist SLT (normally band 6 or above)
- Assessment, diagnosis and independent management of a wide range of paediatric caseloads
- Working in partnership with parents/carers and other agencies
- Design and delivery of training packages to other professional groups and parents/carers
- Contributions to audit and evaluation within a clinical governance framework
- Clinical supervision of students, support staff and assistants
Skills and Knowledge
- Extensive knowledge of assessments and therapy techniques and of different models and frameworks of working
- In‑depth knowledge of issues relating to differential diagnosis and aetiology in a range of speech, language and communication difficulties
- Knowledge and understanding of prioritisation systems
- Knowledge and understanding of principles of clinical effectiveness / audit
- Working knowledge of government policies, including Education systems, National Curriculum and National Service Framework for Children
- Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent organisational and negotiation skills
- Ability to reflect on own and others’ practice
- Excellent presentation and training skills
- Competent IT skills and highly developed auditory skills for assessing speech and language
Other requirements
- Flexible approach to service design and delivery
- Car owner/driver or suitable alternative
- An understanding of the principles of equal opportunities in relation to staff and patients
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Chichester, Worthing and Central localities
£25.26 to £28.90 an hour plus 12.5% WTD
Contract
Bank
Working pattern
—
Reference number
C9150-26-0398
Job locations
Chichester, Worthing and Central localities
We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.
This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.
