Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist; Neonatal/Acute

The Children’s Integrated Speech and Language Therapy Service for Hackney and the City is a unique collaboration between local health and education agencies. By pooling resources, the service is able to provide high quality, comprehensive service to the children, young people and families within Hackney and The City.

The post holder will join a multi-disciplinary team (AHPs including other SALTs, medical and nursing colleagues) working in the neonatal unit at Homerton Hospital to provide a high-quality SALT service to premature and term babies with feeding difficulties and their families. The postholder will advise on early communication and developmental care in line with the FiCare framework. The postholder will also be involved in a new initiative providing eating, drinking and swallowing assessments to children in the small general paediatric ward within Homerton hospital.

In both the neonatal unit and the paediatric ward, the postholder will work as part of a team to provide universal, targeted and specialist input to empower and support healthcare staff and families to best meet the feeding, developmental and communication needs of the babies and children.

Main duties of the job:

• The neonatal SALT service is overseen by a clinical lead neonatal SALT and a clinical lead SALT for dysphagia/complex needs.
• You will have a thorough knowledge of feeding difficulties in the context of a neonatal unit as well as an understanding of FiCare and BFI standards.
• You will be confident to assess dysphagia referrals from the small paediatric ward within the hospital.
• Excellent interaction, team working and problem-solving skills are required.
• You will be well supported via robust clinical supervision and have access to excellent CPD opportunities.
• You will be responsible for supervising band 5/6 therapist(s) across the service.
• Work in partnership with families engaging them in the intervention and ensuring they are involved at each step and are well informed.
• To work as an integral member of multi-agency, multi-disciplinary teams that include parents, nurses, doctors, AHPs and psychological professionals.
• To manage a caseload independently and share information with colleagues to ensure the best care.
• To maintain up to date knowledge of the evidence base within the field.
• To provide advice to non-specialists and other specialists/professionals within the clinical field.

Person specification:

• Education: Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent (Post-Graduate Diploma or MSc in Speech and Language therapy leading to registration with HPC).
• Evidence of successful completion of intermediate or advanced post graduate dysphagia course(s).
• Completion of Neonatal or infant feeding Course or Equivalent Clinical supervisors course for staff and students.
• Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
• Completion of specialist courses relevant to the neonatal/infant cohort e.g. Cervical Auscultation, Breast feeding the complex infant, FINE, FICare, SOFFI etc.

• Experience: In-depth experience with managing complex dysphagia independently, including active networking with other specialists regionally and nationally.
• Experience of instigating and managing change.
• Evidence of having provided mentoring support in the relevant specialist area.
• Experience of providing clinical supervision to SLT students.
• Experience of managing a team within a defined service area.
• Experience of providing clinical supervision to SLTs.
• Experience of working in hospitals/acute setting and collaborating with nursing/medical colleagues.

• Knowledge: In depth knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions (relevant to the client group) and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits.
• Understanding of the principles of clinical governance/audit.
• In depth knowledge of national policies and procedures (relevant to the specialist client group).
• In depth knowledge of assessment tools relevant to the client group.
• Knowledge of standards of record keeping.

• Other Requirements: Ability to initiate as well as respond well to change.
• Passion for the clinical area and for the educational context.
• Demonstrating an understanding of Trust Values.
• Demonstrates ability to be a good team member.

• Skills / abilities: Established skills with managing complex dysphagia independently; Working at Level C or above (Specialist Level Dysphagia Practitioner) of RCSLT Neonatal Dysphagia Competency Framework.
• Ability to work collaboratively with parents and AHP/medical colleagues.
• Established skills in assessing and providing intervention for children/young people requiring low/high tech AAC.
• Demonstrates good analytical and reflection skills.
• Ability to use and interpret assessment tool of choice for particular client/s.
• Ability to lead a small team.
• Excellent interpersonal skills – including observation, listening tact, persuasion and empathy skills.
• Established skills in assessing and providing intervention for children/young people requiring AAC.
• Ability to manage complaints.
• Able to recognise and seek advice appropriately.

We offer a range of flexible working options that enable you to balance your work and personal life, including part-time, compressed hours, remote working and job-shares. If you are interested in joining our team, please let us know your preferred working pattern in your application, and we will consider all requests for flexible working and try to accommodate them wherever possible.