Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.
The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.
Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 6, Specialist Speech and Language Therapists to work within a well-established, innovative and supportive team in the London Borough of Havering. This is a great position for a therapist looking to join a progressive and innovative children's speech and language therapy service.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to be part of our team and to contribute to the future of our service. This role will provide the opportunity to work on some of our specialist pathways including stammering, situational mutism and speech sound disorders. There may also be opportunities to support our core mainstream and pre-school services. While the specifics of this role will be guided by the needs of the service, there is scope to tailor the position based on clinical interest and experience.
Based in Romford with established transport links from London: We are 17 minutes by train from London Liverpool Street and 20 minutes from Stratford on the new Elizabeth Line, we also have good transport links to Essex and Kent.
Main duties of the job
You will join a team of passionate and enthusiastic professionals that support children and their families with their speech, language and communication needs.
Key Responsibilities:
1. To work autonomously as a Specialist therapist within the community team, providing an effective service in Havering for children.
2. To carry out screening, assessments and onward referrals to other specialists in integrated services, as early as possible to identify those with speech, language and communication needs.
3. To signpost those who have been assessed to appropriate services that offer specialist interventions as well as general advice and guidance.
4. To ensure that those identified with speech, language and communication needs receive support to understand and manage their condition where appropriate.
5. Where appropriate (and required) the speech and language therapist will signpost children and young people who have difficulties with eating, drinking and swallowing to specialist services.
6. To ensure that all children and young people who require a service receive it in accordance within the mandated timeframe appropriate to their needs.
7. To be able to work with clients to identify issues with communication, and give them strategies to help address these issues, which may take the form of one-to-one, group sessions or other forms of support.
8. To engage typically disengaged populations and work with them to improve their outcomes.
Working for our organisation
Our Values 2025 - 2030
Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co-produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.
They are:
9. We are kind.
10. We are respectful.
11. We work together with our communities.
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period.
Starting with Us
NELFT places great importance on new starters being properly welcomed into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks, including mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process, new starters will also have the opportunity to meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend several drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing, and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.
High Cost Area Supplement - Outer London
This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,714 to a maximum of £5,941 pro rata for part time).
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Detailed Job Description and Main responsibilities
Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at Northeast London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer closely to this when completing your application. We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Any development needs to help you succeed in the role, can be discussed at the interview stage.
Certificates of Sponsorship
Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system.
Use of AI
Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.
Person specification
Trust Values
Essential criteria
12. We are kind, We are respectful, We work together with our communities
Qualifications
Essential criteria
13. Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
14. HCPC Licence to Practice
15. Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy
16. Show active interest in CPD in line with RCSLT guidelines
Experience
Essential criteria
17. Significant relevant experience at undergraduate/post graduate level
18. Working collaboratively with parents/carers and other professionals
19. Experience of working in a multi-agency and/or multi-disciplinary team
20. Working with clients who have a range of speech, language and communication needs
Desirable criteria
21. Planning and delivery of training to other professionals
Knowledge
Essential criteria
22. Awareness of NHS Plan and changing service needs
23. Child development and its application to speech and language therapy
24. Knowledge of assessment tools, treatment techniques and therapeutic interventions
25. Awareness of the roles of other professionals
26. Awareness of standards of record keeping
27. Understanding of safeguarding
Desirable criteria
28. Government policy and legislation and how this may affect service delivery
29. Knowledge of acquired communication and swallowing disorders
Other
Essential criteria
30. Able to travel efficiently throughout the area
Skills
Essential criteria
31. Basic awareness of IT and IT skills
32. Demonstrate clear clinical reasoning based on evidence-based practice
33. Able to use own initiative
34. Able to organise and manage own caseload
35. Good auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically
36. Formulate care plans and identify goals by organising and prioritising
37. Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy
38. Negotiation, problem solving concentration, analytical and reflection skills
39. Present information in clear and logical manner
40. Ability to be a good team member
Desirable criteria
41. Allocate duties and supervise therapy assistants
Benefits
We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer at NELFT:
42. A long-standing and award-winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff.
43. A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our effortsto support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a ‘Top 10 Family Friendly Employer’ from the Working Families Charity.
44. Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors.
45. Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time hours or another flexible pattern.