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 three 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 position has arisen for an experienced Speech and Language Therapist to join a well-established, innovative and supportive team in the London Borough of Havering. As part of NELFT (North East London Foundation Trust). You will join a flexible and creative service where staff wellbeing is actively promoted and encouraged.
Working as part of the team you will provide a service for children and young people aged 0-19 presenting with a range of speech, language, communication needs within our dedicated children's services clinic or within community settings and patient homes. There is also scope to support eating, drinking and swallowing.
This is a permanent position with a wide range of personal and professional opportunities. You will be well supported with 1:1 supervision, safeguarding supervision, pathway meetings and cross-border working with colleagues in neighbouring boroughs.
This role would be suitable for a current band 6 or a band 5 therapist who has completed their NQP competency goals and is ready for their next step. This is a great opportunity for you to join a team of passionate and enthusiastic professionals that support children and their families with their speech, language and communication needs.
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
Speech and Language Therapists are core to the efficient service delivery that we provide to children, young people and their families.
As a Speech and Language Therapist in our service, you will deliver care to children, young people and their families in schools and within the clinic setting.
You will be working within our well-established, supportive, friendly and forward thinking special school’s team as well as in clinic settings. In your allocated schools you will provide assessments as well delivering intervention and training to upskill school staff. You will have lots of opportunities to develop and specialise in a number of areas relating to the caseload, including AAC and Autism.
See the attached job description and person specification for more details.
Working for our organisation
Starting with NELFT
NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop in sessions focussing in engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).
High Cost Area Supplement
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).
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East 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.
References
Please ensure that the references are from your most recent employer and one of these must be your direct Line Manager or Supervisor. You must provide professional email addresses for all referees as we will contact them as soon as an offer has been made. Please note we do not request references prior to interviews. Additionally, ensure that any gaps in your employment history are clearly indicated. All applications made through NHS Jobs account will be processed by TRAC System. Please note that some emails may go to your spam/junk mailbox so make sure you check this regularly.
Use of AI
Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used, then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.
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.
If you like the sound of working with NELFT, don’t waste a moment and apply now!
Person specification
Trust Values
Essential criteria
1. We are kind, we are respectful, we work together with our communities
Qualifications
Essential criteria
2. Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
3. HCPC Licence to Practice
4. Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy
5. Show active interest in CPD in line with RCSLT guidelines
Experience
Essential criteria
6. Significant relevant experience at undergraduate/post graduate level
7. Working collaboratively with parents/carers and other professionals
8. Experience of working in a multi-agency and/or multi-disciplinary team
9. Working with clients who have a range of speech, language and communication needs
Desirable criteria
10. Planning and delivery of training to other professionals
11. Working with clients who have eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties
Knowledge
Essential criteria
12. Awareness of NHS Plan, clinical governance and changing service needs
13. Child development and its application to speech and language therapy
14. Knowledge of assessment tools, treatment techniques and therapeutic interventions
15. Awareness of the roles of other professionals
16. Awareness of standards of record keeping
17. Understanding of safeguarding
Desirable criteria
18. Government policy and legislation and how this may affect service delivery
19. Knowledge of acquired communication and swallowing disorders
20. Awareness of the principles of clinical governance/audit
Skills
Essential criteria
21. Basic awareness of IT and IT skills
22. Demonstrate clear clinical reasoning based on evidence-based practice
23. Able to use own initiative
24. Able to organise and manage own caseload
25. Good auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically
26. Formulate care plans and identify goals by organising and prioritising
27. Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy
28. Negotiation, problem solving concentration, analytical and reflection skills
29. Present information in clear and logical manner
30. Ability to be a good team member
Desirable criteria
31. Allocate duties and supervise therapy assistants
Other
Essential criteria
32. Able to travel efficiently throughout the area
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:
33. 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.
34. 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.
35. 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.
36. 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.