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
Would you like to work in a dynamic and progressive NHS community Speech and Language Therapy team? We have an exciting opportunity in Havering, North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT) for an experienced SLT to be a pathway lead in dysphagia and complex needs.
This is a permanent, face to face/ on-site position with a wide range of personal and professional opportunities.
We are looking for a therapist with a passion and interest to support babies, children, young people and their families with feeding, swallowing and communication difficulties, as well as the skills to support and supervise less experienced therapists.
The post-holder will work with children and young people with mealtime difficulties and dysphagia aged 0-19 years, as well as children with complex communication needs. Working with neonates is a key part of the role.
You will provide a service within our community clinics, schools or patient homes. You will work alongside other professionals including dietitians, health visitors and paediatricians, and support the upskilling of the wider team, students and other professionals.
As a Band 7, you will support with the leadership and management of the wider team. You will be well supported with 1:1 supervision, safeguarding supervision, pathway meetings and cross-border working with neighbouring boroughs.
Based in Romford, we are 17 minutes by train from London Liverpool Street and 20 minutes from Stratford on the new Elizabeth Line.
Main duties of the job
This role is suitable for a therapist looking to work as part of a friendly, innovative, dynamic and forward-thinking team. This a face to face, on-site position.
1. To lead on the delivery of the complex needs and dysphagia pathways.
2. To work autonomously as a highly specialist SLT within the community team, providing an effective service in Havering for children who have a range of feeding, swallowing and complex communication difficulties in a variety of settings and environments. This includes clients with or without an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
3. To provide an advanced standard of assessment, clinical diagnosis, treatment and management of communication difficulties in children.
4. To evaluate outcomes of assessments and to provide advice and feedback to parents and other professionals as appropriate.
5. Devise and deliver appropriate highly specialist intervention/care plans/enhanced models of SLT for clients with dysphagia and/ or, complex communication needs in a suitable and timely support.
6. Work alongside colleagues from other teams and services.
7. Work closely with clients, carers, families and professionals to raise awareness, knowledge and skills related to the range of strategies that improve feeding outcomes across settings.
8. Provide specialist knowledge, advice, training and teaching to parents, carers, students and the wider speech and language therapy team
Working for our organisation
The Havering children's SLT team is a supportive and innovative place to work. We offer a range of clinical sessions, MDT working & regular CPD.
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).
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 focusing in engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.
High Cost Area Supplement – London
This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (minimum payment of £4,551 and a maximum payment of £5,735 per annum pro rata).
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 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
Person specification
Trust Values
Essential criteria
9. We are kind • We are respectful • We work together with our communities
Qualifications
Essential criteria
10. NVQ level 2 or equivalent standard of literacy and numeracy
11. Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
12. HCPC Licence to Practice
13. Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy
14. Show active interest in CPD – specifically in the areas of complex communication and dysphagia - in line with RCSLT guidelines
15. Self-motivated and remains updated with professional practice and new research
Experience
Essential criteria
16. Clear, advanced clinical reasoning based on evidence-based practice within paediatrics
17. Specialised knowledge of paediatric therapy and management of dysphagia, eating and drinking and complex communication needs difficulties
18. Minimum of 4 years post registration experience with a minimum of 2 years post registration experience of working in paediatrics
19. Working collaboratively with parents/carers and other professionals
20. Experience of working in a multi-agency and/or multi-disciplinary team
21. Working with clients who have a range of dysphagia, eating & drinking & Complex communication needs
22. Knowledge and experience of assessment (including standardised) and treatment techniques in paediatrics
23. Knowledge and experience of assessment (including standardised) and treatment techniques in paediatrics
24. Planning and delivery of training to other professionals
25. Experience of offering clinical supervision
Desirable criteria
26. Experience of service development
Knowledge
Essential criteria
27. An awareness of NHS priorities
28. Government policy and legislation and how this may affect service delivery
29. Child development and its application to speech and language therapy
30. Knowledge of assessment tools, treatment techniques and therapeutic interventions
31. Awareness of the roles of other professionals
32. Awareness of standards of record keeping
33. Awareness of the principles of clinical governance/audit
34. Understanding of safeguarding
Desirable criteria
35. Awareness of the principles of clinical governance/audit
Skills
Essential criteria
36. Basic awareness of IT and IT skills
37. Demonstrate clear clinical reasoning based on evidence based practice
38. Able to use own initiative
39. Able to organise and manage own caseload
40. Allocate duties and supervise therapy assistants
41. Formulate care programmes, identify goals by organising and prioritising
42. Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy
43. Negotiation, problem solving concentration, analytical and reflection skills
44. Written and verbal presentation skills
45. Present information in clear and logical manner
46. Ability to be a good team member
Other
Essential criteria
47. To be 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:
48. 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.
49. 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.
50. 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.
51. 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.