Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
The closing date is 04 May 2026
We have a vacancy for a highly specialist speech and language therapist for deaf children and young people to work in our Deaf Communication team as part of the wider Children's Community Speech and Language Therapy team. We are a department that promotes Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in our workforce and practice, value difference and welcome everyone.
We are a team of innovative, enthusiastic clinicians, delivering a range of Speech and Language Therapy services in partnership with parents, Health, Education, Social Services, Local Authority, Youth Justice Services and the voluntary sector working across Lambeth & Southwark.
The Speech and Language Therapy department provides focused and clinically driven services across the community (Lambeth & Southwark). Our aim is to ensure clear delivery and development of services for the specific populations we serve, enabling smoother transitions, enhanced skill development across the team and greater job satisfaction.
Main duties of the job
In the Deaf Communication Team you will:
* manage a caseload of deaf children and young people across Lambeth and/or Southwark
* advise and lead on service development in the Deaf Communication team with support from the clinical lead SLT in deafness
* provide training, support and second opinions to parents/carers, the wider SLT team and to relevant professionals
As a senior therapist, you will be expected to take on service development work supported by departmental Clinical Leads.
We provide separate line management and clinical supervision to ensure strong clinical performance and development opportunities. You would offer line management and clinical supervision to junior colleagues (with support from Leadership) and offer second opinions to colleagues as needed.
About us
The boroughs of Lambeth & Southwark in South East London stretch from Big Ben and London Bridge in the North, to Streatham and Dulwich in the South, with easy access to The South Bank and Central London.
We can offer you:
* Varied and interesting work with a diverse population
* A professionally led, data and evidence based service
* Excellent supervision and support, alongside a commitment to learning and development
* Separate line management and clinical supervision to ensure strong clinical performance and development opportunities
* A range of training and shadowing opportunities
* Extensive range of hardcopy and online resources; including team-working applications, therapy applications, and online assessments
* Mobile working-access to a dedicated device (tablet/laptop/mobile phone) enabling access to Trust networks throughout your working day
* Support from a friendly and sociable team - including a team choir, craft and other activities
* Access to a full range of health and wellbeing activities within the Trust, e.g. sports and social club, swimming pool, Cycle to Work scheme, psychological support
* EDI initiatives
Job responsibilities
Professional / Clinical responsibilities
To assess communication skills, and to develop and implement Specialist Speech and Language Therapy programmes of treatment to meet the needs of clients, adapting practice to meet individual patients and family circumstances, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences
To identify children with additional needs and make appropriate onward referrals to other agencies.
To ensure that children and parents are able to express their views and opinions and are involved in the planning and prioritisation of their care plans wherever possible.
To be able to communicate with severe-profoundly deaf children who may be using British Sign Language as their primary mode of communication.
To develop information and resources for parents, carers and other professionals about early communication with deaf children and related areas.
To write comprehensive reports to be shared with families and a range of professionals, reflecting specialist knowledge.
To provide specialist advice, intervention and to develop care pathways for deaf children and young people.
To guide and support the work of educators and carers responsible for implementing strategies and programmes of work in support of childrens speech and language therapy goals.
To identify training needs and to develop, provide and evaluate appropriate training to parents, carers, volunteers, educators and practitioners, at a local level.
To keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and maintenance of good practice
To demonstrate good negotiation and planning skills across a range of issues including complex case management
To demonstrate skills in dealing with complex issues and to generate appropriate strategies for caseload management
To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice, reflective practice and outcome measures.
To establish appropriate partnerships with agencies and disciplines which are seeking to promote social and educational inclusion for deaf children.
Management and Leadership
To take a delegated lead in specific projects and events as appropriate and as requested by team leader.
To assume delegated tasks as requested by team leader, including participation in working groups, and policy development groups.
To advise line manager on issues of service delivery, including access and equity shortfalls and, service pressures.
To develop care protocols/packages relating to specialist area in liaison with Team Leader to improve patient care.
To contribute to interagency/multi-disciplinary working and team building.
To negotiate with others including health and social care professionals to achieve seamless services for children with hearing loss.
To use specialist knowledge to inform service/policy developments.
Financial and physical resources responsibilities
1. To monitor stock levels in own service area and request and purchase new equipment as appropriate.
To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained including equipment loaned to clients.
Education & Professional Development
To engage in reflective practice with peers through participation in peer review, peer mentoring and supervision as appropriate.
To provide management, supervision, mentoring, advice and support to more junior Speech and Language Therapists, assistants and volunteers.
To facilitate the development of others problem solving/negotiation skills within peer review/support.
To plan, monitor and support the work of assistants, administration staff and volunteers.
To resolve verbal complaints about the Speech and Language Therapy service in liaison with team leader.
To generate appropriate strategies for own workload management.
To take on organisational responsibilities within, and contribute to, team meetings.
To develop and review induction packages, to provide induction for more junior members of staff
To develop and provide regular specialist training on a range of topics.
To explain the role of Speech and Language Therapists to parents, visitors, students, other professionals and volunteers
To support students from other professional groups as appropriate.
To provide full SLT student placements, including assessment of the placements as appropriate.
To contribute to identifying training needs within the team.
To participate in projects, activities and events including attendance at and contributions to team meetings.
Information management
To maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT professional standards and local trust policies.
To share information with carers, school staff and other professionals, observing data protection guidelines and client confidentiality.
To gather and update activity data accurately and regularly, ensuring the provision of such information promptly within local Trust guidelines.
To participate in areas of risk management, quality standards setting and clinical effectiveness.
To contribute to team-wide initiatives to seek the views of children, parents and partner organisations on the quality and effectiveness of service provided.
Person Specification
Knowledge/Qualifications
* Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
* Health and Care Professions Council - Licence to Practice
* British Sign Language Level 2
* Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy
* Membership of relevant Clinical Excellence Networks
Experience
* Extensive experience of working as a Speech and Language Therapist with deaf babies, children and young people.
* Understanding of the impact of local social, cultural, and linguistic factors on service delivery.
* Problem solving skills in complex situations including local resolution of complaints where possible
* Experience in contributing to policy planning and service development
Skills
* Highly Specialist knowledge of assessment tools and therapeutic interventions relevant to deaf children and young people and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits underpinned by evidence based practice.
* Able to provide line management, supervision, mentoring, advice and support to more junior Speech and Language Therapists, assistants, and/or students .
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.
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
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