Job overview
We are looking for a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to work with children and young people who have dysphagia and complex needs. You will see children and families in our Child Development Centre, in local clinics, nurseries, schools, special schools and in their homes.
Important Sponsorship Information for this post: We are currently unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post
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The post holder will provide highly specialist assessment, diagnosis and intervention to children and young people with dysphagia (eating, drinking and swallowing disorders), complex needs and other types of speech language and communication needs, supporting parents, clients and other professionals in all issues related to client management.
Working for our organisation
Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children's centres, schools and people's homes.
We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.
Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:
* We're Kind
* We're Fair
* We Listen
* We Care
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The post holder will be responsible for managing and supervising the team of therapists and assistants providing communication and dysphagia support within the Child Development Centre and special/mainstream schools.
They will provide highly specialist second opinions to other speech and language therapists. They will plan and organise outreach support to therapists working in early years and mainstream settings to support children's transition, and ongoing dysphagia management.
They will contribute to multi-disciplinary diagnostic assessments as part of the Child Development Centre and multi-disciplinary Paediatric Dysphagia pathway.
They will lead on developments within the Dysphagia and Complex Needs team and contribute to the broader service including in the development of policies and procedures relating to clinical care, evidence-based practice, care pathways and outcome development.
They will provide second opinions to other Speech and Language Therapists / external professionals.
The post holder will be a part of the service's senior leadership team and will contribute to Trust, service, and professional wide initiatives.
We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that welcomes and supports individuals of all abilities. Remember, if you meet the minimum criteria for this role and you have a disability, you can be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme - Please ensure you select this on your application form. We would encourage you to be open about your needs so we can work with you to design a comfortable and accessible interview experience. Any information you provide regarding a disability or a need for adjustments will be treated in confidence and will only be shared with colleagues who are supporting this request.
If you require any adjustments to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know by adding the relevant details when scheduling your preferred interview date and time. Please feel free to contact the appointing manager to discuss your needs.
We encourage applicants to contact the hiring manager before their interview, if they have any questions about the role or the process. This is a great way to get clarity and prepare effectively for the interview.
If you have declared you are part of the armed forces community, you may be asked to provide evidence during the recruitment process. If you misrepresent this information, your offer may be withdrawn. For Armed Forces specific support, see our webpage:
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
If you choose to use AI or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting information section. While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you're applying for. There is also a risk that it can generate false or misleading information. AI-generated job applications can often be generic, impersonal and may not accurately reflect your qualifications, knowledge, skills, and experiences. It is crucial that you personalise your supporting statement by articulating these in your unique voice. Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting information section is not advocated by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and could negatively impact your chances of success in the application process.
We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct. Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process.