Speech and Language TherapistinBexleyinBexleyPUBLISHED FRI 22 NOV 2024

To provide a clinical and advisory SLT service to pre-school children, some school age children and young people with diverse speech, language, and communication needs.

To provide a service across community clinics, children's centres and other early years settings.

To work as part of an integrated team with Speech and Language Therapy Assistants and SLT colleagues. To participate in multi-disciplinary work with colleagues in health, education, parents / carers

To provide an assessment, diagnostic and treatment service for children referred to the community clinic/early years' service within the Borough of Bexley.

To manage a caseload independently, accessing clinical/managerial supervision on a regular basis and to make a differential diagnosis on the basis of evidence from assessment, seeking advice when appropriate.

To deliver care in line with the RCSLT/HCPC professional guidelines and standards.

To be responsible for the planning, delivery, and evaluation of evidence-based therapy interventions. To monitor and review the progress of therapy programmes implemented and facilitate modifications of interventions / targets as appropriate.

To demonstrate clinical skills in the assessment and treatment of speech sound disorders.

To maintain professional competence through personal development and training. To be responsible for maintaining own professional registration and meet HCPC Registration requirements maintaining a professional portfolio.

To reflect on clinical practice identifying strengths and needs and providing evidence of sound clinical practice.

To undertake mandatory training in line with Trust Policy and attend updates and study days as appropriate to the post.

To undertake relevant public health skills training and updates as required.

About us

Management responsibilities:

To attend team and multi-agency meetings as required.

To actively create links with professional agencies and voluntary groups in the borough in order to identify appropriate support services for clients.

To complete timely returns on an individual level relating to activity and performance.

In collaboration with the team coordinator / clinical manager contribute to the regular production, dissemination and utilisation of caseload / population profiling information that will contribute to the wider public health intelligence and influence the appropriate commissioning and provision of services.

To actively support the team coordinator, clinical managers, and the clinical leadership team in the delivery of the clinical governance quality improvement across provider services.

To contribute to the reporting and up-dating of Heads of Services on issues concerning the services.

To implement the Safeguarding agenda within own sphere of practice, adhering to local and National policies and procedures, placing the welfare of the child and family central to service provision.

To access child protection supervision.

Leadership:

To participate in regular supervision and appraisal

Clinical:

To make a differential diagnosis on the basis of evidence from assessment, seeking advice when appropriate.

To demonstrate high level of clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice and outcome measures.

To monitor and review the progress of therapy programmes and care plans implemented and facilitate modifications of interventions/targets as appropriate.

To demonstrate skills in dealing with complex issues to generate appropriate strategies for caseload and workload management.

To adapt practice to meet individual clients circumstances, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences.

To maintain intense concentration in all aspects of patient management for prolonged periods. In particular, to monitor auditory, visual and kinaesthetic aspects of clients communication, adapting and facilitating according to perceived client needs including cultural and linguistic differences.

To ensure maximum involvement of the family / carer, education staff and other professional staff and where appropriate the client in the therapy programme. To provide therapy intervention as part of an integrated team.

To work alongside early years' educators and SLT assistants in delivering jointly planned programmes of intervention for speech, language, communication and educational achievement.

To maintain and develop effective and innovative partnership arrangements with other agencies to ensure care pathways for clients are integrated.

To support in maintaining a clinical caseload in accordance with priorities of service.

To participate in the co-ordination, development and delivery of training programmes and information packages for colleagues in health, education, voluntary sector organizations and parents / carers.

To respond to the requirements of relevant legislation by providing advice and a detailed report as part of proceedings including such as Education Health Care Plans, Individual Integrated Care Plans, Annual Reviews and transition planning.

To recognise potential breakdown and conflict when it occurs and seek advice and support to resolve.

To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries, seeking advice as appropriate through mentoring, peer support, clinical and managerial supervision.

To be flexible to the demands of the environment including unpredictable work patterns, deadlines, and interruptions.

To assume delegated tasks as requested by line manager, including leading working groups within area of service, attending multi-professional meetings relating to the service.

To advise line manager on issues of service delivery, including shortfall, service pressures etc within the team.

To refer on to other agencies as appropriate.

Research:

To develop own knowledge base through reading and attendance at relevant Continuing Professional Development.

To participate in audit, research and evaluation of the client group and the service model, where possible in collaboration with health, education and social care colleagues.

Communication:

To communicate effectively and with empathy with the child, parents and carers to impart information regarding diagnosis and/or prognosis, treatment plans and predicted outcomes in an understandable format enabling children, parents and carers to be involved in the decision-making process at the beginning of and throughout their care.

Utilize specialised verbal and non- verbal communication skills where appropriate.

To apply advanced interpersonal skills to enable change within complex and multifaceted social/family situations regularly involving multicultural customs and language barriers.

To impart sensitive advice/information to health, social care, and colleagues in education in the overall management of the child presenting with complex problems. This will include the preparation of reports for presentation at relevant Social Care, Educational and Medical Case Conferences including child protection issues, with guidance from senior therapists.

To ensure accurate, reliable, and contemporaneous documentation of client electronic and manual records and that all administrative processes are maintained according to agreed policies.

To ensure that reports (medical, statutory, and legal) adhere to standards as stated by the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists (CQ Live), Health Professions Council (HPC) and local guidelines.

To develop skills in motivating clients and or carers to engage in the therapeutic process.

To deal with initial verbal complaints sensitively in discussion with your line manager, avoiding escalation and attempting to resolve, following the Trusts complaints process.

To ensure the Trust policies relating to absence / leave are adhered to.