Previous Applicants Need Not Apply

Are you passionate about supporting Autistic children and / or those with speech, language and communication needs to meet their potential? Are you looking for an opportunity to develop your clinical skills in a well-established, dynamic and supportive service? If so, join our friendly and innovative team in Bexley where you will find fantastic support and opportunities to develop your career.Located within reach of the Kent countryside and central London, the post attracts Outer London pay weighting.

Oxleas has been recognised as one of the Top 10 Best Places to Work 2023 by the Sunday Times amongst very big employers. Our staff survey results show that we are in the Top 5 in England and the highest in London for staff experience amongst similar trusts. The Bexley Children's Speech and Language Therapy service offers a range of services with specialist teams across EYs, Autism, Deafness, Stammering, Specialist Resourced Provisions and SEMH. We work closely across teams to provide clinical support and second opinions. Staff wellbeing is important to us and we are involved in Trust initiatives, Building a Fairer Oxleas, together with having designated Wellbeing Champions within the team.

Main duties of the job

As part of our Autism team, you will provide assessment, advice and interventions for preschool aged children with social communication differences and Autism. You will see children in clinic settings and early years settings.

You will have opportunity for regular interaction with other members of the team, and access to administrative, managerial and clinical support, with regular clinical supervision every 6 weeks. Training and career development is well supported within Oxleas, with the opportunity to attend both internal and external training. Examples of training recently accessed include Zones of Regulation, Intensive Interaction, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, More Than Words. In addition to this, clinical forums are regularly organised internally on topics of interest to the team, for example, Gestalt Language Processing or Neurodiversity-affirming practice.

About us

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

Job description

Job responsibilities

We are looking for a therapist with experience of working with children with social communication differences and Autism. You will have at least 24 months experience as a qualified Speech and Language Therapist. There are plenty of opportunities for professional development and the support of a friendly team of therapists and assistants.

Please refer to the attached Job Description for further details of the role and the Person Specification for essential and desirable requirements of the post holder.

We are very interested in finding out more about you and your own interests. Please note that Oxleas NHS Trust operates a probationary period, further information is available on request.

If you would like more information about the position or arrange an informal visit, please do contact us to discuss this job opportunity further and speak to Janet Fereday, Highly Specialist SLT Autism Preschool Team Lead). Email: oxl-tr.BexleySCS-SPA@nhs.net or Tel: 0203 004 0092.

Please note that applications from overseas candidates are welcome.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Recognised Speech & Language Therapy degree qualification
• Health Professions Council - Licence to Practice
• Registered member of Royal College of Speech & Language Therapist
• Evidence of successful completion of a range of generic and specialist short courses at post graduate level, relevant to role

Desirable

• Membership of relevant Clinical Excellence Networks (within relevant area)

Experience

Essential

• At least 24 months clinical experience of assessment and advice for children with speech, language, communication needs, including children with Autism
• Clinical experience of supporting parents and carers in developing communication strategies and joint care planning
• Clinical experience of assessing and advising on communication development for Autistic children
• Evidence of joint professional working
• Knowledge of alternative and augmentative communication methods
• Excellent interpersonal skills - observation, listening and empathy skills

Desirable

• Experience providing training

other

Desirable

• car driver

Employer details

Employer name

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Acorns, Queen Marys Hospital

Frognal Avenue

Sidcup, Kent

DA14 6LT

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

277-6512934-CYP-A