We are seeking an enthusiastic Speech & Language Therapist with proven experience and skills in acute paediatrics including neurosurgery, neuro rehabilitation, acute dysphagia and videofluoroscopy.

This is a 6 month fixed term role starting in March 2025 as the Interim Clinical Lead SLT in our Paediatric SLT team at Kings

You will work alongside the Neonatal Clinical Lead SLT to develop and manage our team of paediatric SLTs. You will also be responsible for leading and coordinating our Paediatric Videofluoroscopy clinic as well as supporting competency development for the SLTs who support the clinic.

As the interim clinical lead, you will join our well established multidisciplinary teams within Child Health, SLT and wider Therapies teams who strategically lead and develop our services at Kings.

King's College Hospital has a large Therapy department with over 400 therapists from Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Speech and Language Therapy. Each service is organised under a Head of Profession with a Chief of Therapies representing Therapies across the Trust as well as externally. The department has a well-established provision of education and training, supervision and appraisal, ensuring that all staff have opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge and to reach their full potential.

Main duties of the job

Clinical Responsibilities

• To work at an advanced level in the field of acute paediatric speech and language therapy by receiving referrals and independently assessing and treating own caseload of patients, ensuring evaluation and progression of treatment programmes to a high standard, and in line with National and Trust clinical guidelines, protocols and pathways where they exist.
• To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients in your care. To ensure a high standard of clinical practice for patients under your management and to support more junior staff to do likewise.

Communication

• To demonstrate an expert ability to communicate effectively with others, and to be able to persuade and motivate others, including staff and families / carers.
• To be highly skilled in communicating with parents and children of all ages and abilities including those with learning difficulties and/or challenging behaviour.
• To respond appropriately to the parent / carer's level of communication and understanding, facilitating the best possible communication outcomes. For example, patients may be deaf, blind, or unable to communicate in English.

Please see the attached job description and person specification for full details of the role requirement and essential and desirable criteria

About us

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King's to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For further details or if you have any questions in relation to the role or the role requirements, please contact: Justine Vella - Head of Speech & Language Therapy: justinevella@nhs.net /07528977404

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• HCPC recognised Diploma, Batchelor's or Masters qualification in Speech & Language Therapy
• Registration with the HCPC as a Speech & Language Therapist
• Post graduate education in the assessment, treatment & management of patients with neurological disorders
• Active member of relevant clinical excellence network(s)

Desirable

• Post-HCPC registration research-focused MSc/MPhil/MRes
• Member of RCSLT
• Formal qualification in leadership and management

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Highly developed knowledge & extensive specialist clinical experience and in the assessment, treatment & management of both communication and swallowing difficulties experienced by patients receiving acute inpatient care and neurological complications
• Knowledge and experience of qualitative & quantitative research using scientific methods to understand and explain how health care services can be improved for their users and reduce the research to-practice gap
• Evidence of having independently undertaken audit, quality improvement projects and research
• Experience & high level of skill in supervision of staff and students, including quality improvement projects
• Experience in methodologies for the re-design and transformation of services in response to a changing context & /or new evidence base
• Understanding of current NHS issues and structure, particularly in relation to paediatrics
• Demonstrates knowledge of public/patient involvement in service design and co-production

Desirable

• Highly developed knowledge & extensive specialist clinical experience and in the assessment, treatment & management of both communication and swallowing difficulties in neuro rehabilitation

Skills and competencies

Essential

• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to process and share highly complex information in confidential manner
• Highly skilled in providing clear, concise written and verbal reports
• Advanced skills in working with people who have congenital and acquired communication problems
• Advanced clinical reasoning skills selecting from a range of treatment and management options, including innovative approaches
• Tracheostomy competency
• VF competency - RCSLT Greater Glasgow and Clyde Level 3 or higher
• Skills in planning complex activities requiring adjustments & /or strategic planning
• Excellent IT skills, including statistical software packages

Employer details

Employer name

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Kings College Hospital - Denmark Hill

Denmark Hill

London

SE5 9RS

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

213-DH-6869665-A