We have an exciting opportunity for a Speech and Language Therapist to join the neonatal speech and language therapy (SALT) service in our L3 regional neonatal unit (St Michael's Hospital, Bristol) and in a local L2 neonatal unit (Royal United Hospital, Bath). You will be part of the acute paediatric SALT team at Bristol Children's Hospital (BRHC) and will be working with the Neonatal SALT Lead in Bristol. The post also covers the acute paediatric ward at the Royal United Hospital, working with their paediatric B7 SALT. There will also be the opportunity to cover some in-patient work at BRHC.

We are a friendly and dynamic Children's SALT team consisting of 10 therapists, in the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. We offer a tertiary service for acutely sick babies and children from across the SW of England and South Wales and we are the regional centre for neonatal and paediatric surgery and cardiac disease. You will benefit from an extensive programme of staff support and training and the chance to develop your skills and interests.

Main duties of the job

We're looking for an enthusiastic, supportive and family-centred individual who enjoys working as part of a team. You will be working on the neonatal units with feeding, swallowing and communication difficulties mainly with babies under the age of 3 months. There will also be some input to the acute children's wards to assess feeding, swallowing and acute communication difficulties. There may be some cross site working, so flexibility will be required. Please see the attached job description and personal specification for more details

About us

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as 'Good' overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward- thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For a more detailed job description, main responsibilities, and Person Specification, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

(Job Overview Contd)

BRHC is part of the University Hospitals Bristol & Weston NHS foundation trust and offers the chance to join a workforce committed to improving the lives of the people who use the hospital.

Bristol has a fantastic location, being a large, vibrant city, with all that has to offer, including a mix of historical and modern culture. It is close to the coast and some stunning countryside, with good rail and road links to other cities and to Wales, and has the advantage of an international airport, should you wish to explore further.

Person Specification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Knowledge and experience of working with babies and infants with complex feeding and communication difficulties as a result of their neuro-disability/ prematurity
• Recent experience of working with babies and infants with complex medical and physical needs that affect feeding and swallowing
• Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary therapy team
• Experience of planning and implementing individualised therapy programmes
• Experience of working within neonatal unit

Desirable

• Knowledge and experience of working with children/babies born prematurely
• Experience of working within an acute hospital setting

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Ability to review and reflect on own skills and knowledge and to lead own CPD in conjunction with supervisors and peers
• Ability to use a full range of diagnostic assessments, formal and informal, appropriate for this patient population
• Demonstrate highly developed auditory and perceptual skills in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of paediatric patients
• Ability to recognise own professional boundaries and accept support/seek advice as appropriate
• Knowledge of clinical governance and audit
• Competent Information Technology skills, including use of MS office tools, Outlook, Word, Excel
• Ability to work independently and prioritise caseload
• Responsibility for own decision making whilst working closely within an MDT

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Recognised degree in speech and language therapy
• Registration with HCPC
• Registered member of RCSLT
• Post-graduate training in paediatric dysphagia

Desirable

• Active member of relevant clinical excellence networks (CENs)
• Evidence of significant post graduate CPD - to include paediatric dysphagia and neonatal dysphagia

Aptitudes

Essential

• Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with a wide range of adults and children
• Ability to manage own time and to prioritise tasks and duties
• Highly developed ability to work as an integral member of the MDT
• Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure
• Ability to negotiate and problem solve, often involving highly sensitive issues and problems
• Excellent organisational skills

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)

Address

Bristol Royal Hospital for Children

Upper Maudlin Street

Bristol

BS2 8BJ

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

387-WC-7221-LH