Exciting news - due to securing additional funding, our dysphagia service is expanding!

We are seeking an experienced Dysphagia Speech & Language Therapist to join our innovative & friendly team.

An enthusiastic & motivated team player you will provide highly specialist assessment & management to children/young people with dysphagia & swallowing difficulties working in community, hospital & education settings. An integral member of the MDT based at Acorns, Queen Marys Hospital, you will work collaboratively to deliver high quality children/young people & family centred care. We have close working links with colleagues from other disciplines such as Paediatricians, Dieticians, Occupational Therapists & Physiotherapists and tertiary services.

SLTs are integral members of our MDT at Acorns. As Occupational Therapists, we work closely with our SLT colleagues especially around seating & feeding. We meet regularly & have an integrated child development pathway to ensure joined up working for the benefit of the child & their family. Stacy Miller, OT

Applicants must be trained & competent in dysphagia assessment & management, have experience of working independently in this field & in the development & supervision of junior colleagues. Applications from experienced Band 6 SLTs keen to develop into dysphagia role will be considered.

Applications from overseas candidates are welcome

Main duties of the job

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust is a vibrant and diverse organisation, located within reach of the Kent countryside and central London. The post attracts Outer London pay weighting.

Main duties of the job

• The post holder will provide highly specialist assessment, diagnosis and intervention to children and young people with dysphagia (eating, drinking and swallowing disorders), supporting parents, clients and other professionals in all issues related to client management.
• They will provide assessment to identify the communication needs of children and young people on the caseload.
• They will provide highly specialist second opinions to other speech and language therapists /external professionals and support in the training and development of junior dysphagia therapists in the team. 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 the multi-disciplinary diagnostic assessments as part of the Child Development Centre (Child Development Co-ordination Service) and multi-disciplinary Paediatric Feeding Team.
• They will contribute to developments within the Dysphagia team and to the broader service including in the development of policies and procedures relating to clinical care, evidence-based practice, care pathways and outcome development.
• The post holder will contribute to Trust, service and professional wide initiatives

About us

Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people living in South East London and Kent and to people in prison. 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 4,000 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, children's centres, schools and people's homes. We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations across the London Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent and manage hospital sites including Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital in Woolwich as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are one of the largest providers of prison health services providing healthcare to prisoners across 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

Staff wellbeing is important to us - we won the Children and Young People's Directorate Team of the Year award 2021-22 in recognition of the excellent care and support we provide to Bexley families and staff. We are also part of Trust initiatives, Building a Fairer Oxleas, together with having designated Wellbeing Champions within the team.

The Bexley Childrens Speech and Language Therapy service is a dynamicand supportive team, offering opportunities for continuing professionaldevelopment in your clinical specialism. The service has excellent internalsupervision and support structures and would provide the ideal environment to develop clinical skills and contribute towards operational projects to support service development.

• To demonstrate highly specialist knowledge in clinical specialism, dysphagia underpinned by current evidence-based practice.
• To manage complex and highly specialist caseload independently and plan the workload of others.
• To make highly specialist clinical decisions in assessment of complex cases.
• To work effectively within a multidisciplinary team for assessment, care and provision, planning and implementation.
• To actively participate in the Children Developmental Co-ordination Service (CDCS) through attendance at MDT assessments, and meetings including parent planning meetings.
• To manage, lead and provide highly specialist supervision to therapists working within the area of dysphagia.
• To work in partnership with parents /carers and education staff, to support them to develop their knowledge, skills, and confidence with regard to developing independence and management of the childs/young persons eating, drinking, swallowing and communication skills.
• To meet with parents, child and young people, taking and responding to feedback to develop care pathways and the quality of child and parent information.
• To take a clinical specialist role in the development of local clinical guidelines informed by evidence for children and young people with dysphagia and Speech, Language and communication needs (SLCN).
• To attend relevant training and development in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required of a highly specialist therapist and maintain up to date HCPC and RCSLT registration.
• To demonstrate knowledge of, and adhere to RCSLT Professional, National and Local Clinical Guidelines with particular reference to SLCN, Dysphagia, and AAC.
• To develop and deliver specialist training to parents, young people and professionals in specialist area.
• To keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and maintenance of good practice in specialist area.
• To provide second opinions/advice to non-specialists and other specialists within clinical field.
• To demonstrate a sound working knowledge of the principles of Clinical Governance and their application to professional practice.
• To undertake team members Supervision and Personal Development Reviews.
• To be flexible to the demands of the environment including unpredictable work patterns, deadlines and frequent interruptions.
• To work within infection control and health and safety guidelines in order to deal appropriately with conditions related to client contact as they arise: for example exposure to body fluids, infectious conditions.
• To deputise for service leads as required.

If you would like more information about the position, please do contact us to discuss this job opportunity further, by calling 020 30040092, to speak to Hannah Essex (Team Lead Dysphagia & Pre School-Complex Needs), Paula Johnson Service Manager.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Recognised Speech & Language Therapy degree qualification or equivalent
• Health Professions Council - Licence to Practice
• Registered member of Royal College of Speech & Language Therapist
• A recognised Post-graduate level Dysphagia qualification
• Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses up to Master's degree or equivalent
• Evidence of competency level C or above of the RCSLT Dysphagia Competency Framework

Desirable

• Evidence of management experience or management training

Experience Essential

• Experience working as a highly specialist speech & language therapist in relevant clinical specialism in last 18 months
• Post graduate paediatric dysphagia experience (4 years) including non-oral feeding
• Experience of multi-disciplinary and inter agency working
• In-depth experience within specialist area/area of service delivery - dysphagia

Desirable

• Experience of appraising staff

Knowledge and Skills Essential

• Demonstrates excellent analytical and reflection skills
• Able to synthesise and present complex information at a service level
• Well established knowledge of a broad range assessment tools relevant to the specialist client group
• Skills in Alternative and Augmentative Communication methods, including sign, and IT applications
• Understanding of the roles of other professionals and the principles of partnership working with key stakeholders in the service area

Desirable

• In-depth knowledge of the principles of clinical governance, audit, research

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

277-4314720-CYP-B