Clinical Service Manager - Children's Speech & Language Therapy

Are you a passionate and experienced Speech and Language Therapist looking for an exciting leadership opportunity? We are seeking a compassionate and dynamic Clinical Service Manager to lead our dedicated team of therapists, where your expertise will help shape the delivery of care for children, young people and families.

In this role, you'll provide guidance, leadership, and support to a talented group of staff, helping to provide high quality speech and language therapy services. If you're looking for a role where you can make a real difference, lead with warmth, and collaborate with a supportive and caring team, we'd love to hear from you!

You will be a passionate, dynamic and motivated clinical leader with a strong knowledge of the children's services landscape. You will be a visible and compassionate leader who is solution-focused, able to work effectively as part of a team, and able to embrace and lead change, finding opportunities.

The team is co-located in a busy multidisciplinary office space and there is lots of opportunity for multidisciplinary working and integrated planning with other services. You will be a voice and champion for the SLT team, working with your staff to ensure they are closely integrated with the other clinical teams.

You will work closely with the Head of Service, and other senior managers across the service, supporting with senior leadership tasks and deputising for the Head of Service at key meetings where required.

Main duties of the job

1. Line manage staff, ensuring strong performance, appraisals, and development.
2. Support teams to perform effectively, fostering positive communication / multi-disciplinary working.
3. Act as senior clinical champion, driving change / sustainable service improvements across boundaries.
4. Collaborate with Therapy Leads for coordinated service delivery, training, and QI.
5. Lead team meetings and maintain performance standards alongside the Clinical Services Manager for Physio and OT.
6. Be an expert clinical practitioner in paediatric SLT, maintaining a small amount of clinical work in the service.
7. Provide high-level clinical expertise, advising on therapy, risk assessment, and management.
8. Build constructive relationships internally and externally.
9. Ensure patient perspectives are incorporated into service improvements.
10. Lead productivity / efficiency savings in areas of responsibility.
11. Work with the Head of Children's Services and Quality Governance to manage risk / ensure governance compliance.
12. Contribute to annual business planning cycle.
13. Provide clinical expertise / support to the contracting team for Paediatric SLT input into schools.
14. Ensure service engagement in the SEND agenda.
15. Prepare progress reports / deputise for Head of Children's Services.
16. Negotiate SLAs/contracts, identify service development opportunities, and influence local strategies with relevant agencies.
17. Lead and represent the Therapies Team in wider Trust initiatives.

About us

Come and find your team in CNWL Harrow Children's Services. We are a friendly, welcoming, skilled and innovative group of staff, sharing a multidisciplinary office space. We learn from each other and support across professions. We embrace the CNWL values of compassion, respect, empowerment and partnership, and welcome anyone who models these values as a leader.

There's a place for you at CNWL. We're passionate about delivering first-class patient-centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, in a community clinic or in the patient's own home. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people. We're always looking to recruit outstanding people who will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust. With every new employee we're hoping to find our future leaders and we'll support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career. With a diverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more - whatever stage of your career you're at, there's always a place for you at CNWL.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Staff Management:

1. Manage all staff within the agreed services.
2. Cross-directorate working with clinical and non-clinical staff within Children's Services.
3. Engage in multi-agency collaboration.

Budget Management:

1. Manage budgets, ensuring services operate within allocated resources and address any variances.
2. Support annual budget negotiation, considering planned activity and service developments.

Leadership & Performance Management:

1. Provide leadership to teams, ensuring clear communication of the Trust's values and expectations.
2. Work with external partners to develop integrated service models and address inequalities.
3. Ensure national and local targets (finance, governance, productivity, and performance) are met.
4. Hold team leaders accountable through regular performance reviews.
5. Ensure data availability to track performance and meet reporting requirements.
6. Investigate complaints and implement corrective actions.
7. Manage Subject Access Requests (SARS) within specified timeframes.
8. Maintain environmental standards for safe, clean care delivery and embed Quality Governance.
9. Oversee financial, quantity, and quality outcomes, meeting KPIs, CQUIN, and CIPs.
10. Manage staff structuring to respond to service demands, ensuring flexibility.
11. Monitor service performance and manage risks effectively.

Service Development:

1. Ensure strategic priorities are understood by clinicians and staff.
2. Lead service redesign to improve care and patient experience.
3. Identify opportunities to improve service delivery through audits, surveys, and performance monitoring.
4. Ensure service participation in research and evaluation projects.
5. Stay updated on legislative, practice, and resource changes affecting services.

Workforce Management:

1. Manage day-to-day operations of SLT services.
2. Ensure HR policies are followed, including recruitment, appraisals, and performance management.
3. Implement national and Trust workforce initiatives.
4. Develop teams and maintain high morale, ensuring the clinical perspective is valued.
5. Collaborate with Learning and Development to allocate clinical placements.
6. Improve internal and external communication within the organization.

Clinical & Professional Leadership:

1. Ensure effective leadership and supervision, aligning with national, local, and Trust priorities.
2. Embed effective governance and clinical supervision systems.
3. Ensure adherence to policies, including Health & Safety, and professional standards.
4. Coordinate care protocols to ensure services are equitable, evidence-based, and effective.
5. Provide professional advice and facilitate professional development.

Clinical Management Duties:

1. Oversee referrals, triage clinics, and caseload management.
2. Ensure clinical records comply with Trust standards and policies.
3. Negotiate with patients and carers around case management.
4. Use specialist assessments and make complex clinical decisions.
5. Plan and deliver treatment programs, managing complex cases.
6. Refer to other professionals and use highly specialized knowledge to create strategies for case management.
7. Provide second opinions and advise on care for children and young people with special needs.

Patient Care & Case Management:

1. Provide specialist care for complex cases, including assessments, diagnoses, and treatment.
2. Use high-level planning, negotiating, and communication skills for case management.
3. Recommend and implement alternative communication programs for individual needs, including sign language or electronic aids.

Training & Professional Development:

1. Provide training to staff and other professionals.
2. Contribute to the development of staff and students, offering clinical placements.
3. Develop links with universities to grow the workforce and foster skill development.

Partnership & Communication:

1. Work with stakeholders to ensure service delivery aligns with patient needs.
2. Develop relationships with commissioners, GPs, councils, acute trusts, and third-sector organizations.
3. Ensure patient involvement in service developments and reviews.
4. Enhance the Trust's reputation as a service provider and employer.

Additional Responsibilities:

1. Ensure continuous improvement by promoting and participating in audits and research.
2. Provide support in clinical governance, maintaining quality standards and clinical effectiveness.

This job description is intended as a basic guide and will be reviewed and amended as needed.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

1. Registered Speech and Language Therapist, HCPC and RCSLT
2. Degree in Speech & Language Therapy (with Paediatric experience)
3. Evidence of post registration professional development
4. Clinical teaching or supervision qualification
5. Has or working towards MSc/MA relevant to post

Knowledge and experience

Essential

1. Extensive clinical knowledge and experience of working with CYP with SLCN, SEN and eating and drinking difficulties
2. Working with parents and carers
3. Working in multiple settings including an educational environment
4. Writing clinical notes and reports
5. Managing own caseload
6. Teaching other professionals/parents
7. Clinical audit, research methodologies and critical appraisal
8. Line management/Supervision of staff including Appraisals / PDPs
9. Leading a team
10. Recruitment and selection
11. Change management
12. Established knowledge of national policies and procedures and the changing landscape for children's services
13. Managing complaints
14. Understanding and experience of financial management
15. Ability to manage and deliver to deadlines and within resources

Physical skills and emotional effort

Essential

1. Physical dexterity required for basic keyboard skills and walking short distances
2. Ability to manage sensitive and politically sensitive issues
3. Ability to deal with exposure to verbal and physical aggression

Skills and abilities

Essential

1. Excellent inter-personal, communication and presentation skills
2. Ability to write clear, concise reports
3. Good IT skills
4. Flexibility

Desirable

1. Car user / driver with current full driving license

Employer details

Employer name

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Alexandra Avenue Health and Social Care Centre

Harrow

HA2 9DX

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

333-G-HCS-1105