Team Lead Speech & Language Therapist Paediatrics

Team Lead Speech & Language Therapist Paediatrics

NHS AfC: Band 7

Main area Speech & Language therapy Grade NHS AfC: Band 7 Contract Permanent: Part time Hours Part time - 22.5 hours per week Job ref 213-DH-7045092-A

Employer King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Town London Salary £46,148 - £52,809 per annum, including high cost allowance, Pro Rata Salary period Yearly Closing 02/04/2025 23:59

We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist to join our well-established children’s therapy team, based at Denmark Hill. The successful candidate will be responsible for clinical management of paediatric inpatients, including overseeing the neurosciences caseload with support from the Clinical Lead SLT. They will provide SLT leadership to the MDT inpatient neuro rehabilitation service, supervising junior SLTs working with this complex caseload, with support from the Clinical Lead SLT. They will also contribute to the running of the videofluoroscopy clinic and will have the opportunity to become involved in future instrumental service development.

Main duties of the job

Applicants must be able to demonstrate wide experience working with infants, children and young people with complex communication and eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties. This role will involve significant clinical work with children and young people with acquired neurological communication and swallowing impairments, therefore a willingness to learn and develop within this specialism is required.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical

• To manage and provide highly specialist assessment, treatment and management of infants, children and young people with acquired swallowing or developmental feeding difficulties on the children’s wards.
• To manage and provide highly specialist assessment treatment and management of children and young people with acquired neurological communication impairments e.g. aphasia, dysarthria and cognitive communication difficulties.
• To prioritise and manage risk of acute neurosurgical inpatients on the paediatric wards, demonstrating specialist knowledge of neuroanatomy and potential complications post-surgery and their impact on swallowing and communication.
• To work collaboratively within a large MDT to manage and support the rehabilitation needs of patients on the neuro rehab pathway, including key working where assigned.
• To take a supporting role in paediatric videofluoroscopy (VF) clinics and be willing to develop competencies further in paediatric VF.
• To instigate referrals, when appropriate, to internal/external agencies.
• To provide accurate appropriate and current information for families and carers to enable involvement and choice in therapy programmes and recommendations.
• To liaise effectively and work collaboratively with the relevant multidisciplinary teams to plan and facilitate appropriate management.
• To maintain an active liaison role, including SLT colleagues in the acute and community sector, members of the inpatient and community multidisciplinary teams, GPs, other members of the primary health care team, local authority services and voluntary organisations, ensuring consultation and feedback.
• To manage children and infants with a tracheostomy within own competencies in consultation with the paediatric Clinical Lead SLT.
• To provide highly specialist input into policies and protocols regarding the management of patients on the Speech and Language Therapy Paediatric Team and wider service.
• To assist with clinical cover in other paediatric areas as required.
• Promote children’s wellbeing, safeguarding them from harm, and working within agreed policies for reporting concerns including concerns about colleagues.

Leadership

• To provide clinical support and mentoring for the B6 SLT in the paediatric team.
• To take part in the clinical training for SLT students as agreed and appropriate and ensure they receive adequate supervision and support whilst on placement.
• To participate in managerial and clinical supervision, including annual appraisals.
• To be responsible for the training of staff from a range of professional groups.
• To disseminate and present on the work of the SLT in paediatric neurology and neuro rehabilitation locally and regionally.
• To be responsible, with management support, for own personal development and to actively contribute to the development of colleagues.

Person specification

• BSc or recognised postgraduate MSc or diploma in Speech & Language Therapy
• Registration with the HCPC
• Postgraduate training and experience in the clinical specialities of paediatrics and/or infants.

Knowledge & Experience

• Experience of working with infants, children and young people with communication and/or swallowing difficulties in an inpatient hospital setting
• Experience independently managing a complex infant and paediatric dysphagia caseload
• Experience of management of children with acquired neurological communication impairments
• Previous experience of clinical supervision of others (may include student SLTs)
• Experience of providing MDT neuro rehabilitation to children following brain injury, including use of relevant assessments and outcome measures
• Training and experience in paediatric videofluoroscopy
• Experience of tracheostomy management
• Previous experience of supervising junior SLTs
• Membership of relevant CENs
• Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team
• Research and audit skills