About this role
Job summary
This is a unique opportunity to join the Children's Integrated Speech and Language Therapy Service for Hackney and the City, a collaborative health and education partnership delivering high-quality, family-centred care. Working within a skilled multidisciplinary team, you will support babies, children and young people with complex communication, developmental and feeding needs across hospital and community settings.
The role offers a varied caseload across Homerton Hospital's Level 3 Neonatal Unit, the Starlight Paediatric Ward, and community early years services. You will use your specialist skills to assess, diagnose and deliver interventions for premature infants, children with complex disabilities, autism, learning disabilities and dysphagia, while working closely with families and professionals to achieve the best possible outcomes.
You will be part of a supportive, forward-thinking service that values collaboration, innovation and clinical excellence. This rewarding role provides excellent opportunities to develop and broaden your expertise across both acute and community settings, including specialist experience in neonatology, paediatrics, complex needs and dysphagia, while making a lasting difference to the lives of children and families from diverse communities.
Main duties of the job
Deliver specialist assessment, intervention and management for babies, children and young people with dysphagia, speech, language and communication needs across hospital, community, home and educational settings. Work collaboratively with families, multidisciplinary professionals and hospital staff to provide high-quality, family-integrated care and support positive outcomes. Empower parents, carers and staff through training, advice and strategies that enable them to support children's eating, drinking and communication needs. Contribute to the development of less experienced colleagues through joint working, supervision, student education and support for assistants and volunteers. Work as part of a specialist team managing complex needs, helping to ensure safe, evidence-based and effective service delivery. Support service development by working with Clinical Leads and Service Managers to identify emerging needs, pressures and opportunities for improvement.
About us
Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a high performing and flourishing organisation serving the population of Hackney, East London, The City and beyond.
We are extremely proud of the fact that Homerton Hospital has recently attained the highest possible rating of "Outstanding" from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Our integrated Trust provides comprehensive hospital and community health services for its local population and a range of specialist services for a wider group of patients. In addition, the Trust manages services out of St Leonard's Hospital and the Mary Seacole Nursing Home.
Homerton aims to ensure equality and value diversity, and we are committed to inclusion for all of our staff. This is reflected in our policies, procedures and People Plan. All of our staff are expected to embody our Trust values at all times.
We are also committed, through our Fair Recruitment Standards, to ensuring all applicants are treated fairly.
Homerton has a proud tradition of supporting and developing its staff, including its well regarded and valued nursing community, and all staff are able to take advantage of a great range of benefits.
Homerton is proud to have been included on the HSJ & Nursing Times Best Places to Work list.
Job description Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s on this page.
The person specification below is not the full person specification but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person Specification
Education / Qualifications Essential
Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent (Post-Graduate Diploma or MSc in Speech and Language therapy leading to registration with HCPC) Health and Care Professions Council - Licence to Practice Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist Successful completion of specialist courses relevant to the specialism e.g. dysphagia, AAC, PMLD Post basic of Intermediate dysphagia qualification or equivalent clinical experience
Desirable
Clinical supervisors course for staff and students Infant feeding course or equivalent Neonatal feeding course or equivalent Relevant Master's Degree
Experience Essential
Post-graduate experience in relevant specialist area, particularly complex needs and dysphagia Evidence of having received mentoring support in the relevant specialist area Experience of instigating and managing change
Desirable
Other relevant experience (eg personal experience of children, previous experience of working with children and /or people with other disabilities) Experience of working in a hospital setting and/or child development centre
Skills/ Abilities Essential
Excellent interpersonal skills - including observation, listening tact, persuasion and empathy skills Well developed negotiation, problem solving and conflict resolution skills Ability to work collaboratively with children, parents and colleagues Ability to share sensitive and complex information with families and professionals. Able to recognise and seek advice appropriately Ability to contribute to project work associated with developing and evaluating new services. Good auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically Ability to plan alone or in a group for clinical sessions and team work Well developed skills in creating a safe and secure trauma informed therapy approach for young people Established skills with managing less complex dysphagia Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team
Desirable
Speaker of other relevant community language Able to manage more complex dysphagia
Knowledge Essential
Knowledge /understanding of confidentiality issues Knowledge of standards of record keeping Understanding of the principles of clinical governance /audit Well established knowledge of national policies and procedures (relevant to the specialist client group) Well established knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions (relevant to the client group) and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits Well established knowledge of assessment tools relevant for for children with dysphagia and/or complex needs and/or learning disability.
Other Essential
Demonstrates ability to be a good team member A commitment to equal opportunities Passion for the clinical area Ability and willingness to travel around the borough
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Address Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
6 Orsman Road
London
N1 5RA
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.homerton.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)