About this role
Job summary
The Michael Palin Centre (MPC) for Stammering Children is a national tertiary service and internationally recognised centre of excellence in stammering and cluttering, run by Whittington Health with charity support. Based in refurbished premises in central London, the MPC provides specialist assessment and therapy for children, young people and adults across the UK and internationally, alongside a global training programme and an active research department.
We are pleased to offer a full-time Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist role within our experienced team of ten SLTs. You will join a supportive, collaborative environment with regular supervision, peer support, structured induction and access to specialist training and resources. This post offers the opportunity to develop highly advanced skills in stammering and cluttering within a centre of excellence.
We are seeking a reflective, compassionate clinician with paediatric and/or adult SLT experience, including work with children and young people who stammer or clutter and their families. You will bring knowledge of current research and theoretical frameworks, clinical expertise, a commitment to evidence-based practice, and personal strengths that will enrich the team. The postholder will have an advanced postgraduate qualification relevant to the role.
We value diversity and welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences, including people who stammer.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will have highly specialist knowledge, experience and skills in stammering and cluttering in children and adults, including current research and trends in evidence-based practice. They will act as a specialist national resource in the clinical management of stammering and cluttering, including cognitive, affective and behavioural components and the impact of co-existing communication needs.
They will provide a specialist tertiary consultation and second-opinion service, and deliver specialist speech and language therapy to children, young people and adults with complex stammering or cluttering requiring advanced clinical using counselling skills. They will reflect on expert clinical practice individually and with peers, demonstrating sound clinical judgement based on research and evidence-based approaches, and will participate in Clinical Excellence Network activity and relevant committees.
They will contribute to the delivery and evaluation of the Centre's national and international training programme, webinars and workshops, including skilled online delivery. They will take a co-lead role in managing the Centre's training programme.
They will contribute information and data to research and clinical audits, take an active role in research according to skills and experience, and lecture or tutor UK and international SLT students in stammering and cluttering.
About us
Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.
Job description Job responsibilities
CLINICAL
To maintain uptodate highly specialist knowledge in assessing, diagnosing and managing stammering and cluttering, including behavioural, emotional, cognitive and cooccurring needs.
To provide highly specialist assessment, formulation, intervention and outcome evaluation for children and/or adults with complex stammering and cluttering.
To lead tertiary consultations and secondopinion assessments, offering clinical formulations and recommendations in partnership with parents/carers.
To lead on comprehensive case histories and formulations, exploring sensitive information with empathy and psychological safety.
To make highly specialist clinical judgements in complex or atypical cases, drawing on evidence, experience and reflective practice.
To communicate complex clinical information clearly and sensitively using accessible approaches.
To produce clear, evidencebased clinical reports with individualised recommendations.
To provide collaborative support and advice to SLTs, other professionals and clients/carers.
To use specialist clinical, counselling and digital skills (e.g., phonetic transcription, linguistic analysis, validated questionnaires, audio/video tools) to support assessment and decisionmaking.
To identify when further assessment is required and make appropriate referrals (e.g., DLD, CAS, Autism, ADHD, emotional wellbeing).
To lead the development and evaluation of specialist programmes of care, supporting innovation.
To work collaboratively with clients and families to develop personalised care plans and shared goals, using clear communication and evidencebased guidance.
To ensure treatment recommendations can be evaluated through standard outcome measures and expertbased tools.
To manage and prioritise a complex caseload, working autonomously while contributing to service planning.
To colead therapy groups for children, young people and parents/carers online or facetoface.
To use specialist counselling and therapeutic skills in individual, family and group therapy.
To respond sensitively to interpersonal dynamics, supporting safe and constructive engagement.
To demonstrate excellent communication skills, building therapeutic alliance, motivating clients and managing challenges.
To maintain focused attention during interactions, observing communication patterns and adapting strategies.
To monitor and review progress, revising hypotheses and adapting practice as needed.
To reflect on practice individually, with peers and in supervision, using discussion and video reflection.
To demonstrate advanced skills in managing safeguarding and mental health concerns (e.g., anxiety, depression, selfharm, substance use, suicidal ideation).
To communicate sensitively when discussing emotionally significant or distressing information.
To work in accordance with legal, ethical and professional frameworks.
To maintain accurate, timely clinical records and reports in line with Trust and RCSLT standards.
To maintain accurate information on the Electronic Patient Record system.
To support multiagency assessment processes, including statutory assessments and EHCPs, and attend relevant meetings.
To demonstrate negotiation skills in managing conflict and resolving potential breakdowns.
To respond to concerns or complaints with sensitivity, gathering information and drafting initial responses.
To use digital platforms, including AIenabled tools, to deliver accessible and inclusive services.
To understand and apply clinical governance, complying with Trust, service and national guidelines.
To contribute to clinical governance, quality improvement and service development projects.
To take professional accountability for practice, maintaining appropriate boundaries.
To interpret and implement national and local policy relevant to the specialist area.
To participate in appraisals and ongoing professional development.
TRAINING
To explain the role of the tertiary consultation service and the national role of the Michael Palin Centre to visiting professionals and students from the UK and internationally, leading workshops as requested.
To contribute to the delivery and evaluation of the Centres national training programmes and workshops on the clinical management of stammering, cluttering and associated communication or psychosocial needs.
To plan, develop and deliver a range of core and specialist training programmes as part of the Centres national and international training programme. This will include the theoretical and practical aspects of assessing and supporting children and young people who stammer or clutter, using a variety of teaching approaches including presentations and interactive workshops.
To plan, coordinate and deliver training in counselling skills linked to stammering and/or cluttering, tailoring content to participant needs and evaluating training effectiveness.
To deliver engaging training using a range of digital platforms and presentation tools, applying clear and accessible communication and incorporating innovative approaches to enhance learning for diverse audiences.
To take a co-lead role in the management of the Centres national and international training programme. This may include: a) responsibility for development of current and new training programmes; b) management of the Centres training schedule; c) management of participant feedback, including evaluation and updates as required; d)leading on the maintenance of the training pages on the Centres website.
To support the clinical education of students as a placement educator, providing regular supervision, placement assessment and constructive feedback, and to contribute to the organisation and oversight of student placements within the service, including taking a lead role where appropriate.
RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE
To reflect the development of highly specialist clinical expertise in the specialist area through evidence or research-based practice.
To take part in the routine collection of clinical data for audit and research purposes - keeping up to date with analysis and data reporting in line with local and Trust guidelines.
To collaborate with colleagues in departmental research and clinical governance/audit projects.
To develop, implement or participate in research projects at a level that is appropriate with skills and knowledge. Research activity should take place under the supervision of the MPC Research Lead or other appropriate supervisor and in accordance with NHS ethical approvals and guidelines and Whittington Health standard operating procedures,
To collect, provide and analyse research data as required for current research and clinical audit projects.
To support students in carrying out research projects (e.g. MSc).
To contribute to the dissemination of research knowledge and findings in stammering and cluttering at meetings, study days, training programmes and in peer reviewed journals and clinical publications.
To continue to develop knowledge of research methods as part of continuing professional development.
To contribute to the development and updating of therapy programmes and written materials, such as manuals and textbooks, for publication and training purposes.
LIAISON/TEAMWORK
To ensure regular communication with the Centre and senior team while working remotely, complying with homeworking policies and upholding confidentiality.
To contribute to the maintenance of team systems of working, both electronic and physical use of the Centre and its equipment.
To contribute to the function of clinical teams both multi-disciplinary and uni-disciplinary by discussing own and others input around clients needs ensuring a well co-ordinated care plan.
To liaise and share information with health, educational and other professionals as appropriate, observing data protection guidelines.
MANAGEMENT, STAFF AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
To provide onsite and outreach clinical supervision, support and advice to lessexperienced SLTs, referring clinicians, assistants and volunteers, promoting reflective practice and highquality care.
To offer specialist advice and second opinions to nonspecialists and other professionals on the management of children and young people who stammer or clutter.
To contribute to or lead designated areas of service administration that support effective team functioning.
To lead junior therapy, administrative and research staff in allocated roles and tasks, providing supervision and feedback, and seeking managerial support where appropriate.
To take delegated responsibility for developing service objectives or projects in liaison with peers.
To facilitate the development of problemsolving and negotiation skills through peer review and case discussions.
To support colleagues in the induction of new team members.
To identify training needs within the service area.
To provide leadership in planning, organising and delivering intensive and nonintensive group therapy programmes at the tertiary centre.
To participate in Clinical Excellence Networks, taking a leadership role where appropriate, contributing to teaching content, and maintaining Certified European Stuttering Specialist (CESS) status.
To undertake delegated tasks from the line manager, including leading working groups and contributing to service and policy development within the clinical specialty at local or national level.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Degree or equivalent professional qualification Post-registration masters degree with research component in related area and/or evidence of advanced skills development/ qualification in relevant field Portfolio of additional training in stammering and cluttering Psychotherapeutic training
Desirable
Certified European Stuttering Specialist (CESS) registered Active participation on committees, working parties and CENS (related to stammering and/or cluttering)
Knowledge and experience Essential
At least 3 years' experience as a specialist in stammering and cluttering in children, young people and adults, including demonstrable knowledge of the current issues and evidence base. Portfolio of relevant teaching and training Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of research design and methodology including the use of a standard framework for critical appraisal Ability to manage and prioritise a complex caseload, working autonomously while contributing to service planning
Desirable
Experience of providing supervision Experience of designing and carrying out research
skills and abilities Essential
Excellent written and spoken communication skills Ability to work autonomously, managing a large complex workload and time pressures Ability to keep and organise activity and outcome data, providing this when requested Excellent presentation skills
Desirable
Evidence of leading on the development of service area objectives or projects in liaison with peers.
Personal qualities Essential
Pro-active and self directed and able to take an innovative approach Ability to work in a team Empathy, warmth, humour
Desirable
Ability to empower others
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 Whittington Hospital NHS Trust
Address The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering
13-15 Pine Street
London
EC1R 0JG
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.whittington.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)