We are looking for a full time Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist with children's hospital experience to work for 12 months to cover maternity leave. Evelina London Children's Hospital is part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. The hospital provides an extensive range of specialist services for children with rare and complex conditions across south London, Kent, Surrey, Sussex and further afield. The Acute Speech and Language Therapy service supports patients across the age range from newborns to adolescents, on the wards and in specialist tertiary outpatient clinics. Our aim is to assess and manage the dysphagia and communication needs of the patients we work with. We are a large, diverse and supportive team, passionate about what we do. We promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, everyone is welcomed.
The role requires specialist knowledge and skills in paediatric dysphagia, infant feeding, tracheostomy, videofluoroscopy, acquired communication disorders, and alternative and augmentative communication. We acknowledge that you might need further development opportunities when in post. On the wards you will share the care of patients to ensure equity and therefore good interpersonal and team-working skills are essential. You will also be required to work in some specialist outpatient clinics, deliver training and be involved in quality improvement projects. Your job may include cross-site working at the Royal Brompton Hospital.
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK's best known hospitals - Guy's, St Thomas', Evelina London Children's Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield - as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation.
We are among the UK's busiest, most successful foundation trusts. We provide specialist care for patients including heart and lung, cancer and renal services as well as a full range of local hospital and community services for people in Lambeth and Southwark.
We have a long tradition of clinical and scientific achievement and - as part of King's Health Partners - we are one of England's eight academic health sciences centres, bringing together world-class clinical services, teaching and research. We have one of the National Institute for Health Research's biomedical research centres, established with King's College London in 2007, as well as dedicated clinical research facilities.
We have around 22,700 staff, making us one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country and one of the biggest employers locally. We aim to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and continue to develop new and existing partnerships with local people, patients, neighbouring NHS organisations, local authorities and charitable bodies and GPs.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilities
Clinical
To accept high level of clinical responsibility for a paediatric caseload with feeding, swallowing and communication needs across the age range (i.e., infants, children and adolescents).
To assess, differentially diagnose, interpret results, treat, manage and measure outcomes in children in the context of a variety of settings e.g. ward rounds and case meetings.
To provide high-level specialist knowledge in the selection, application and interpretation of formal and objective investigations and assessments.
To participate in videofluoroscopy swallow study clinics.
To independently use appropriate assessments relevant to managing the feeding/swallowing difficulties associated with complex ENT conditions including tracheostomy.
To independently use assessments relevant to the acquired communication disorders and communication difficulties associated with complex needs, including tracheostomy.
To identify the need for further assessment, opinion and ongoing care e.g. refer to other hospital disciplines, tertiary clinics, and community speech and language therapy services.
To provide high level specialist advice by devising and demonstrating therapy programmes.
To provide advice on Alternative and Augmentative (AAC) options (low and high tech).
To ensure that children and parents/ carers are able to express their views and opinions and are involved in the planning and prioritisation of their childs care plans wherever possible.
To manage any conflict or distress arising from unwelcome news, discussing these within the clinical supervision systems or with the Clinical Specialist/ Team Lead.
To organise the caseload effectively and efficiently with regard to clinical priorities and use of time.
To counsel and advise children, parents/ caregivers regarding the emotive and ethical impact of their childs diagnosis and feeding, swallowing and communication difficulties e.g. palliative care, quality of life, poor long term outcomes.
To give specialist clinical advice both within the Trust and to external agencies e.g. community speech and language therapy services, school nurses, health visitors, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, play specialists, clinical nurse specialists, psychologists.
To contribute to team working practices.
To provide second onions in specialist field to other speech and language therapists with regard to feeding and communication difficulties.
To develop and maintain links with non statutory organisations and professional bodies relevant to the clinical specialties of the post. (E.g. Paediatric Dysphagia CEN, Communication Matters, Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists).
To collaborate with other professionals and specialist centres.
To take due regard for cultural and linguistic differences in the delivery of care.
To write comprehensive discharge reports to be shared with families and professionals.
Management and Leadership
To function as an independent practitioner, regularly meeting the Clinical Specialist SLT and accessing the local supervision system.
To take responsibility for specific managerial tasks delegated by the Clinical Specialist/ Team Lead and Service Lead.
To deputise for Team Lead Speech and Language Therapist as required.
To participate in the formulation and implementation of local policies and protocols based on national policy and professional guidelines related to the specialist area in conjunction with the Clinical Specialist, Team Lead and the Service Lead.
To implement policy and clinical guidelines as required.
To inform the Clinical Specialist Speech and Language Therapist/ Team Lead of significant service issues, including complaints, plaudits, access and equity shortfalls and service pressures.
To participate in and develop innovations in areas of risk management, clinical guidelines, quality standards and clinical effectiveness in conjunction with the Clinical Specialist/ Team Lead Speech and Language Therapist.
To manage conflict in a range of complex clinical settings and to inform Clinical Specialist/Team Lead Speech and Language Therapist or escalate appropriately incidents/cases with ethical and legal implications.
To provide support and clinical supervision to more junior Speech and Language Therapists, assistants, volunteers and students.
To participate in the induction programme for new staff, volunteers and assistants.
To assume delegated tasks as requested by Clinical Specialist/ Team Lead Speech and Language Therapist e.g. participate in working groups, contribute to research, and supervise students.
Teaching and Training
To present content in line with evidence based practice at an appropriate level to a wide range of audiences in consultation with the Clinical Specialist/ Team Lead Speech and Language Therapist.
To evaluate the effectiveness of any teaching provided.
Research and Development
To be interested in and participate in clinical research projects, quality improvement projects and audit with agreement from the Clinical Specialist SLTs and Service Lead.
To contribute to papers for formal presentation and publication with agreement from Clinical Specialist SLT and Service Lead.
Financial and physical responsibilities
To monitor stock levels and request new equipment as appropriate.
To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained- including equipment loaned to patients.
To take reasonable care to avoid injury or accident which may be caused by work, in line with Trust Policy
Information management
To maintain up- to- date and accurate case notes in line with professional standards and trust policy.
To share information with parents/carers, hospital staff and other professionals, observing data protection guidelines and client confidentiality.
To gather and update activity data accurately and regularly, ensuring the provision of such information is provided promptly as required.
To participate in areas of risk management, quality standards setting and clinical effectiveness.
Personal and Professional
To work independently and be responsible for managing your caseload.
To access appraisal within the Trust Performance Development Review process at pre-determined intervals.
To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries, seeking advice as appropriate.
To maintain and further develop clinical expertise in the specialist area in the context of the Trusts personal development policy.
To adhere to policies, guidelines, professional standards and legal requirements at a local and national level.
To be responsible for effective time management.
To attend and contribute to staff meetings.
To maintain up to date records of all leave (annual/ sickness/ study) and to take responsibility for the reporting of absence.
To maintain appropriate professional registration i.e. RCSLT and HCPC membership.
To undertake any other duties as required by the Service Lead.