Directorate: Nursing, Midwifery and AHP Services
Location: Western Trust Area
Reports to: Speech and Language Therapy Team Lead
Contract and Hours: Waiting list for permanent, temporary/ full-time and part-time vacancies
A waiting list is currently being established for Speech and Language Therapists; Paediatric Learning Disability (SEN) Band 7 level, covering all Permanent, Temporary, Full-Time, or Part-Time opportunities across the Western Trust Area for the next 12 months. Additionally, there is an immediate Temporary Part-Time vacancy (34 hours per week) available at Strabane Health Centre, initially required until May 11, 2025. This temporary position will be filled from the established waiting list once it is finalized.
Job Summary
The post-holder will provide assessment and treatment for a wide ranging caseload of children with complex communication needs associated with learning disability to achieve well-being outcomes using a collaborative framework.
The post holder will contribute to the strategic planning, development and evaluation of the specialist service with the relevant Lead Clinician, Team Lead and Head of Service.
The post holder will contribute to the planning, design, delivery and evaluation of training, advice and support within the highly complex specialist areas to service users, Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) and other professionals inside and outside the Trust.
The post holder will be required to provide specialist advice, guidance, supervision and support to Band 5/6 Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) colleagues. The post-holder will provide teaching in the specialist area to qualified SLTs and other professionals. The post holder will provide expert/second opinions to SLTs and those from other professions on highly complex clinical cases.
The post holder will be required to undertake research, development and audit activities.
The post may involve working in domiciliary, clinic and school
settings depending on the needs of the service.
Main Duties & Responsibilities
The post-holder will:
- Be responsible for the provision of a high quality SLT service to a designated caseload including:
- Assessment of communication and eating/drinking difficulties
- Formulation of individual treatment plans and outcome measures
- Writing assessment reports
- Assessing and supporting clients with alternative and augmentative communication systems and liaising with regional Communication Advice Centre as appropriate
- Onward referrals to other professionals as required
- Attendance at case conferences/relevant meetings
- Contribution to the relevant statutory process
- Liaise closely with parents/carers and provide specialise advice and support regarding client’s speech, language and communication, eating and drinking difficulties to ensure best outcomes.
- Work collaboratively and liaise with other relevant Health and Education staff and all appropriate personnel working in non-statutory organisations.
- Plan, design and implement innovative and evidence based models of intervention and service delivery.
- Highlight areas of potential inefficiency to senior colleagues within the Department and propose solutions.
- Provide support to more junior colleagues what are affected by change.
- Contribute to response to complaints.
- Contribute to HR processes for specialist area e.g. recruitment and selection.
- Propose policy changes, impacting within and beyond own area.
- Contribute to the development of organisational and professional body responses to emerging health policy at departmental level.
- Build and maintain relationships and contributes to collaboration on projects relating to specialist caseload.
- Take an active role in implementing change programmes in the clinical/workplace setting.
- Interpret and compare a complex range of options for treatment of specialist caseload.
- Contribute to interpretation of future impact of decisions for specialist clinical area.
- Review the effectiveness of alternative treatment options and approaches for a specialist caseload/supervisees caseload.
- Plan and advise on caseload management for specialism taking account of clinical/service priorities.
- Contribute to the development of systems which help self and others manage their time and workload more effectively.
- Highlight priorities to inform development of business plans for specialist area.
- Deputise for Lead Clinician/Locality Lead.
For more details view the full job description in the Additional Information section below
