Band 5

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (SCFT) is the largest community healthcare provider in Sussex.

• Over 8,400 full time, part time and bank staff members
• Medical, nursing and therapeutic care provided to over 10,000 children and adults a day
• July 2018 Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating of 'Good' with 'Outstanding' features
• Flexible working patterns offered across all services
• Thriving BAME, Disability and Wellbeing, LGBT+ and Religion and Belief staff networks
• Accredited Level 3 Disability Confident Leader

SCFT is an inclusive employer that promotes equality and challenges discrimination, and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds. Applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates, disabled candidates and LGBT+ candidates are particularly encouraged, to ensure the Trust's workforce reflects the diverse communities it serves.

Job overview

The Children's Speech and Language Therapy service in West Sussex has opportunities for therapists seeking full or part time positions (a minimum of 0.6 WTE) at Band 5 in the Chichester locality team.

Our current vacancies include sessions in both mainstream and special schools. Our Speech and Language Therapy service is jointly funded by Health and Education and has a service specification that is broadly divided into Early Years and Schools, with our Complex Needs team supporting children in child development centres, special schools, and a range of other settings. We use a universal, targeted and specialist approach focused on enabling the best possible communication between parents, carers and setting staff and the children and young people in their care.

Main duties of the job

As a member of our schools teams you will develop a broad range of skills in assessment, therapy planning and demonstration as well as in training and supporting other members of the children's workforce. In addition to working in settings and face to face, you will become proficient in using remote working platforms such as AccRx and Microsoft Teams. You will help to build on our excellent relationships with our schools who report a high level of satisfaction with the service, and value our link therapist support as well as the quality of training we provide. You will be mentored and supported to enable you to confidently assume the link therapist role for a group of schools or class groups.

Working for our organisation

Our busy and enthusiastic locality team covers Chichester, Bognor Regis and Midhurst. Asked what made them proud, responses from the team included: "The fact that we look at the child's needs holistically", "The support from each other ", " Being very patient-focused" and "Delivering the service with a smile and getting to know the child's likes and interests to make therapy fun and motivating" and in response to the recent pandemic; "being creative and innovative", "becoming more skilled with technology and creating online resources for training and therapy" and "increasing our contact with schools, parents and nurseries via video."

We have well-established supervision arrangements to support your transition from student to therapist as well as access to further education and training funding within the Trust. We run regular clinical forums as well as professional study days and children's AHP days.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Main tasks

1. To assess and provide therapeutic input to children and young people with communication and/or eating and drinking difficulties.
2. To manage a caseload independently and to manage service priorities and client needs.
3. To assist in the organisation of caseloads within the scope of the post with support from other speech and language therapists and/or relevant Clinical Lead, advising SLT Locality Manager of shortfalls and difficulties as they arise.
4. Manage clinical risk within own caseload, and generate strategies for caseload management
5. Adapt practice to meet the individual circumstances, having regard to cultural and linguistic differences. Ensure that the child/young person and parent/ carers are involved in planning and decision making relevant to therapy intervention.
6. To provide accurate and timely statistics as required by Speech and Language Therapy and Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
7. To provide all clinical practice in line with HCPC Standards of Proficiency and RCSLT clinical guidelines, ratified local policies and with due regard to evidence based practice.
8. Any other duties in line with the band and scope of the post.

Therapists who have taken up their first post with us in recent years have commented that the location is excellent for access along the south coast and London and have given the following feedback:

"This has been a fantastic start to my career, the role has offered a wide range of clinical experience within an incredibly supportive and welcoming team. The substantial supervision has enabled me to develop confidence to make independent clinical decisions. I am so grateful for having had the opportunity to work with such wonderful people!"

"there has been a constant level of support throughout my development....... clinical and peer supervision has allowed me to settle into the team and have a comprehensive understanding of how the service works."

" I feel I can always contribute to discussions and ideas, despite being newly qualified and my training needs are always considered"

The service has an electronic patient record system and benefits from excellent administrative support. We are part of a professionally lead countywide service within a Trust which positively values the unique contribution of allied health professionals .

The posts are managed by the West Locality Clinical Services Managers (Speech and Language Therapy) with regular clinical lead support in each of the clinical areas.

Applicants must be registered with HCPC and an enhanced DBS check will be required before appointment.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Person specification

Qualifications
Essential criteria

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree
• HCPC registration applied for

Desirable criteria

• RCSLT membership

Experience
Essential criteria

• Ability to communicate well with people with communication difficulties
• Relevant experience at undergraduate/post graduate level.
• Experience of using assessment tools relevant to client group

Skills and Knowledge
Essential criteria

• Knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions relevant to children with speech/language and communication difficulties
• Experience of evaluating research material to identify efficacy of therapeutic methods
• Demonstrates good analytical and reflection skills.
• Good presentation skills, both written and verbal.
• Good organisational skills

This post may close earlier than the published closing date if sufficient applications are received.

Correspondence relating to this vacancy will be conducted electronically. If you have not heard from us within two weeks please assume that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. Please ensure that you check your emails, including your junk folder, on a regular basis. References will be requested electronically as well; please ensure you provide correct contact details for referees.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

• Band 5 Job Description ( PDF , 702.4 KB )
• Band 5 JD and Person Specification ( PDF , 702.5 KB )
• Staff Benefits Brochure ( PDF , 484.5 KB )