Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist - Paediatric Feeding

Job summary

We have an exciting new position available within our redesigned and growing Complex Paediatric Dysphagia Service, working alongside our Advanced Clinical Practitioner SLT at Royal Preston Hospital and similar peer at Burnley as Lancashire Teaching Hospital now hosts this post and collaborates across the NWODN. This role offers a unique opportunity to make a real difference across our Level 3 Neonatal Unit, paediatric inpatient ward, and outpatient clinic.

In this role, you will collaborate with our Clinical Lead to deliver a highly specialised service for young children aged 0-5 with complex feeding difficulties. You will engage with a variety of cases in complex dysphagia and participate in our weekly videofluoroscopy clinic. You will conduct videofluoroscopy assessments for both inpatients and outpatients, providing expert diagnosis and tailored management plans. Training will be provided if you are not already trained in this area.

We are looking for an enthusiastic team player who thrives in a dynamic hospital environment. Training opportunities are available, and we may consider a development post for the right candidate who already have highly specialist dysphagia skills in another clinical area.

You will join a large, friendly team of speech and language therapists covering various specialist services. Our department is rated 'GOLD' on the STAR quality assurance framework, reflecting our strong commitment to governance and evidence-based practice.

Main duties of the job

You will provide comprehensive dysphagia assessment and intervention for a varied paediatric caseload, including infants on the neonatal unit and paediatric wards, as well as outpatients. You will regularly engage in supervision with the clinical lead, supporting clinical problem-solving and service improvement initiatives.

Your role will involve educating the multidisciplinary team within the trust on aspects of Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) relevant to your designated clinical area, thereby raising the profile of the SLT service. Working closely with other members of the multidisciplinary team, you will demonstrate excellent communication skills to ensure a cohesive approach to patient care.

You will assist in the teaching and clinical supervision of students and junior therapy staff, taking an active role in multidisciplinary teaching sessions within the paediatric speech and language therapy team.

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals comprises two hospitals providing inpatient, outpatient, and tertiary services, delivering comprehensive care to the Lancashire and South Cumbria region. We are an acute SLT service committed to excellent patient-centred care, offering a wide range of specialisms across adult services alongside our dedicated paediatric team. We actively promote training opportunities and support continuous professional development (CPD).

About us

We have 10,000 fantastic people working hard to deliver quality services to our patients. Whatever your role, you help look after 370,000 people in our local area & give specialist care to 1.5 million people across Lancashire & Cumbria.

Working with us gives you the knowledge and sense of pride that every activity you do genuinely does make a difference to support our patients & staff, ensuring we keep thriving & delivering outstanding healthcare right across our local towns.

You'll have access to varied development opportunities, learn new skills, meet fab people & do things you'd never have done. You'll learn about working in a hospital, interacting with people from all different roles to build skills & enhance your career path.

You'll make an impact, be challenged to think differently, be bold & help innovate to keep improving things. Everything we do centres around patient care and enhancing their experience which means your role is pivotal and something really to be proud of.

Job responsibilities

• To communicate and collaborate with all Speech and Language Therapystakeholders
• To provide leadership and highly specialist clinical skills within a clinicalspecialty
• To support personal and people development
• To ensure the health, safety and security of, self and colleagues
• To support service development and planning
• To support the Clinical Governance and Quality agenda within theSpeech and Language Therapy
• To support equality of opportunity and access within the Speech andLanguage Therapy Service for both staff and patients
• To directly support the delivery of therapy to patients
• To provide leadership and management support

Please see attached job description for more information about this role and working atLancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Person specification

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• Highly specialised knowledge in clinical area
• Completion of the RCSLT Dysphagia Competency Framework - Level C (Specialist level dysphagia practitioner)
• Able to assess, diagnose and manage complex dysphagia
• Excellent MDT working skills

Desirable

• Completion of the Neonatal Dysphagia Competency Framework - Level C (Specialist Level Dysphagia Practitioner)

Qualifications & Education

Essential

• HCPC registration
• RCSLT registration
• Graduate or post-graduate qualification in Speech and Language Therapy
• Evidence of CPD in relevant areas working towards Masters level.

Desirable

• Masters qualification or modules

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• Highly specialist skills in clinical area
• Advanced diagnostic and clinical reasoning skills
• Teaching experience
• Good IT skills
• Advanced communication skills
• Ability to prioritise workload
• Experience in audit

Desirable

• Awareness of NHS plan and relevant national guidance
• Experience of leading a team
• Excel and data collation skills
• Ability to work with tracheostomy
• Analytical skills