Job summary
This post offers an exceptional opportunity to make a significant contribution to the development of a pioneering service offering specialist holistic neurorehabilitation to children and adolescents with acquired brain injuries. This is the first NHS service for this client group in the UK.
The post holder will be a registered Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with expertise in assessment and management of children and young people with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). The key role is to ensure the development of high quality, brain injury related speech and language therapy provision within the CCPNR, within Cambridge and Peterborough Foundation Trust (CPFT) and across the wider region.
Main duties of the job
As a clinician the post holder will be responsible for a small caseload of children/young people with acquired brain injury who are undertaking neuropsychological assessment and/or rehabilitation. Their needs will be complex in nature requiring specialist skills in an area where there is limited evidence base for speech and language therapy (SLT) practice. The post holder will be expected to lead by example, demonstrating a commitment to client focused and evidence-based practice in all areas of their work. They will also be expected to work as an interdisciplinary team member taking on a co-ordinating role with clients as required.
Based at Brookside, Trumpington Road, Cambridge and sharing close links with the Department of Psychological Medicine for Children Young People and Families at Cambridge University Hospital the service is also housed in the same building as the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, provided by Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust. As a member of an 8 strong interdisciplinary team, you will contribute to the provision of highly specialist assessments and interventions for the individual cognitive, social, emotional and physical needs of children and young people with non-progressive brain injury, referred to the service from local, regional, national and international sources.
About us
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health & social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health & wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting & empowering them to lead a fulfilling life.
Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services not only via inpatient and primary care setting but also with the community. These services include Children, Adult & Older Peoples mental & physical health, Forensic & Specialist mental health, Learning Disabilities, Primary Care & Liaison psychiatry, Substance misuse, Social care, Research & Development.
To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high calibre candidates that share our vision & values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including disabled people & members of our ethnic minorities & LGBTQ+ communities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities
To independently assess, differentially diagnose and develop and implement highly specialist intervention programmes for children/young people with highly complex social and cognitive communication needs, following acquired brain injury.
To be responsible for the speech and language therapy components of the integrated programmes provided by the interdisciplinary team at the CCPNR, including the setting and management of agreed goals and contributions to individual education plans (IEP) and EHCPs (Educational, Health and Care Plans).
To effectively communicate highly complex condition-related information resulting from assessment, that is accessible to the children/young people, their parents/carers, families, teaching staff and team members/other professionals.
To provide specialist SLT advice, guidance and consultation to otherprofessionals contributing directly to the children/young peoples assessment, formulation and treatment plan, making contributions to IEPs as required.
To liaise and act in partnership with other professionals and as part of theinterdisciplinary team to ensure the development of a well co-ordinated care plan.
To liaise and work closely with parents/carers, families and teaching staff as appropriate, to establish goals for therapy/management.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
1. Degree or equivalent in Speech and Language Therapy
2. Current HCPC and RCSLT registrations
3. Evidence of successful completion of appropriate short specialist courses
Desirable
4. Member of appropriate specialist interest groups/CEN network
5. Attendance at relevant regional SIG.
Experience
Essential
6. Relevant post registration experience
7. Experience with children and/or young people with complex needs
8. Experience of working collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team
9. Delivery of SLT student supervision to graduate standard.
Desirable
10. Experience of research and audit
11. Experience in teaching and training
Skills/Abilities
Essential
12. Good organisational and prioritising skills
13. Excellent presentation skills, both verbal and written
14. Excellent communication skills including the ability to convey sensitive or distressing information to parents/carers
15. Ability to acknowledge when to seek support.
16. Good problem-solving skills and analytical abilities
Desirable
17. Awareness of motivational interviewing techniques
18. Presentations at courses/conferences
19. Involvement in research
Knowledge/Understanding
Essential
20. Knowledge of acquired social and cognitive disorders of communication following Acquired Brain Injury
21. In-depth knowledge of a broad range of assessment procedures for the client group
22. Knowledge of caseload management strategies.
23. Good understanding of inclusion, SEND and the curriculum
Desirable
24. Understanding of the audit cycle and clinical governance.
25. Evidence of research driven interventions.
Personal
Essential
26. Enthusiastic and flexible
27. Willingness to update skills and knowledge regularly and awareness of development needs
28. Commitment to the development of understanding of brain injury and its consequences
Physical requirement
Essential
29. Must have ability to travel across East of England and to remote communities.