Speech and Language Criminal Justice Lead | Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Do you believe that a person under arrest should be entitled to be interviewed in a way that they can understand and engage with?
- Do you believe that people should be able to understand their bail conditions instead of being rearrested for unknowingly breaking them?
By identifying speech, language and communication needs vulnerable people can be supported to partake in the Criminal Justice System and adhere to conditions set out for them which can make positive changes to their experience through the justice system and reduce their risk of reoffending.
Ideally, you’ll be an enthusiastic, experienced, and registered Speech and Language Therapist with an interest in health and justice and a passion for supporting people making their way through police custody or court. Previous experience in criminal justice and offender health is desirable, but we’ll consider candidates without this.
We’re an award winning team, including the Gold Award for the Lived Experience Charter, Howard League for Penal Reform ‘Liaison and Diversion Service of the Year’ and ‘Women’ categories, commendations from Thames Valley Police and Hampshire Constabulary and Berkshire Healthcare ‘Team of the Year’.
If you’re passionate about how supporting speech, language and communication needs can help change lives of people within the criminal justice system, we’d love you to hear from you.- To lead on the design and delivery of interventions that support the implementation of the Speech and Language Liaison and Diversion agenda. To lead on the development, organisation, quality, and governance of Speech and Language Therapist provision.
- To be responsible for a highly specialist speech and language portfolio which will include provision of expert advice to speech and language therapists, senior clinicians, Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) across Thames Valley to support them in taking up their duty of care and to provide the police and court with written information pertaining to the individual in a timely fashion to inform disposal.
- To attend police stations, custody suites, community settings and magistrates’ courts and provide specialist speech and language assessments, advice and identify robust care pathways, for individuals where a potential vulnerability has been identified.
- To work closely and build links with all referring agencies within the custody suite, court and probation, acting as a single point of contact for health.
- To deliver specialist training on Speech and Language need within Criminal Justice pathways to custody sergeants, magistrate and crown court and other key stakeholders.
- To work autonomously, with the ability to organise and manage own time according to delegated workload.
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC, we’re committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire.
We value diversity and are proud to be a Stonewall Top 100 Employer. We work hard to create an inclusive environment where you’ll be supported by friendly and professional colleagues to flourish.
Our values at Berkshire Healthcare:- Caring for and about you is our top priority
- Committed to providing good quality, safe services
- Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions
We welcome people who share these values to come and work for us.
Benefits of working for us include:- Flexible working options to support work-life balance
- 27 days’ annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
- Generous NHS pension scheme
- Excellent learning and career development opportunities
- ‘Cycle to Work’ and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
- Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
- Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
- Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
- Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
- Free parking across Trust sites
If you share our values and would like to come and work for us, please submit your application as soon as possible as we'll occasionally close roles early that have a high number of applications.
The "must haves" for you to be considered for this role:- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree
- Health Professions Council licence to practise
- Registered member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
- Significant experience at Band 6 or equivalent in a community setting.
- Licence holder with access to your own vehicle who is prepared to multiple sites across Berkshire as required.
You will work across Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, you may be required to attend police custody suites across these areas, usually Loddon Valley, Maidenhead, Abingdon, Banbury and Aylesbury. You may also be required to work from any of our sites in Thames Valley to meet service needs.
Working pattern + Service operating hours
Our service operates in police custody from 7am – 8pm, 7 days a week using a combination of early shifts, late shifts. Our service does not operate at night.This role is Monday – Friday only. Requests for specific working pattens can be considered in line with our flexible working policy.
NOTE: Police Vetting will form part of the recruitment process and clearance is a requirement for this post.
Interviews are due to be held on 16 October 2024
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award.Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don’t hesitate to call: Stephanie Lewis on 07901104078 or email stephanie.lewis@berkshire.nhs.uk who’ll be delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
This advert closes on Wednesday 9 Oct 2024