Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) provides a full range of general acute, outpatient and diagnostic services at The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, the Herts and Essex Hospital in Bishop’s Stortford, and St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping.
Our values
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) promise to our patients, as identified by our three values which will contribute to improving our patients’ experiences, is:
Patient at heart – Always holding the patient and their wellbeing at the centre of our thoughts and efforts.
Everyday excellence – Sharing and celebrating our successes, being honest when we get it wrong, giving us the ability to learn from both.
Creative collaboration – Knowing strength comes from diversity, we combine our experiences, skills and talents, working together to find new and better ways to care.
Job overview
The Therapies department and the Child Health and Women's Services at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated and highly specialised speech and language therapist with previous experience in acute areas of paediatrics to join us on a part time basis.
You will utilise the knowledge and skills gained through previous experience to lead in the assessment and implementation of physiotherapy intervention within our 16 bedded NICU as well as our general paediatric ward.
This is a permanent position and will join our neonatal Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist, and work alongside our physiotherapists covering Dolphin ward, giving opportunity to shape the new service as it grows and develops as well as working alongside the well-established nursing and doctor teams.The post holder will work with the MDT to promote and embed family integrated models of care.
You will be supported with yearly appraisals and dedicated CPD time and will be involved in providing weekly in-service training and regular supervision to more junior staff.
This is a band 7 role, working 15 hours per week.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be responsible for delivering of specialist speech and language therapy support within the model of Family Integrated Care to infants and families on the neonatal unit and the paediatric ward at The Princess Alexandra Hospital.
The role involves the assessment, differential diagnosis and management of early communication and feeding challenges associated with prematurity and health conditions of babies admitted to the neonatal unit and children within Dolphin Ward.
The post holder will work as an integral member of the neonatal/paediatric multidisciplinary team, working closely alongside Neonatal Consultants and Nursing Teams, Infant Feeding Team, AHP and Psychology Team (local and ODN), and families to provide evidence-based care.
Working for our organisation
Our Organisation
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) provides a full range of general acute, outpatient and diagnostic services at The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, the Herts and Essex Hospital in Bishop’s Stortford, and St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping.
We employ 3,500 staff and serve a local population of around 350,000 people living in west Essex and east Hertfordshire, centred on the M11 corridor and the towns of Harlow, Bishop’s Stortford and Epping. Our extended catchment area incorporates a population of up to 500,000 and includes the areas of Hoddesdon, Cheshunt and Broxbourne in Hertfordshire.
Our Values
The Princess Alexandra Promise to our patients as identified by our 3 values which will contribute to improving our patient experiences:
Patient at heart – Always holding the patient and their wellbeing at the centre of our thoughts and efforts
Everyday excellence – Sharing and celebrating our successes, being honest when we get it wrong, giving us the ability to learn from both
Creative collaboration – Knowing strength comes from diversity, we combine our experiences, skills and talents, working together to find new and better ways to care
The Trust believes in investing in all our staff and rewarding high standards of care whilst building for excellence and in return we expect our staff to uphold the Trust values to the highest level.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For further details, please refer to the attached job description and job specification for the role.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Degree in SLT
- HCPC Registration
- Member of RCSLT
- Experience working at Paediatric Dysphagia Competency Level C
- Experience working at Paediatric Dysphagia Competency Level D
Experience
Essential criteria- Experience working with neonates and infants and/or children with complex needs
Knowledge
Essential criteria- Knowledge of processes and policies relating to work in a neonatal setting e.g. safeguarding, developmental/educational needs, RCSLT guidelines etc.
- Knowledge of assessment tools relevant to neonates in order to assess, diagnose, plan and treat neonates and infants with swallowing difficulties
What we can offer you:
- Full induction and onboarding process in our organisation
- Free car parking for our staff
- Structured pay scheme, including additional living supplement to your basic salary
- Minimum 27 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time staff)
- Access to our Alex Lounge, our staff only rest area with free tea and coffee
- Access to NHS Pension scheme
- Flexible working options available, in line with our flexible working policy
- Onsite creche facilities
- Annual appraisals with career pathways
- In-house training courses
- Discounted hospital restaurant
- Staff health and wellbeing health services and complimentary health provision
- Our Trust is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all its employees. We welcome applications from anyone who meets the specific criteria of the post regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy, religion or belief or sexual orientation. Reasonable adjustments to the interview process can also be made for any candidates with a disability
- All new colleagues joining PAHT will be subject to a probationary period of six months
- The closing date given is a guide only. There may be some occasions where we have to close a vacancy once sufficient applications have been received. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment
- Our Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and vulnerable adults. Offers of employment are subject to pre-employment NHS screening checks
- Providing false or misleading information or unsatisfactory pre-employment checks may result in the offer of a post being withdrawn