Lead Paediatric Speech & Language Therapist (AAC)

Are you an experienced Speech and Language Therapist looking for your next leadership opportunity? Join West London NHS Trust's Hounslow Children's Therapies Service as our Lead for Complex Needs and Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) and play a key role in shaping specialist services for babies, children and young people.

This is an exciting opportunity to combine clinical expertise, leadership and innovation within a highly respected multidisciplinary team. You'll lead the development of our Complex Needs pathway, provide expert support to colleagues, influence service improvement and hold a small clinical caseload working closely with Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Community Paediatrics, Education and partner organisations to deliver outstanding, family-centred care.

Post graduate dysphagia training is desirable, and a small clinical caseload could be included in the role.

As our Lead for Complex Needs, you'll have the opportunity to:

• Provide highly specialist assessment, intervention and expert clinical advice, including supporting children who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
• Supervise, mentor and develop Speech and Language Therapists, assistants and students through clinical supervision, teaching and coaching.
• Drive service improvement, quality initiatives and innovation, helping shape the future of Children's Therapies across Hounslow.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Community Paediatrics, Education, Health Visiting and wider partner organisations to deliver joined up care.
• Continue developing your own specialist practice through protected CPD, leadership opportunities and participation in research, audit and evidence based practice.
• Join a friendly, supportive and ambitious team committed to improving outcomes for children, young people and their families.

Key tasks include:

• Leading the development of Complex Needs pathway and delivering specialist services.
• Providing clinical support to colleagues and serving as an expert in AAC.
• Supervising and coaching junior staff.
• Driving innovation and service improvement initiatives.
• Managing a small clinical caseload.

• Degree / diploma or other professional Speech and Language Therapy qualification
• Registered with HCPC
• MSc or equivalent post graduate study and training in specialist area (e.g. complex needs / AAC)

• Significant experience as a Speech and Language Therapist working within specialist field (e.g. complex needs / AAC)
• Experience of carrying out specialist assessments and intervention relevant to the client group
• Extensive experience of assessing and implementing the use of AAC (A total communication approach)
• Extensive experience of supervising less experienced SLTs
• Experience of training others including parents/ caregivers in specialist area

• Extensive knowledge of assessing and using paper based and power based AAC
• Fully embedded understanding of the roles of other professionals relevant to the client group

• Ability to communicate highly complex or sensitive advice and information to others
• Highly developed negotiation and problem solving skills
• Able to manage competing demands/ priorities. Be flexible and organised.
• Highly developed analytical, evaluation and reflection skills

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.