I’ve now been working as an NQP Band 5 SLT for exactly 7
months. It is also exactly 11 months since I was offered the job – this time
last year I was writing the application form, preparing for the interview and
not thinking I had a flying chance at getting a job in the exact areas
I wanted to work in 10 minutes down the road from me. But get it I did – so SLT
students, apply early and keep positive! I was worried it would go against me
that I wasn’t yet qualified and needed to wait for my HCPC etc. However, it
turns out NHS recruitment processes are so slow that I actually started in the
same week as someone else from my interview day who was already qualified and
just waiting to start… references, CRB, occupational health really put the
brakes on things!
Family, friends etc. have been asking if the job is what I expected. I think the answer is yes – I don’t recall feeling shocked at any point so it
must have been what I was expecting! There are a few things that placement
didn’t prepare me for – the emails! The meetings! The phone messages! How are
there so many?! – but overall I felt set up and ready to go. Learning the ropes
obviously takes a bit of time, but settling in to any workplace you need to
find out where the photocopier is, where to find the code for said
photocopier, how to navigate the tricky office politics of a
“hot desking” system where some of the “hot desks” (which allegedly anyone can
use) are actually not really available so it is hard to tell if
you are going to offend your new colleague by sitting in 'their' place.
Another contrast to placement was discovering that no one
was interested in looking at my session plans or even wanted to know what I was
vaguely doing in said sessions. “You’re qualified, we trust you!” my manager
announced. Daunting. What if no one watches me for years and it turns out I’m
going wildly wrong?! I could do anything I like in those sessions! Having to
rely on gut instinct and trust my
knowledge and degree has been really important. Also, discussing my ideas with
anyone who will listen – particularly other band 5s during peer supervision - has
helped to reassure me that I’m doing things right. Peer supervision is also
good to find out new ideas and get to know about resources I didn’t know
existed.
I am spoiled in my setting as it is a huge team (one of the
biggest in the country I believe) and as a result there is a massive pool of
resources - both on the computers and also in clinic and the resources cupboard.
Taking the pressure off having to search for or make anything has definitely
helped me in the first few months. I am going to be brave and say it – I am an
SLT and I hate laminating. Making resources is not something at which I excel. So not
having to use that part of my brain is definitely a plus as with everything
else I am juggling I think it would have been a step too far.
I work in early years clinic and mainstream primary schools.
I love having a split post – the experience of each helps the other (I know
how/when to transfer into the schools service; I have a better awareness of
what the children being transferred to me may have received already). I also move
around quite a lot – I have a main base but work in a different clinic and can
hot desk (although this can be risky, as outlined above) at other clinics near my schools to
write up notes at the end of the day on my way home. I love not being in the
same place two days in a row – when I do have a tough day it’s good to have
physical space before returning there, and having time to reflect on the
experience before I do go back! It does require some extra organisation to
check I have everything for the next day, but I’m not really
a resources heavy therapist anyway, and I think it’s good for my development to learn
to adapt to use available resources instead of being thrown if I don’t have
something specific for a certain session. The weeks also go by quickly, and I
get to mix with different therapists (and other healthcare and educational professionals)
each day as I move around.
Although I’ve had a couple of low periods, where I feel that
I’m fighting a losing battle and not making the difference I would like,
overall I feel energised and positive about work. I don’t mind getting up in
the morning. I feel well supported at work through line management and
supervision, and informal support from colleagues, which I think makes a
difference. I’m naturally reflective anyway after years of writing reflective
essays both in my undergrad and of course during the PGDip, but I do find it
more important during these “down” points to reflect on how far I’ve come. Last
week I had a school visit to see one of my clinic caseload in his nursery
class. Afterwards I met with the SENCo, and also caught up about a few other
children I work with who attend that school. I came out 45 minutes later and
realised I’d just given advice about SA2s, IEPs, referring to other
professionals, long term prognosis, how to support these children best in the
classroom – without preparing in advance, because I didn’t need to. That
information is fresh in my head now, and I’m confident to share it. 6 months
ago I didn’t even know what an SEN panel was. That realisation, along with the
fact that the teacher would turn to me for that advice, really helped me see how much I’ve learned in a relatively short space of time.
How are you other NQPs getting on in your positions? Would
love to hear about the highs and lows and any tips and tricks you’ve picked up
along the way!
