Please draw this to the attention of staff who may be interested

Many thanks

Alison Proudfoot

SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE (SPEECH & LANGUAGE THERAPIST)                                                           
2 sessions per week (fixed term/secondment)                    
NHS Band 8b (£37,574 to £45,213)

We are seeking to appoint a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to work on a new clinical trial of a communication treatment for preschool autistic children and their families.  The Pre-School Autism Communication Trial (PACT) is the first large scale clinical trial for a psychosocial treatment for autism to be conducted internationally. It is funded by the Medical Research Council and led from the University of Manchester (Chief Investigator, Dr Jonathan Green, Division of Psychiatry).  You will be responsible to the Principal Investigator for the North East of England site, Dr Helen McConachie, and to the Professional Lead for Speech and Language Therapy, North Tyneside PCT, Alison Proudfoot, and accountable also to the Treatment Lead for the Trial, Dr Catherine Aldred, Consultant Speech and Language Therapist (Stockport).  This post will be based in North Tyneside PCT. Your main duty will be to supervise 2 research speech and language therapists (1.5 wte) undertaking treatment with 24 study children and families at several N E England sites. You will receive comprehensive training on the treatment approach and ongoing support. You will also be responsible for monitoring the fidelity of the treatment through review of videotapes of treatment sessions. An important part of the task of the study will be to maintain consistency between therapists.  There is infrastructure support for PACT from a Trial Manager, a Trial Secretary (both in Manchester) and from the rest of the research team.  You will be an experienced speech and language therapist. Previous experience of clinical or research work in mental health/child development settings with young children, of supervision of other therapists, and specific experience with autism would be advantageous.  The post is available to start in February or March 2006 for 37 months and preference will be given to candidates with availability for this period of time. It is one of 3 similar posts at the different trial sites in North East England, Greater Manchester, and South London.  This post involves some travel within the North East, and nationally to training and liaison events.  Informal inquiries may be made to Dr Helen McConachie, 0191 202 3087  (h.r.mcconachie@...)  or to Alison Proudfoot, 0191 219 698 (alison.proudfoot@...). Application forms and further particulars are available at http://www.newcastle.ac.uk/vacancies/employ.rtf 

Job Reference: A518R

Closing date for applications: 9^th December 2005.
Interview date: 19^th December 2005.

To apply, please send a CV, covering letter and completed employment record form to, Dr Helen McConachie, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, University of  Newcastle, Sir James Spence Institute (5^th floor), Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle NE1 4LP.