Advanced Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Otley; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider is seeking an Advanced Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join the Adult Acute Speech and Language Therapy Service. This role focuses on Motor Neurone Disease (MND) outpatients, involving a mix of specialist clinical work and flexible working options. The ideal candidate should have experience with MND, dysphagia management, and a commitment to quality improvement in a multidisciplinary team setting. This position offers opportunities for both clinical development and service innovation.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

On-site leisure facilities

Reduced cost transport options

Qualifications

• Experience in managing communication and swallowing disorders in MND patients.
• Ability to work collaboratively in an MDT setting.
• Strong interest in progressive neurological conditions.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist assessment and management for MND patients.
• Act as a clinical resource for SLTs involved in care.
• Contribute to service evaluation and pathway development.

Skills

Dysphagia management

Communication support

Clinical decision-making

Quality improvement

Education

Relevant speech and language therapy qualification

Job description

A Vacancy at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

We are seeking an Advanced Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (Band 7) to join our Adult Acute Speech and Language Therapy Service at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, with a specialist focus on Motor Neurone Disease (MND) outpatients.

This is a 1-year fixed-term post (maternity cover), working as part of an established specialist MND multidisciplinary team, with protected time for service development and clinical leadership.

The post offers a unique balance of specialist clinical work, MDT clinic involvement, and flexible working, and would suit an experienced Band 7 SLT with a strong interest in progressive neurological conditions, quality improvement, and service innovation.

You will take delegated responsibility for Speech and Language Therapy input to the specialist MND service, working closely with MND coordinators, medical, nursing, AHP and palliative care colleagues.

About the team and service

The MND service is an established MDT clinic delivering coordinated, patient-centred care for people with progressive neurological disease.

Speech and Language Therapy plays a central role in:

• Dysphagia management and anticipatory planning
• Communication support, including AAC and future-focused decision-making
• Supporting patients and families through complex and emotionally demanding transitions

This role offers protected time to shape and develop the SLT contribution to the MND pathway, working collaboratively across organisational boundaries.

The role is structured as follows:

Delivering specialist SLT input within the MND MDT outpatient clinic at Arthur Rank Hospice, including assessment, clinical decision‑making, and contribution to MDT planning. The specialist MND multidisciplinary clinic is held on Thursdays; therefore, the post holder will be required to work on this day as part of their contracted hours.

Allocating clinical administration, service development, audit, and pathway development, which can be undertaken remotely/home‑based, subject to service need.

Key responsibilities include

• Providing highly specialist assessment and management of communication and swallowing disorders in people living with MND.
• Acting as a clinical resource to internal and external SLTs involved in the patient’s ongoing care.
• Contributing to service evaluation, pathway development, and quality improvement within the MND service.
• Supporting integrated working across acute, outpatient, community and palliative interfaces.
• Working autonomously while maintaining close professional links with the wider Adult Acute SLT team.

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing ‘outstanding’ care to our patients and rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values – Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent – are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community – a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for a full list of duties and responsibilities.

Internal applicants on permanent contracts can apply for this post as a secondment or fixed term contract. For secondments, you must have the approval of your line manager before applying. If you are an internal applicant currently on a fixed term contract, you able to apply for this as a fixed term position.

This vacancy will close at midnight on Jan 22 2026.

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on‑site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose‑created colleague‑only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work‑life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part‑time working, job‑share, term‑time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Informal enquiries are welcomed.

This advert closes on Thursday 22 Jan 2026.