Advanced Speech and Language Therapist acute services

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust; Haywards Heath; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A large NHS acute trust is seeking an experienced Speech and Language Therapist to lead their inpatient team at Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath. The role includes clinical governance, advanced dysphagia management, and overseeing junior staff. You will also provide vital services in tracheostomy management and communication disorders. A strong commitment to training and development is part of our philosophy to support your career growth.

Benefits

Continuing professional development support

Flexible working options

Employee wellbeing programme

Qualifications

• A minimum of 2 years experience in Speech and Language Therapy.
• Competencies in assessing and managing swallowing disorders.
• Previous experience in line management.

Responsibilities

• Lead the inpatient Speech and Language Therapy team.
• Oversee clinical governance and service management.
• Provide specialist assessments and treatments for patients.

Skills

Advanced dysphagia management

Tracheostomy management

Leadership and team management

Assessment of communication disorders

Job description

Overview

Band 7 SaLT to lead the inpatient team at PRH. General inpatient clinical duties as well as a service to ITU to include patients on ventilators and with tracheostomies. Other services include outpatients, VFS and FEES.

Responsibilities

• Service and team leadership
• Clinical governance activities
• Advance Dysphagia management
• Tracheostomy management
• Assessment and management of communication disorders in acute services
• VFS
• FEES
• Management of neurology and neuro-oncology patients in outpatients
• Line management of junior staff
• Service management and design of Speech and language therapy provision at PRH
• Leadership of governance activities - education, audit, risk management and quality improvements

Important information for applicants

• A Note on AI Use in Applications
  We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations—elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
• Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.
• Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.
• Some adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; the advert will close once the cap is reached. Submit your application as soon as possible to avoid missing out.
• Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
• DBS Checks: We undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
• Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for roles that meet the Visa and Immigration eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
• UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications

We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced speech and language therapist to lead our general inpatient and ITU service at Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath. Competencies in advanced dysphagia in a general caseload and tracheostomy management are essential but you will offer a full range of assessment, management and treatments for a variety of swallowing and communication disorders.

PRH offers hospital services within care of the elderly, general medicine and surgery, respiratory medicine, oncology and critical care. We have well established videofluoroscopy and FEES services and you will be expected to take a lead role in these. We offer both for inpatients and outpatients as well as running a small neuro outpatient service based across PRH and the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton.

Experience in line managing staff is crucial to this role as you will be required to supervise and manage junior clinicians and administrative staff within this small team. The SLT service is committed to developing its staff and we strongly support continuing professional development with a variety of internal events and the capacity to support external learning.

About UHSussex and our values

At UHSussex we're proud to be at the heart of the NHS. As one of the UK's largest acute Trusts, we're a leading example of the excellence, the ambition and the values that have embodied the NHS for over 70 years. Our hard-working, talented and dedicated people work together towards a common goal - to always put our Patient First. In fact our mission is summed up by our "where better never stops" motto and you will play a part in driving us forwards and in improving the lives of patients across Sussex.

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We're here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

Candidate Information Pack: https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/resources/candidate-information-pack