Clinical Lead Speech & Language Therapist Acute Medicine/Surgery

Lancashire Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

Job summary

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an enthusiastic clinical lead speech and language therapist to drive improvements across acute and outpatient services. The role spans two sites with opportunities to develop Band 6-7 skills and to contribute to FEES and VFSS clinics, MDT integration, and evidence-based practice.

You will lead operational management, supervise staff, and deliver education to improve patient outcomes and service pathways, with flexible working options

Qualifications

• UK HCPC registered Speech & Language Therapist.
• Experience leading SLT services in acute medicine or surgery.
• Ability to manage complex dysphagia and communication disorders.
• Evidence-based practice and CPD encouraged.

Responsibilities

• Lead and provide operational management of SLT service to acute medicine and surgery.
• Lead service developments and support staff working.
• Assess, diagnose and independently manage complex dysphagia and disorders of communication.
• Represent SLT in MDT settings and contribute highly specialist expertise.
• Integrate with MDTs and contribute to training, education and quality improvement projects.
• Demonstrate skills in motivating patients to engage in therapy.
• Participate in instrumental assessment using FEES and VFSS.
• Support trust-wide service developments impacting care delivered to patients.
• Maintain clinical professional development and stay up to date with research.

Skills

Operational management

Clinical leadership

Dysphagia assessment

MDT collaboration

Education

HCPC registered SLT

Tools

VFSS equipment

Job description

We are seeking an enthusiastic clinical lead speech and language therapist with a passion for improving care and leading change within both the acute and outpatient services. As a large teaching hospital and tertiary centre, we offer a diverse caseload across acute, emergency, critical care, surgical, frailty, admission avoidance and instrumental assessment services. The post holder will jointly lead the service across two sites with an established Band 7 Clinical Lead, reviewing service models, streamlining pathways, strengthening MDT working, and delivering education to improve care for patients with swallowing and communication needs. This person will understand acute care and be motivated to deliver a high-quality service with a vision on how to improve patient outcomes and flow with the opportunity to work across the inpatient and outpatient pathway and in FEES and videofluoroscopy clinics. The service supports evidence-based practice and CPD, offering opportunities to develop your clinical portfolio. Part-time and flexible working may be considered, with potential for Band 6-7 development for the right candidate.

• To lead and provide operational management of the Speech & Language therapy service to acute medicine and surgery.
• To lead service developments and support staff working.
• To use advanced clinical skills to assess, diagnose and independently manage complex dysphagia and disorders of communication respectively.
• To represent speech and language therapy in multidisciplinary team settings and contribute highly specialist expertise for the management of patients with communication and swallowing difficulties.
• To integrate with the multidisciplinary teams and contribute to training and education and quality improvement projects as appropriate.
• To demonstrate skills in motivating patients to engage in therapeutic process.
• To use excellent organisational and prioritisation skills and a flexible approach to work practice.
• To participate in instrumental assessment using videofluoroscopy and fibreoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES).
• To participate in appropriate trust level service developments which impact on the care delivered to patients with swallowing and communication difficulties.
• To maintain clinical professional development and be up to date with research and advancements within this clinical area.

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Trust is a large acute organisation, delivering specialist services both locally and regionally. The Speech Therapy Department is situated at the Royal Preston Hospital site; however, we also deliver services to Chorley District Hospital (District Hospital).

We are a dedicated SLT service with excellent patient care at the core of our values, and our varied caseload provides complex presentations across dysphagia, communication and voice respectively. We have established VFS and FEES clinics, with in-service training to provide sustainability. We strive to continuously improve our SLT services through service development and innovation and are keen that audit / research are part of our clinical roles. We have strong clinical leadership within the department and structured clinical supervision and CPD is promoted. You will join a large friendly team of speech and language therapists covering a range of specialist services. The department is rated 'GOLD' on the STAR quality assurance framework, with a strong commitment to evidence-based practice. CPD and training are well supported.