Clinical Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust; Wakefield; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in Wakefield is seeking a Temporary Clinical Specialist Speech and Language Therapist. This role involves assessing and treating complex dysphagia cases in an acute setting. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience, effective communication skills, and a willingness to support junior staff. Flexible working patterns are available. This position fosters professional growth and development opportunities within a dynamic team.

Benefits

Access to NHS pension plan

Generous holiday allowance of 27 days plus bank holidays

Health and wellbeing services

Cycle to work scheme

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• HCPC registration as a speech and language therapist is essential.
• Significant experience with mixed caseload management, including respiratory and elderly patients.
• Experience with videofluoroscopy assessment is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of complex dysphagia presentations.
• Work independently in a busy acute environment.
• Provide clinical supervision to junior colleagues.

Skills

Complex dysphagia assessment

Effective communication skills

Team working

Leadership skills

Education

Degree in Speech and Language Therapy

Job description

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Clinical Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, Wakefield

We have a new opportunity at MYTT for a Temporary Clinical Specialist SLT for Acute Services, to join our team.

The post is offered as an 8-month temporary contract, at full time hours (37.5 hours). However prospective candidates can discuss a 3 or 4 day working pattern, and a longer contract length as an alternative. The team are based at Pinderfield's General Hospital and provide specialist assessment of adults with dysphagia and communication difficulties. As a service we also provide input at Dewsbury District Hospital and there will be opportunities to support with this caseload.

Prospective candidates are welcome to visit or make contact to discuss further. Interviews will be held on 27th August in person at Pinderfields Hospital.

This is a career enhancing opportunity for an experienced, suitably qualified, skilled and dynamic SLT. The post holder is required to be an autonomous individual who is able to develop effective professional relationships with colleagues, stakeholders and key MDT members.

The post holder will have significant experience of managing a mixed caseload of patients including respiratory, elderly and neuro presentations. The acute service covers all ward areas except stroke. The post holder will be able to work at clinical specialist level in the acute setting, providing triage, assessment, treatment and review, appropriate to acute pathways and hospital flow. The caseloads are predominantly dysphagia and the post holder will manage complex cases on respiratory or spinal ward, as an example, attend MDT and best interest meetings, as required.

Instrumental skills and the ability to lead in FEES or VF clinic are advantageous. Critical care skills are also advantageous but not essential to role.

Service development, supporting governance and leading with SOPS will be part of the role when indicated. The post holder will provide clinical supervision and direct training, where needed to junior colleagues, to enhance our skill mix and development opportunities across the service. There are no line management duties assigned to this role. The post holder will work closely with the clinical leads and clinical specialists across Adult SLT as a member of the leadership team.

The post holder will have ongoing support and supervision from the Adult SLT Team Lead and work closely with the Therapy Service Lead. The post holder will have access to peer support from the other band 7 colleagues across the Adult SLT service.

We have a very established and experienced SLT leadership team who specialise in areas across acute, head and neck, voice, community, stroke, training and development and instrumental specialisms.

This is an excellent career enhancing opportunity for a skilled and dynamic Speech and Language Therapist who is either new to clinical leadership or already has leadership experience.

The main duties of this role include:

• Assessment, diagnosis and treatment of complex dysphagia presentations from acute inpatient caseload.
• The post holder must be able to demonstrate an ability to work under pressure, in a busy acute environment, as part of a team and as an autonomous practitioner.
• To work independently to a highly specialist level and be accountable for own professional actions.
• To work across admissions, elderly, surgical, respiratory, burns, spinals and ICU units; giving rise to excellent clinical specialism opportunities.

The post holder will work flexibly as required to maintain a responsive, patient centred and evidence-based service for optimal patient outcomes.

To liaise closely with colleagues in the acute and community settings to facilitate the smooth transfer of care, to contribute to schemes supporting early discharge from hospital and reducing unscheduled admissions to hospital.

Excellent inter-personal, communication, motivational, emerging leadership and team working skills are important components of how we work, in addition to our clinical skills.

To supervise, support and provide clinical education as required to less experienced Speech and Language Therapists, students, and assistants.

• Our service offers videofluoroscopy assessment across acute and community and we have an emerging FEES service. Instrumental assessment skills are advantageous but not essential for the role.

Key requirements

For this role it is essential that candidates have a degree in a relevant therapy profession, HCPC registration as a speech and language therapist. Please ensure you review the job description and person specification attached for further essential and desirable criteria.

Be part of MY team

We are an acute and community trust caring for over one million people in Wakefield and Kirklees. Our 10,000 staff work in patients’ homes, the community, and our three hospitals in Pontefract, Dewsbury, and Pinderfields (Wakefield). We prioritise our people and values so we can deliver the best possible care to patients. Our team is friendly, passionate, and innovative, always seeking better ways to work.

We support work-life balance and foster a diverse, inclusive environment where everyone belongs. Our staff networks offer safe spaces to share ideas and concerns so we can increase awareness and appreciation of equality, diversity, and inclusion. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and especially encourage members of the LGBTQ+ community, ethnic minority groups, and people with disabilities or neurodivergence to apply, as they are currently underrepresented in the Trust.

If you value caring, high standards, improvement, and respect, join the MY team to make a difference every day.

Application guidance:
We understand that more applicants are using AI technology to help with their applications. While these tools can be useful, they cannot fully capture your skills, knowledge, and experience. It’s important that you personalise your application. Relying solely on AI is not recommended, as it may reduce your chances of success. Our screening process is thorough, so if you have used AI, please make sure to disclose this on your application form.

• Access to the NHS pension plan
• Generous holiday allowance of 27 days plus bank holidays, increasing with 5 and 10 years of service
• Exceptional employee health and wellbeing services
• Extensive benefits and support, including:
• Onsite nurseries and childcare salary sacrifice scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Car lease salary sacrifice scheme
• Working carers support and advice, carers network and carers passport
• Flexible working options and family and carer-friendly policies
• Established staff networks, including LGBTQ+ and Race Equality
• Career progression, training and support

Skilled worker sponsorship

You can find out more about skilled worker and health and care visas on our careers site.