Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

NHS; Guildford; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading NHS Trust as a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist at the Royal Surrey Hospital. In this role, you will provide expert care for patients with complex communication and swallowing disorders, lead a team, and contribute to service development. Ideal candidates will have a recognized degree, HCPC registration, and experience in a multidisciplinary team setting. Enjoy a supportive environment focused on professional growth and patient care excellence.

Benefits

Comprehensive health and wellbeing program

Supportive environment with regular supervision

Opportunities for professional development

Qualifications

• Registered with HCPC and RCSLT.
• Experience in MDT settings with complex communication disorders.
• Evidence of specialist short courses completion.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist service to patients with communication and swallowing disorders.
• Lead and supervise junior SLTs.
• Manage own caseload and undertake service development.

Skills

Leadership

Complex communication management

Videofluoroscopy

FEES

Tracheostomy management

Service development

Education

Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree or equivalent

Health & Care Professions Council - Licence to Practice

Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

Job description

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

We have a fantastic opportunity for a suitably experienced SLT to join our friendly, supportive, clinically passionate, speech and language therapy team at the Royal Surrey Hospital.

The ideal candidate will have previous experience managing a wide range of patients encompassing both complex dysphagia and acquired communication difficulties. Ideally you would be a fully competent videofluoroscopy and FEES Practitioner, and be able to work independently with patients with a tracheostomy, however we can offer training and support to help you achieve these competencies. Experience providing education and training relevant to the clinical specialism would be beneficial. This is a team-lead post, as such, you should also have experience of supervising junior members of the SLT profession.

The successful candidate should work well under pressure, be passionate about high standards of patient care, and embrace the challenge of service development. Support will be available both internally, through regular supervision and peer support, and externally through access to relevant Clinical Excellence Networks (CENs).

You must be registered with the HCPC and the RCSLT for this post.

Ideally cover would be provided across 5 days, however some flexible working options will be considered. For informal discussion, or to arrange a visit to the hospital please contact Kate Blick [e-mail] 01483 408376.

Main duties of the job

The speech and language therapy team have extensive expertise in the management of patients with head & neck cancer (including laryngectomy), stroke, neurology, critical care, neuro-oncology, general medicine and voice disorders. The team place a high value on the acquisition and development of evidence based clinical skills for the benefit of patients. We offer a supportive environment with regular team meetings and a rolling in-service CPD programme.

The team are committed to sharing best practice in the fields of acquired communication and swallow disorders, so provide regular training sessions for doctors, nurses and healthcare assistants as well as those staff trained to carry out basic dysphagia screening.

The trust has put staff well-being at the forefront of many of its initiatives in recent years, and there is a real focus on the importance of happiness and fulfilment at work. Equality and Diversity is also at the heart of the Trusts objectives, and there are opportunities to both promote, and learn about other cultures.

For informal discussion, or to arrange a visit to the hospital please contact Kate Blick [e-mail] 01483 408376.

About us

Royal Surrey is a compassionate and collaborative acute and community Trust. Recognising that our 5000 colleagues are our greatest strength, we offer a comprehensive health and wellbeing program along with a commitment to developing and advancing your career. Our diverse and welcoming Royal Surrey family will ensure you that you feel valued from your initial interview through your entire tenure.

We are clinically led and provide joined up care by bridging the gap between hospital and community services alongside regional specialist cancer care. Our main acute hospital site is in Guildford with community hospital sites at Milford, Haslemere and Cranleigh. We provide adult community health services in homes across Guildford and Waverley.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) have given us an overall rating of Outstanding.

Royal Surrey has a strong reputation and history to build on. We are proud of our achievements and we are investing in our colleagues through our commitment to supporting professional development as well as investing more than £45 million in our physical environment and new equipment in the next few years. There has never been a better time to join us.

Although it isn't the Trusts normal practice, adverts may close early, so you are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.

A video about the Royal Surrey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R96pMboIYdo

Job responsibilities

To provide a specialist service to patients at the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust with a range of acquired communication and swallowing disorders. To provide leadership to less experienced Speech and Language Therapists.

Provide a holistic, timely and proactive service to patients with a wide variety of diagnoses. To undertake service development and promotion of the SLT service. To manage and prioritise own specialist caseload, including patients with acquired complex communication/swallowing difficulties or receiving end of life care. To form part of the SLT band 7 leadership structure. To provide teaching and training (formal and informal) to colleagues and members of the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT). To monitor referral guidelines, patient pathways, outcome measures and best practice initiatives to maximise the patient experience.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree or equivalent
• Health & Care Professions Council - Licence to Practice
• Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
• Evidence of successful completion of relevant specialist short courses
• Full driving licence

Knowledge

• Recent experience of working in an MDT setting and with patients with complex communication and swallowing disorders
• Experience of videofluoroscopy including interpretation of results
• Experience of FEES including interpretation of results
• Experience of managing patients with a tracheostomy
• Experience managing patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy
• Experience of service development
• Able to manage and prioritise own caseload and workload independently and support others with caseload management
• Understanding of the principles of Clinical Governance
• Knowledge of standards of record keeping

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Operational Manager Speech & Language Therapy

01483408376

Details

Date posted

20 May 2025

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

£48,270 to £54,931 a year(per annum) includes high cost area supplements (HCAS)