Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist - Acute Medicine

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE HEALTHCARE NHS TRUST; Aylesbury; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Learning and development opportunities

Flexible working

NHS pension and benefits

Job summary

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is seeking a motivated Speech and Language Therapist to join the acute SLT team at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. The role involves delivering swallowing and communication assessments across Buckinghamshire, collaborating with MDT colleagues, and supporting inpatient care.

The post offers opportunities to develop advanced competencies in acute care, FEES and Videofluoroscopy, with potential progression from Band 6 to Band 7 for the right candidate.

Qualifications

• Experience in acute SLT care.
• Ability to manage own caseload.
• Experience with FEES and Videofluoroscopy.
• Ability to supervise students on placement.
• Willingness to lead and develop SLT colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Assess in acute settings and interpret MDT inputs to plan treatment.
• Prioritise cases by acuity in a fast-paced environment.
• Diagnose swallowing/communication issues and implement therapy.
• Collaborate with other clinicians for holistic care.
• Manage an acute caseload with advanced skills.
• Provide guidance to patients, carers, and staff.
• Perform instrumental assessments (FEES/VD).
• Support care planning for patients with communication impairment.
• Demonstrate leadership and contribute to SLT development.
• Take students on placement independently.
• Support service-wide developments and inpatient delivery.

Skills

Clinical assessment

Team collaboration

MDT liaison

Leadership

Tools

FEES

Videofluoroscopy

Job description

The Buckinghamshire Adult Speech and Language Therapy Team have an exciting opportunity for a motivated and dynamic therapist to join our acute SLT team. You will be joining a friendly SLT team working across Buckinghamshire, delivering high quality care. This post offers the opportunity to work with acute SLT and MDT colleagues, providing swallowing and communication assessments and advice for patients admitted to Stoke Mandeville Hospital. The post holder is integral to the SLT provision in our admission areas and will work collaboratively with the REACT team to assess patients and enhance patient flow. The post holder will additionally support the ongoing care or patients throughout their inpatient admission. The post holder will be involved in the provision of instrumental assessment via FEES and VF. We can offer training and development from within our team and this post could be considered as a band 6/band 7 development opportunity for the right person. In this situation the post holder would be supported to complete competencies related to acute care, to progress from a band 6 to a band 7. The postholder will independently manage and take responsibility for their own caseload and will:

• Assess patients presenting in the A&E department or front-door service with acute communication and swallowing difficulties and interpret results from diagnostic tests, medical history, and multidisciplinary team (MDT) input to inform treatment plans.
• Work effectively in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment, prioritizing cases based on acuity and severity of needs.
• Identify, assess, and diagnose swallowing and communication impairments and implement management programmes, or therapy, where appropriate.
• Collaborate with other healthcare professionals to ensure holistic care and effective management of speech and swallowing needs
• Use highly specialist clinical skills to manage an acute caseload of eating, drinking, swallowing and communication difficulties.
• Provide expert guidance and information to colleagues, patients and carers.
• To provide instrumental assessment, including Videofluoroscopy and FEES, as indicated in patient care.
• Support patients with communication impairments to engage with care planning and advanced care planning
• Demonstrate leadership and support the development of SLT and HCP colleagues.
• Independently take students on placement.
• Take responsibility for implementing service wide developments as appropriate and contribute to the operational delivery of acute services at Stoke Mandeville Hospital

Listen to why colleagues think we are a great place to work! - https://bit.ly/3DNEQfD

What does Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust offer you?

• As part of our BHT family, you'll benefit from learning and development opportunities to support your career progression.
• We offer flexible and agile working opportunities, alongside your NHS benefits of generous annual leave entitlement, pension and access to NHS discount schemes.
• We provide a range of health and wellbeing services to promote a healthy, happy workforce.

Why work for us?

• We're committed to promoting inclusion and making sure all colleagues feel they belong. We encourage new colleagues from a diverse range of backgrounds to apply.
• As an employer, we aim to create a workplace where differences are valued, and colleagues treat one another with dignity and respect.
• Greater diversity within our BHT family improves positive outcomes for the people and communities we serve.

What do we stand for?

• Our vision is to provide outstanding care, support healthy communities and be a great place to work.
• Our mission is to provide personal and compassionate care every time.
• Our CARE values are collaborate, aspire, respect and enable.