Senior Speech and Langauge Therapist

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust; Royal Tunbridge Wells; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS trust in England is seeking a proactive and flexible Speech and Language Therapist to join their acute team. The role includes autonomously assessing and managing adult patients with swallowing and communication disorders. The successful applicant will support staff and patients, contribute to service developments, and participate in clinical assessments. This position offers a supportive work culture with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, making it a fulfilling environment for professional growth.

Benefits

At least 27 days of annual leave

Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme

Blue Light card eligibility

Qualifications

• Able to autonomously assess, diagnose, and manage adult clients with communication disorders.
• Experience in advising and supporting patients' relatives and medical staff.
• Capability to participate in clinical assessments such as Videofluoroscopy and FEES.

Responsibilities

• Assess, diagnose, and manage swallowing/communication disorders for adult patients.
• Support relatives and medical staff in patient care.
• Maintain and organize online inpatient caseload documents.

Skills

Proactivity

Flexibility

Communication skills

Teamwork

Education

Relevant qualifications in Speech and Language Therapy

Job description

We are seeking someone who is proactive and flexible to join our forward‑thinking and dynamic speech and language therapy services based in our acute team at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. We also welcome interest from applicants seeking a developmental opportunity. Just get in touch!

• To autonomously assess, diagnose and manage adult clients admitted to the Tunbridge Wells Hospital (TWH/MH) or Maidstone Hospital (MH) with swallowing and/or communication disorders
• To advise and support relatives, carers and medical staff in the care of these patients
• Where appropriate, to transfer hand‑over information about these patients to residential care homes and/or Community SLT services in a timely manner to ensure a seamless service and to help prevent unnecessary readmissions
• To advise and support relatives, carers and medical staff in the most effective means of facilitating communication – both verbal and non‑verbal
• To participate in the Videofluoroscopy and FEES assessments
• To update and organise the online inpatient caseload documents daily so that there is appropriate and effective hand‑over and prioritisation of patients at all times
• To help support the Band 4 Speech and Language Therapy Assistant, providing patient‑centred therapy programmes and ongoing guidance
• To contribute towards the team’s provision of student placements
• To undertake service developments and quality improvement programmes
• To participate in providing cover across the other parts of the SLT service (and sites) where appropriate
• To be part of the rota for enhanced weekend working

Appointments & Induction

Appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure & Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. All successful applicants will be required to complete our corporate trust induction once a start date has been agreed.

Please note that this role may often attract a high level of applications and may close earlier than the original closing date, so please ensure you submit your application as soon as possible.

EEO & Diversity

We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences and celebrate the diversity of thought, viewpoints, and ideas that will make our Trust the best place to work. We are committed to being a diverse employer and strive to reflect everyone in our local communities. We support staff with disabilities to ensure they have the adjustments they need to be the best they can be in the workplace. Collaborating with Access to Work means that experts in the workplace assess our staff and we ensure that their recommendations are implemented as quickly as possible.

Benefits

• At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays (pro‑rata for part‑time staff)
• Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme, with a 20.6% employer contribution and life assurance benefits
• Blue Light card eligibility
• Additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below

Good luck! We look forward to welcoming you to our exceptional team!