Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

NHS; Birmingham, Sandwell; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in Birmingham seeks a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join their acute service. The role requires managing complex communication disorders and mentoring junior staff. Ideal candidates will have a degree in Speech and Language Therapy and experience in the field. The position emphasizes patient-centered care with opportunities for development in a supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Specialist theoretical knowledge of pathologies underpinning practice.
• Sound theoretical knowledge of assessment and intervention options.
• Knowledge of clinical governance principles and implications.

Responsibilities

• Assess, diagnose, and manage communication and swallowing disorders.
• Work independently with sensitive patient presentations.
• Engage in training and mentoring junior staff and students.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Assessment and diagnosis

Team collaboration

Education

Speech and Language Therapy degree qualification or equivalent

HCPC and RCSLT Registration

Postgraduate dysphagia qualification

Tools

Endoscopic examination of swallowing (FEES)

Videofluoroscopy (VFS)

Job description

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

The adult acute Speech and Language Therapy service at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust is excited to recruit a band 6 specialist into our service. We have recently undergone large scale transformational change following our move into the state of the art Midland Metropolitan University Hospital (MMUH) in 2024 and wish to welcome an additional team member into our hospital service.

Our inpatient Speech and Language Therapy team are a welcoming and aspirational group of therapists with a clear vision and strong commitment to improving the lives of local people. We have a strong focus upon delivering patient-centred care and embedding 'what matters to you' care principles into all of our work. We also place equal emphasis upon caring for each other and are proud to work within a trust that champions the health and well-being of its staff.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for an individual who is able to work independently with a range of communication and swallowing presentations and can use highly developed interpersonal skills to establish strong relationships with a range of individuals and MDTs.

We offer three band 6 acute hospital rotations at MMUH. Successful candidates will experience all rotations within allowing for broad based experiences whilst developing more advanced clinical skills. Our core rotations are in medicine and frailty, ICU/surgery/respiratory and front door emergency care.

Our team is committed to supporting each individual team member's training and development and we ask for candidates who are equally motivated to then support others; mentoring SLT staff and other support staff within the service as well as helping us to grow our student placement provision.

Our service works over 7 days a week and post holders are required to engage in our weekend working hospital roster.

You will be required to:

To independently assess, diagnose and manage a range of disorders ofcommunication and swallowing as part of the medical and surgical inpatient, acute SLT service.

To work independently with patients with often sensitive and complex presentations, actively seeking support and supervision as required.

Development skills in instrumental assessment procedures such as; endoscopic examination of swallowing (FEES) or videofluoroscopy(VFS)

About us

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust (SWB) serves Birmingham and the Black Country - one of the country's most culturally diverse areas. It's a friendly and welcoming place - a place where you can belong, and a place where you can grow.

We care for our patients, we care about our population, and we care about our people.

Our values - Ambition, Respect and Compassion - are at the heart of who we are. They guide us every step of the way; how we work with each other, and how we look after our patients and their families; how we respect and value the rich diversity of our team and our community.

Our Trust has always aspired to be more than a hospital, more than a healthcare provider. Our purpose is "Improve the Life Chances and Health Outcomes of our Population." It is what inspires, drives, and unites us every day. It's what makes us unique.

We want working at SWB to feel like more than just a job. We want our Trust to be a place where you can feel you belong. A place where you feel happy, safe, and rewarded. A place where you can develop your career in whatever way you choose. When we say we're 'with you all the way' we want you to know that we mean it. Visit the SWB website to find out more about our ambitions and people plans.

Job responsibilities

For further details of the job role and responsibilities please review the attached job description and person specification for the post.

If this sounds like an opportunity that interests you, I would strongly encourage and invite candidates to call and discuss the post further in confidence.

Please contact:

Ellie Savage on tel: [phone] or [e-mail]

Becky Johnson on tel: [phone] or [e-mail]

Person Specification

Knowledge

• Specialist theoretical knowledge of a broad range of pathologies to underpin practice in chosen specialism
• Sound theoretical knowledge of assessment, diagnosis and intervention options to underpin practice in management of communication and swallowing disorders.
• Knowledge of principles of clinical governance and its implications for the service
• Awareness of current research/ national drivers in area of specialism

Qualifications

• Speech and Language Therapy degree qualification or equivalent
• HCPC and RCSLT Registration
• Post graduate dysphagia qualification of equivalent (i.e. attained level B RCSLT competencies)
• Portfolio evidence of CPD
• Completion of RCSLT newly qualified practitioner competencies
• Membership of relevant RCSLT Clinical Excellence Network

Experience

• Postgraduate experience in the area of clinical specialism sufficient to demonstrate autonomous caseload management of communication and swallowing disorders.
• Experience of working as part of an MDT.
• Competence in managing dysphagia caseload independently
• Experience of mentoring/ training junior staff and/or students
• Experience of FEES and/or VFS or willingness to work towards this
• Involvement in audit and research

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.

Team Lead - General Medicine and Frailty

£38,682 to £46,580 a yearpro rata per annum