Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

An NHS Foundation Trust in the United Kingdom seeks a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist for a maternity/backfill secondment role. The successful candidate will deliver high-quality care across various facilities, managing dysphagia cases and collaborating with a dynamic team. Applicants should possess relevant qualifications and experience in acute settings. The role offers opportunities for professional development and supervision. Salary ranges from £38,682 to £46,580, pro rata.

Qualifications

• Experience working with Adult Acquired disorders.
• Post qualification experience in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Experience with videofluoroscopy assessments with senior.

Responsibilities

• Undertake assessment of patients and implement treatment plans.
• Monitor the effectiveness of the interventions provided.
• Work closely with other members of the multidisciplinary team.

Skills

Dysphagia skills

Good knowledge and skills in therapeutic approaches to communication disorders

Excellent interpersonal skills

Basic IT skills

Excellent written and verbal skills

Education

Registration with HCPC

Member of RCSLT

Job description

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

The closing date is 04 January 2026

Aintree is a hot site for acute care including a major trauma centre and acute emergency surgery. The Speech and language therapy services provides complex assessment in line with National standards including access to instrumentals including videofluoroscopy and FEES.

We are recruiting

This post is maternity / backfill secondment 0.8 WTE to join our acute inpatient stroke service delivering high quality care at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Trust across Aintree and Broadgreen. This post will be working across SEAC, HASU and stroke rehab including Early Supported Discharge, providing opportunities to develop skills and experience across the stroke pathway with the opportunity for areas of special interest to be supported.

The successful applicant will need to have a good level of experience working in an adult acute inpatient environment and managing a busy dysphagia caseload. You will possess excellent communication skills, demonstrate the ability to work flexibly and have a good understanding of MDT working.

You will receive regular supervision and an annual appraisal to support your training and development including opportunities to complete service improvement and audit.

Main duties of the job

You will be responsible for speech and language therapy assessment, clinical diagnoses and implementation of agreed treatment plans and evaluate care delivery needs for routine and complex patients across each of the clinical rotations.

You will have access to peer support, regular supervision, and training opportunities including instrumental assessments. You will take part in and lead service development, audit, and research. The post holder will be actively involved in the support and development of others including B5 clinicians, and students. You will also have the opportunity to provide training sessions within the wider MDT.

You will be working as part of a friendly, dynamic and supportive Speech and Language Therapy team who are committed to delivering high quality, patient centred care. You must be open to change and proactive in service improvement and transformation.

About us

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.

UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.

For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.

Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation. Liverpool Women's Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK's largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.

Job responsibilities

• Undertake assessment of patients, using specialist clinical reasoning and assessment techniques to differentially diagnose then formulate and implement treatment plans with advice and support from seniors as required.
• Continually evaluate the efficacy of the treatment programme to ensure that it is meeting the needs of the patient
• Monitor the effectiveness of the interventions you are providing using outcome measures.
• Work closely with other members of the multidisciplinary team attending meetings/case conferences where possible, actively encouraging information sharing to enhance the quality of care to patients and staff.
• Ensure effective communication with patients, carers and other Health Care Professionals regarding all aspects of the patients care. This will be achieved through direct liaison or written information using specialist knowledge, tailored to individual needs and taking account of impaired comprehension and expression.
• Help other Health Care Professionals communicate with patients who have impaired language skills using alternative communication systems where appropriate.
• Advise assist and support, less experienced therapists and assistants in the management of their caseload.
• Work closely with Community staff to facilitate a seamless rehabilitation service across the city.
• Carry out videofluoroscopy with senior S.L.T. developing skills to analyse and report findings.
• Undertake research as requested by team leader.
• Collect patient data and other statistics as required by Head of Department.
• Advise the Head of Department of any change in caseload profile which has an impact on the service provided to facilitate planning.
• Monitor equipment and material for condition and suitability. Submit orders via head of department.

Person Specification

Knowledge

• Sound dysphagia skills - able to work independently
• Understanding of current issues affecting NHS
• Evidence of attendance on external courses to develop knowledge and skills in specialised clinical areas

Skills

• Good knowledge and skills in therapeutic and functional approaches to communication disorders
• Evidence of developing clinical reasoning and problem solving skills
• Can evaluate the effectiveness of clinical intervention
• Ability to organise own caseload effectively
• Excellent interpersonal skills - observation, listening and empathy skills
• Basic IT skills
• Excellent written and verbal skills

Other

• Able to work collaboratively within a team
• Flexible/able to cope with change
• Committed to personal development
• Awareness of own limitations
• Demonstrates empathy with patients
• Experience of facilitating communication between language impaired patients, staff and carers

Qualifications

• Registration with HCPC
• Member of RCSLT
• Attends regular SIG meetings in areas of clinical interest

Experience

• Post qualification experience working with Adult Acquired disorders
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary environment
• Experience of running Adult groups
• Able to work with Assistants
• Videofluoroscopy assessments with senior
• Working with voluntary agencies
• Teaching/training others
• Involvement in audit or clinical research
• Involvement in Clinical Supervision process
• Experience of taking SLT observation students

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.

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum, pro rata