Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

UHS; Southampton; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

UHS in Southampton is seeking an experienced Speech and Language Therapist to join the Head and Neck SLT team. You will provide regular communication and swallowing assessment and therapy for patients with complex head and neck oncology diagnoses.

The role involves working across MDT clinics, acute wards and outpatient treatment areas, and you will represent the SLT service within head and neck oncology, taking an innovative approach to patient care and service delivery.

Qualifications

• The post is for a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) with experience in complex head and neck oncology settings.
• Ability to supervise and educate others, and represent SLT in MDT contexts.

Responsibilities

• Work with the Head and Neck SLT team across clinics, wards and outpatient areas.
• Provide regular communication and swallowing assessment and therapy to patients with complex head and neck oncology diagnoses.
• Represent the SLT service within head and neck oncology and participate in MDT service initiatives.
• Support patients to have instrumental assessment of their swallowing.
• Offer training, supervision and support to less experienced SLTs and other staff.

Job description

• Experienced in working with patients with complex communication and swallowing difficulties as a result of head and neck cancer diagnoses,
• Experienced in supporting instrumental assessments e.g. FEES and/or VF,
• Experienced in supervising and educating others,
• Experienced in representing SLT in an MDT setting, and effectively advocating for patients' needs,
• Experienced in working in an acute hospital, and
• Experienced in planning, delivering and evaluating clinical audits, service evaluations and/or research

This post is ideal for a patient-centred, friendly and enthusiastic SLT who is keen to work in a stimulating environment alongside skilled colleagues from a range of professions.

The department of dietetics and speech and language therapy employs approximately 130 staff, with clinical experts working across the range of specialties, providing acute services in both adults and paediatrics. As a tertiary hospital, we have senior SLTs in a wide range of specialist areas. There is access to regular CPD sessions, and opportunities to engage in service development and research. The onsite Wellbeing Hub is an excellent resource for staff complete with a café, various meeting spaces, a free gym and changing facilities. As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to. UHS is rated 'Good' by the CQC and in the latest national NHS Staff Survey, we were in the top 10 acute trusts for staff engagement and for staff recommending the hospital as a place to work or receive care. We support flexible working and will consider requests taking into account the needs of the service. UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme. Southampton is an attractive place to live and work situated on the south coast, with an international airport and direct trains to London. The New Forest National Park and beaches of the Jurassic coast are also right on our doorstep. The city offers living costs 30% lower than London and 17 schools rated outstanding by Ofsted. We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalising your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.

The successful candidate will need:

• Work as part of the Head and Neck SLT team, including SLT led clinics, MDT clinics, acute wards and outpatient treatment areas.
• Provide regular communication and swallowing assessment and therapy to patients with complex head and neck oncology diagnoses.
• Continually represent the SLT service within head and neck oncology.
• Be innovative in your approach to patient care and service delivery, whilst being part of MDT service initiatives.
• Support patients to have instrumental assessment of their swallowing.
• Offer training, supervision and support to less experienced SLTs and other staff.
• Support the SLT team in leading or taking on non-clinical tasks e.g. student coordination, clinical effectiveness.