Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

University Hospital Southampton NHS FT; Southampton; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust invites applications for a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist – Head & Neck. The post is permanent and based in our tertiary setting, offering CPD and opportunities for service development within a supportive MDT environment.

You will provide expert swallowing and communication therapy, supervise junior staff, contribute to audits/research and collaborate across clinics, wards and MDTs to optimise patient care.

Qualifications

• Degree in Speech and Language Therapy and HCPC registration.
• Commitment to ongoing CPD and development.
• Experience with head and neck oncology is advantageous.
• Ability to manage unpredictable clinical demands.
• Experience supervising junior staff or SLT assistants.
• Experience planning and evaluating audits or research.

Responsibilities

• Work as part of the Head and Neck SLT team, including clinics, MDTs, wards and outpatient areas.
• Provide swallowing and communication assessments and therapy for patients with complex head and neck cancer.
• Represent the SLT service within head and neck oncology.
• Be innovative in patient care and service delivery within MDT initiatives.
• Support instrumental swallowing assessments (e.g., FEES/VF) where appropriate.
• Offer training, supervision and support to less experienced SLTs and other staff.
• Lead or participate in non-clinical tasks such as student coordination and clinical effectiveness.

Skills

Complex communication & swallowing

MDT collaboration

Training and supervision

Clinical audits/research

Adaptive to acute hospital environment

Education

Degree in Speech and Language Therapy

HCPC registered

Job description

Job Overview

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.

Job Title: Specialist Speech and Language Therapist - Head & Neck

Contract Type: Permanent

Main duties of the job

We are delighted to be advertising this exciting and rewarding role in Head and Neck oncology.

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.

Working for our organisation

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.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

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.

What Experience/skills Are Needed

• 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,

For an overview of the position, please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification document. This includes a detailed breakdown of the key responsibilities, role expectations, and the qualifications we are looking for.

Person specification

Qualifications, Knowledge And Experience

Essential criteria

• Degree or equivalent in Speech and Language Therapy
• HCPC (Health and Care professions Council) registered speech and language therapist
• Evidence of commitment to relevant ongoing CPD and development in relevant areas
• Evidence of relevant speech and language therapy knowledge and expertise with recent experience demonstrating this
• Evidence of ability to cope with unpredictable events and varying clinical and non-clinical work pressures
• Evidence of highly developed auditory and perceptive skills

Desirable criteria

• Experience of audit/project work
• Experience mentoring or supervising speech and language therapy assistants or junior staff
• Experience and involvement with speech and language therapy student training
• Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and relevant specialist groups

Trust Values and Behaviours

Essential criteria

• Patients First
• Always Improving
• Working Together