Specialist Speech and Language Therapist - Acute Stroke

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free car parking

27 days leave + bank holidays

NHS pension

Structured professional development

Job summary

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust seeks a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist for Acute Stroke at Cheltenham General Hospital. The post covers hyperacute and acute stroke units, with a focus on post-stroke communication and dysphagia.

The role requires postgraduate dysphagia skills, working within a supportive team and providing expert assessment and intervention to improve patient outcomes.

Qualifications

• Recognised degree in SLT and HCPC registration.
• Post graduate dysphagia training required.
• Experience with acute stroke patients preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage a shared caseload of stroke inpatients with communication and swallowing disorders.
• Provide specialist assessment of communication and swallowing and input into discharge planning.
• Create and implement individualized treatment programmes and monitor progress.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary colleagues and SLT assistant; attend joint meetings.

Skills

Dysphagia expertise

Stroke management

Discharge planning

Team collaboration

Education

Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists degree level qualification

HCPC registration

Post Graduate Dysphagia Training

Job description

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist - Acute Stroke

Band 6

Main area Speech and Language Grade Band 6 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 327-26-711

Site Cheltenham General Hospital Town Cheltenham Salary £39,959 - £48,117 per annum (pro rata) Salary period Yearly Closing 28/09/2026 23:59

We love what we do and we think you will, too!

At Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (GHC), we provide joined-up mental health, physical health and learning disability services to people of all ages across Gloucestershire. We run community hospitals and provide care and support in people’s own homes and in a range of other locations across the county .

We are on a mission to enable people to live the best life they can and we have a vision to work together to provide outstanding care . We put people at the heart of our services, focusing on personalised care by asking 'what matters to you '.

We're passionate about making sure that everyone can contribute to achieving our mission and w e are continually working to support healthy and happy high-quality team s in all areas of the Trust .

Our application process aims to understand each candidates knowledge, skills and experience. We have found that candidates that use AI to generate their answers can lack specificity and fail to address key criteria outlined in the job description.

It is really important to personalise your application to convey your individual skills, knowledge, and experiences effectively and for us to understand why you are applying for this role with GHC. We discourage over reliance on AI-generated applications as it will lessen your chances of success in securing an interview with us .

Job overview

Are you ready to grow and develop your specialist skills within the field of acute Stroke? If so, we would be excited to welcome you to join our friendly, enthusiastic and supportive team! The post is based at Cheltenham General Hospital in Gloucestershire, providing cover to both the hyperacute (HASU) and acute (ASU) stroke units.

We are looking for a Speech and Language therapist with post graduate dysphagia skills and a passion for working with individuals experiencing acute post-stroke communication and swallowing difficulties. This post would suit experienced Speech & Language Therapists at band 5 level or those already working as a band 6 who wish to further develop their competencies in communication and dysphagia within a supportive and experienced team.

Main duties of the job

In this role, you will:

• Manage a shared caseload of stroke inpatients with complex communication and swallowing disorders.
• Provide specialist assessment of both communication and swallowing difficulties and input into discharge planning.
• Create and implement individualised treatment programmes, ensuring that these are monitored and modified as required.
• Work alongside a supportive team of experienced Speech and Language Therapy colleagues as well as a Speech and Language therapy assistant.
• Work closely with our multidisciplinary colleagues, providing regular joint sessions and attending shared goal planning meetings.

Why Join Us?

We are proud of our supportive team culture and strong commitment to your professional growth and wellbeing. When you join us, you can expect:

• Comprehensive CPD opportunities and access to a wide range of training
• Structured supervision, including regular peer support sessions
• Opportunities to develop advanced clinical skills in areas such as FEES
• A clear pathway for career progression, supported through regular personal development reviews

Whether you’re experienced in community working or keen to transition into this rewarding area, you will be supported every step of the way to grow, develop, and thrive.

The qualification, training & experience requirements for the role are outlined in the Job Description/Person Specification.

Working for our organisation

We have a skilled and dedicated workforce of over 5000 colleagues working in a diverse range of services over 55 sites and within people's homes. We strive to enable a welcoming workplace culture that builds and celebrates civility, inclusivity and diversity, while providing a sense of belonging and trust.

Annual staff surveys, regular Pulse surveys and other engagement opportunities provide our people with lots of opportunity to tell us about their experiences of working with us. In the latest staff survey, 61% of colleagues gave us their views. It was great to hear that:

• 72% of colleagues would recommend the Trust as a place to work, ranking us 1st for Provider Trusts in the South West region on this question.
• 76% would recommend the standard of care provided in our services if a friend or relative needed treatment, also ranking us 1st in the South West region.
• 81% said that care of patients and service users is the Trust's priority, compared with an average in comparable NHS Trusts in England of 64%.

This high-level overview shows we are in a healthy position, with higher scores than average for comparable organisations, alongside a great response rate, indicating good staff engagement. However, we also know we have plenty of room for improvement in many areas. To that end, we continue to prioritise and invest in our commitment to genuinely becoming a Great Place to Work with consistent top-quartile performance in the annual staff survey and Pulse surveys.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Overview of the role from the job description:

• To provide a comprehensive speech and language therapy service to stroke patients in the acute setting with acquired communication and swallowing disorders

For full details of the job role, please refer to the job description and person specification.

• Recognised Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists degree level qualification
• Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)
• Member of the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• Post Graduate Dysphagia Training

LENGTH AND / OR NATURE OF EXPERIENCE

• Experience in managing patients with acquired communication and swallowing difficulties post stroke
• Special interest in current evidence-based practice relating to post stroke communication and/or swallowing difficulties
• Experience of working with Stroke patients within an acute/hyperacute setting

Professional/managerial/Specialist Knowledge

• Specialist skills in differential diagnosis and targeting of clinical interventions relevant to Stroke
• Ability to appropriately prioritise and manage a complex caseload independently
• Negotiation skills for management of conflict across a range of situations
• Demonstration of specialist knowledge in Stroke underpinned by current evidence based practice
• Knowledge of a broad range of specialist formal and informal assessment methods and their interpretation

When joining us, as well as becoming part of a team that makes a difference, we also offer:

• Free car parking at many of our sites
• 27 days leave plus bank holidays, increasing up to 33 days with long service
• A broad range of training and development opportunities, including apprenticeships up to Level 7 qualification.
• A multi-professional preceptorship programme for all Newly Qualified; Nurses, Nursing Associates, Internationally Educated Practitioners, Allied Health Professionals and Return to Practice Practitioners.
• Generous NHS pension and enhanced pay when if you work unsocial hours
• Flexible, family friendly and agile working opportunities
• Recognition and long service awards
• Fast Track physiotherapy
• Access to discounts and salary sacrifice schemes; including Cycle to Work, Car scheme and discounts on travel, leisure and retailers.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

If you are aged 16-30, you may be eligible for financial and pastoral support from the King's Trust, with who we are in partnership with to support your first 6 months in role. We will pass on your details to the King’s Trust who will be in touch with you if you are eligible. If you would rather not be contacted, please let us know.

For more information please see the attached 'Additional Information for Applicants' document.

Good luck with your application.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.