Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (Adults)

NHS; Sunderland; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading NHS Trust as a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist within a dedicated team serving the Sunderland area. In this pivotal role, you will assess and treat adults facing communication and swallowing difficulties, ensuring quality care and continuous professional development. With opportunities for innovative practice and collaboration in a multidisciplinary environment, you'll contribute to improving patient outcomes. Your expertise will be foundational as you work alongside skilled professionals aligned with patient-centered care and research-driven practice.

Benefits

Access to high-quality education and training

Flexible working options

Childcare Coordinator support

Qualifications

• Membership of Health and Care Professions Council required.
• Completion of specialist post-graduate training e.g. Dysphagia Management.
• Evidence of CPD including short courses in clinical areas.

Responsibilities

• Provide a specialist service for adults with speech, language, and swallowing disorders.
• Demonstrate clinical expertise and manage complex cases in community settings.
• Work within a diverse team to improve patient care.

Skills

Communication

Empathy

Problem-solving

Teamwork

Education

Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree qualification

Job description

Go back South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (Adults)

The closing date is 09 July 2025

We have an opportunity for a permanent, Band 6 Speech andLanguage Therapist, 1.0wte, 37.5hrs per week, in our Adult Speech and LanguageTherapy Team. We would like you to join us if you have the skills!

You will join our well-established Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) service and will work mainly inoutpatient and community settings. You will be a key part of our service andwill have opportunity to develop your skills in working with people with a widerange of communication problems and swallowing difficulties. As a team we worktogether to provide the best service we can whilst striving to develop staffwho are our key asset to improve patient outcomes. You will have excellentsupport and will be encouraged to develop your clinical skills and will also beinvolved in instrumental assessment clinics as you develop competencies. You will be keen to drive services forward aswe change and develop. You will align to our vision and values which includeusing research and innovation to improve patient care.

Main duties of the job

The Adult Team provides SALT across South Tyneside and Sunderland.

You will:

• demonstrate proven clinical expertise and experience in working with adults with a range of communication and swallowing difficulties;
• have excellent prioritisation, communication and team working skills;
• have excellent training and presentation skills;
• be keen to work within a large, forward-thinking department which is embedded in a successful Therapy Services Directorate;
• have a pro-active and flexible approach to problem-solving and caseload management to ensure we take the Service forward to support care across acute and community settings;
• be able to meet the travel requirements of this Post.

We are a patient-focused service and continually strive to improve what we do for the benefit of the people who live in our area. Our team has a strong research background and you will be encouraged to develop your skills in this area to ensure we translate innovation, audit and research outcomes into practice for improved patient care and outcomes.

To find out more, contact -

Ruth Rayner- 0191 5699009, [e-mail]

About us

Please help us by adding your telephone number to your application form this will allow us to contact you quickly if required.

One Team One Trust - There are many reasons to work at our Trust. From our commitment to putting people first to our accessible services and award winning teams. We have a passion for research, innovation and tackling inequalities. We are committed to respect, fairness and civility and promote a compassionate, caring and positive culture / working environment.

We welcome all applications irrespective of peoples race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups. Looking after our workforces health and wellbeing is a priority for STSFT. We also provide access to high quality education, training, career progression and support. Flexible working is supported via the Trust's Flexible Working Policy.

The Trust employs around 8,600 people and provides a range of hospital services to a local community of around 430,000 residents. We also provide a range of more specialised services outside this area, in some cases to a population as great as 860,000. We offer our staff outstanding benefits - Fitness Centre (SRH), libraries at both hospital sites, chaplaincy support and access to a Childcare Co-ordinator to help staff with childcare arrangements. The Trust will not accept applications which are found to be AI generated.

Job responsibilities

To provide a specialist service (assessment, diagnosis and implementation of specialist SALTtreatment) to adults in the Adult Service who present with a range of speech, language, voice,communication and swallowing disorders including those who have complex and/or severedifficulties.

PLEASE REFER TO ATTACHED JOB DESCRIPTION FOR FULL DUTIES OF THE ROLE.

Person Specification

Physical Skills

• To have due regard for own personal safety and that of clients/carers, in particular to have regard to moving and handling regulations, restraining policies and ensure the safe positioning of self and others.
• Lifting and carrying equipment for assessment and treatment on a regular basis.
• To maintain intense concentration in all aspects of client management for prolonged periods, in particular, to monitor auditory, visual and kinaesthetic aspects of clients communication, adapting and facilitating according to perceived client needs including cultural and linguistic differences.
• To be flexible to the demands of the environment including unpredictable work patterns, deadlines and frequent interruptions.
• To employ counselling skills with carers and clients (including clients with highly-complex needs).
• To demonstrate the ability to manage clients with challenging behaviours, including the application of appropriate management strategies.
• To be adaptable to the demands of a variety of working conditions and/or a wide range of clients.
• To work within infection control and Health & Safety guidelines in order to deal with unpleasant conditions relating to client contact as they arise, for example exposure to body fluids, infectious conditions, encountered on a regular basis.
• To employ appropriate strategies to manage verbally-aggressive behaviour within the workplace.

Qualifications

• Membership of Health and Care Professions Council.
• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree qualification.
• Fulfilment of RCSLT competency criteria Completion of external courses in specialist area.
• Basic counselling skills
• Successful completion of specialist post-graduate training e.g. Dysphagia Management Course.
• Evidence of CPD including attendance of a wide range of short courses in specialist clinical area e.g. Aphasia, Dysphagia, Motor Speech Disorders.
• Membership of relevant Special Interest Groups.
• Well-established knowledge of a range of specialist assessment tools relevant to a wide range of adult communication disorders.
• Knowledge of current national policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of trends/best practice across the clinical specialisms.
• In-depth knowledge of a range of therapeutic interventions relevant to the client groups and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits of each.
• Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance/audit.
• Understanding of the roles of other professionals relevant to client group.
• Knowledge of standards of record-keeping.
• Working knowledge of child protection and vulnerable adult policies.
• Working knowledge of structure, policies and functioning of the NHS and Local Authority.
• Developing skills in instrumental swallowing assessment eg VF, FEES.
• Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Other

• Please provide a contact telephone number.

Experience

• A period of post-qualification experience in communication, swallowing and voice disorders.
• Good working knowledge of a wide range of developmental and acquired speech, language and communication difficulties and their treatments.
• Experience of working within multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience liaising with other health, education and social professionals.
• Experience of planning and delivery of training for other professionals and parents/carers.
• Experience of working alongside highly-specialised therapists for highly-complex cases.
• Membership of relevant Special Interest Groups.
• Evidence of CPD and attendance at a range of short courses e.g. Dementia, Sentence Processing, Social Models of Therapy, Videofluoroscopy, Ethical issues, Dyspraxia.
• Significant specialist experience post-qualification across range of clinical areas.
• Completion of Level 1 Counselling Skills or equivalent.

Skills & Knowledge

• Excellent interpersonal skills - including observation, listening and empathy skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with Health, Education and Social Services professionals, as well as parents/families/carers.
• Influencing and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrate excellent analytical, assessment, deduction and reflection skills.
• Excellent presentation skills - written and oral.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills.
• Innovative thinking skills.
• Demonstrates ability to be a good team member and assume supervisory responsibilities of assistants and mentoring responsibilities of less-experienced Therapists.
• Independent and autonomous working.
• Highly-developed discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically.

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.

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

£37,338 to £44,962 a year25/26 pay award pending