Speech and Language Therapist

Transformation Unit; Norwich; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Hybrid working

Job summary

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting two rotational Band 5 Speech and Language Therapists based at the Norwich site. The roles offer development across Acute, Neurosciences and Head & Neck/Voice teams with full dysphagia training provided.

You will join a supportive team, with strong links to the University of East Anglia, offering professional development and flexible working options, including hybrid patterns where roles allow, while delivering

Qualifications

• Attainment of relevant qualifications in Speech and Language Therapy as recognised by RCSLT and HCPC.
• Registered member of RCSLT and HCPC.
• Undergraduate clinical experience in adult acquired communication and swallowing disorders.

Responsibilities

• To hold and manage a delegated caseload and to be legally accountable for all clinical decisions and professional actions.
• To provide assessment, differential diagnosis and appropriate and clearly planned Speech and Language Therapy interventions and discharge planning for patients with a wide range of disorders.
• To adapt assessment and intervention techniques to the needs of individual patients on an ongoing basis including the provision of augmentative and alternative communication systems as appropriate.

Skills

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Communication skills

Education

SLT degree (HCPC/RCSLT)

Job description

Main area Speech and Language Therapy Department Grade NHS AfC: Band 5 Contract 8 months (This is a fixed term post ending on 31st August 2027) Hours

• Full time
• Part time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week Job ref 234-26-F1262

Employer Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital Town Norwich Salary £32,073 - £39,043 per annum, pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 01/11/2026 23:59

Speech and Language Therapist

NHS AfC: Band 5

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) is a 1,200-bedded teaching hospital with state-of-the-art facilities for modern patient care: 1100 beds in the PFI and 100 in Cromer Community Hospital.

The NNUH is part of Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group which includes the James Paget Hospital, in Great Yarmouth and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King Lynn.

We carry out nearly one million outpatient appointments, day case procedures and inpatient admissions annually. The population we serve is predominantly the people of Norfolk and north Suffolk, although some patients are referred from further afield especially to access specialist services available at this Trust.

Our staff of c10,000 care for and support patients who are referred to us by around 100 local GP practices and from other acute hospitals. We run more than 60 specialist services as a tertiary centre, including more than a dozen specialist cancer and radiotherapy treatments, and we are one of the biggest cancer centres in the country.

We provide complex spinal surgery services, specialist Neonatal Intensive Care, neurosciences services and specialist cardiac services. Our Trust runs specialist dermatology, rheumatology, endocrinology, adult congenital heart disease services, treatment of complex liver and pancreatic diseases in adults, cystic fibrosis services and intestinal failure services. We are enhancing our urgent and emergency care specialist services for patients with significant injuries as a result of trauma and have an ambition to become a Major Trauma Centre.NNUH is currently the busiest Trauma Unit in the East of England caring for almost 850 trauma patients annually many with complex care needs.

At NNUH it is our privilege to provide healthcare, and our vision is to ‘provide the best care for every patient’. If this inspires you and you share our values, we really want you to join our team.

Our values support our vision and guide the behaviour of everything we do, these are:

People-focused

We look after the needs of our patients, carers and colleagues, to provide a safe and caring experience for all.

Respect

We act with care, compassion and kindness and value others’ diverse needs.

Integrity

We take an honest, open and ethical approach to everything we do.

Dedication

We work as one team and support each other to maintain the highest professional standards.

We continuously learn and improve to achieve the best outcomes for our patients and our hospital.

We want all our staff to achieve a balance between work and personal life and understand how important flexible working can be. We welcome applications on a full or part time basis, various shift patterns and hybrid working, where roles allow.

At the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH), we know the benefits diversity can bring to our organisation such as creativity, innovation and compassion. All of which have a direct impact towards our staff and patient experience. We are committed to being a Hospital for All – being equitable and inclusive, and a place where all feel a sense of belonging. We therefore particularly encourage and welcome applications from candidates who are underrepresented in NNUH’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities and long term conditions and people within the LGBT+ community.

Job overview

We have an exciting opportunity to offer 2 rotational posts for Band 5 Speech and Language Therapist keen to develop their skills with adult patients with acquired communication and swallowing impairments. The post is based at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, a large state of the art teaching hospital. The successful applicants will have opportunities to rotate amongst all 3 teams – Acute, Neurosciences, Head & Neck/Voice. Full dysphagia training will be provided.

You will join a supportive and motivated team who are enthusiastic and innovative and are committed to evidence based practice. Regular team meetings, support and supervision ensure a high quality of service is provided by you and the team as a whole. The team also has strong links with the University of East Anglia, including the School of Health Sciences and Medical School. These links offer exciting opportunities for professional and personal development.

Main duties of the job

As post holder your duties will include:

• To provide Speech and Language Therapy assessment, differential diagnosis, and treatment for adults with acquired communication and swallowing disorders.
• To provide education, training and advice to patients, carers, other health care professionals and voluntary organisations.
• To be involved in undertaking audits of the provision of speech and language therapy services within the designated team.

Within our Team:

• You will be joining a friendly and motivated team committed to providing high quality patient care.
• Regular team meetings and supervision will ensure that you are well supported.
• An excellent opportunity to acquire and develop dysphagia skills in a supported environment

Working for our organisation

Join us at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and be part of a workforce of over 10,000 staff!

The NNUH is one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK, providing first-class acute care for around one million people, living in Norfolk and surrounding areas. We are a teaching and research hospital, at the forefront of innovation, home to state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Quadram Institute. We are pleased to work closely with the University of East Anglia, providing teaching opportunities for our staff and placement opportunities for their students. We attract some of the best and leading professionals from across the country and are proud that our workforce represents 94 countries from across the world.

We are a friendly, collaborative hospital, working with local services and home to N&N Hospitals Charity

We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:

• Fast Track Staff Physiotherapy Service
• Multi Faith prayer room
• Discounted gym memberships
• Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
• Wagestream - access up to 40% of your pay as you earn it
• Free Park & Ride service direct to NNUH site
• Free 24-hours confidential counselling support
• On-site Nursery
• On-site cafes offering staff discounts
• Flexible staff bank
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars, Cycle to Work scheme and home electronics

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To hold and manage a delegated caseload and to be legally accountable for all clinical decisions and professional actions.
• To provide assessment, differential diagnosis and appropriate and clearly planned Speech and Language Therapy intervention and discharge planning for patients with a wide range of disorders referred to the Service, in line RCSLT Clinical Guidelines, and standards set by, Team Leaders and SLT Service Manager.
• To adapt assessment and intervention techniques to the needs of individual patients on an ongoing basis including the provision of augmentative and alternative communication systems as appropriate.
• To identify need for second opinions, referring to senior colleagues as appropriate.
• To assist/observe instrumental assessments, as patient need dictates (e.g. participation in videofluoroscopy (VFS), Fibreoptic Endoscopoic Evaluation of Swallow (FEES), videolaryngoendoscopy and voice clinic), conducted by senior SLTs. To be aware of Health and Safety issues in relation to potential exposure to radiation and bodily fluids.
• To contribute to assessment and information gathering of a patient’s mental capacity in relation to their ability to consent with support from senior colleagues. To also enable patients to maximise their independence in decision making and their ability to communicate their wishes.
• To work closely with all appropriate agencies and MDT colleagues to ensure comprehensive management of the patient’s SLT needs, providing written and verbal reports as appropriate to ensure that all parties involved fully understand the nature of the patient’s communication/swallowing disorders.
• To participate in case conferences and undertake multi-disciplinary working, to enhance patients’ functional abilities.
• To devise, monitor, supervise and evaluate the implementation of communication and swallowing intervention programmes carried out by others, e.g. SLT Assistants, other health professionals, volunteers and carers.
• To provide information that may be complex to patients, carers and families in a manner that enables and ensures their understanding (patients will frequently have communication and or cognitive difficulties as well as emotional difficulty accepting the information being provided), observing data protection guidelines.

Please view the attached job description for full details of the role and use your supporting statement to confirm how you meet the essential and desirable criteria on the job specification.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Attainment of relevant qualifications in Speech and Language Therapy as recognised by RCSLT and HCPC
• Registered member of RCSLT and HCPC

Experience

• Undergraduate clinical experience in adult acquired communication and swallowing disorders
• Clinical experience as a Speech and Language Therapist
• Experience/observation of dysphagia, Videofluoroscopy, Fibre optic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallow at undergraduate or post graduate level

Skills

• Able to work within an interdisciplinary team
• Effective role model, demonstrating NNUH’s PRIDE values of People focussed, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Excellence
• Demonstrates understanding and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The Job Description, which includes a Person Specification, provides a full outline of responsibilities and requirements for this role. Please use your supporting statement to demonstrate how you meet the person specification.

Visa and Immigration

If you are wishing to apply for this role and would require sponsorship (this includes if you are already in a sponsored post and looking to change employer), you can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship for this post by assessing your circumstances against criteria specified on the gov.uk website https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-job.

Travelling to work

Staff parking is available onsite; however, this is limited during core working hours. We have more capacity in the evening and at weekends and can usually provide spaces during those hours.

We look to allocate these spaces fairly. Our Travel Office have a set of criteria that staff must meet in order to qualify. If you qualify for a space, you may be placed on a waiting list if we are at full capacity.

The NNUH is served by a number of public buses, and we offer generously discounted monthly passes with First Bus & Konect.

The Costessey Park and Ride runs regularly each day from 06:30 (from P&R) to 20:45 (from NNUH) and this service is free for NHS staff. Applications to the Travel Office for a Trust ID badge are required for this service. We also have a discounted service from the airport P&R if you purchase a bundle. Please see Konect website for further details.

The NNUH host multiple bicycle racks and a salary sacrifice scheme. We also benefit from a Beryl station onsite.

If you work at another Trust site, please discuss travel and parking arrangements at interview.

DBS

If this post involves working with children or adults the application form will ask for information regarding previous convictions as you will be required to undertake a Criminal Record and Barring Check known as a DBS check.

If you are a new employee or registering with the Staff Bank you will need to meet the cost of this unless your salary is below Band 4 (AfC).

NHS Service

Should you be appointed to the post we will need to establish any previous NHS service via the ESR IAT and we will accept the submission of your application as your agreement to this.

UK Professional Registration

You will need to have current UK professional registration where this is a requirement of the role. When you submit an application which includes professional registration details, you are providing consent to the checking and verification of this information.