Speech and Language Therapist - Critical Care | Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Southend University Hospital NHS Trust; Southend-on-Sea; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Southend-on-Sea is looking for an experienced Band 6 Speech and Language Therapist. The role focuses on critical care and acute respiratory services, with responsibilities including leading a team, managing complex swallowing assessments, and participating in videofluoroscopy clinics. Ideal candidates will have a relevant degree and proven experience in acute settings, along with a collaborative approach in multidisciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• Experience with critical care settings and acute respiratory care.
• Ability to perform advanced speech, language, and swallowing assessments.
• Experience supervising and educating junior therapists.

Responsibilities

• Lead the speech & language therapy team in critical care.
• Manage swallow/communication for tracheostomised patients.
• Participate in videofluoroscopy and FEES clinics.

Skills

Proven experience as a Speech and Language Therapist

Skills in respiratory care

Experience with videofluoroscopy

MDT collaboration

Education

Relevant Speech and Language Therapy degree

Job description

Overview

Do you have proven experience as a Band 6 Speech and Language Therapist with skills across both adult acute wards (including respiratory, oncology and CCU/HDU) and stroke? This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Band 6 or current Band 7 therapist to develop specialist skills within critical care and acute respiratory working with acquired swallowing and communication disorders. We are a small but very friendly team who seek to enable all staff to progress to their maximum potential, and to support their colleagues to do the same. With a strong ethos in evidence based practice and supportive patient intervention, the team works across critical care and the acute respiratory unit to provide excellent patient intervention and rehabilitation within the acute phase of their illness. We foster good links with our community colleagues to ensure seamless care for patients who may need continuing care post discharge.

Candidates with existing skills in leading videofluoroscopy clinics and performing FEES will have the opportunity to participate in these services. The SALT department has an excellent profile within the hospital and strong links to our main referring consultants, and other professionals. We foster effective MDT working and are an active member of the Therapies department.

The successful candidate will be responsible for leading the speech & language therapy team in relation to provision of the critical care and acute respiratory service at the acute Trust, working collaboratively with the Clinical Manager.

The post holder will be able to perform advanced speech, language and swallowing assessments of patients with diverse and sometimes complex presentations. They will be responsible for supervising, educating and assessing the performance of speech and language therapists and students, and will provide support for others in developing and delivering individualised treatment plans.

They will be expected to undertake evidence-based audit and research projects to further own and team1s clinical practice, making recommendations to the Clinical Manager for changes to practice by the team.

Our ambition is to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and wellbeing of our patients, and provide a vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers.

We aim to make the most of our skills and experiences so we can become the best we can be. As one organisation we will recruit the finest and retain more specialist staff due to more employment opportunities across our Trust.

Responsibilities

• Leading the team in relation to the provision of the critical care and acute respiratory service working collaboratively with the Clinical Manager
• Management of swallow/communication of tracheostomised patients
• Collaboration with MDT colleagues re: laryngeal wean and decannulation criteria
• Working within the critical care MDT
• Independent management of patients with a variety of clinical presentations
• Supporting Band 5 and 6 SLTs, and assisting them in the development and delivery of individualised treatment plans
• Supervising, educating and assessing the performance of SALTs and SALT students
• Participation in videofluoroscopy and FEES clinics