Job overview

ADULT SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY SERVICE

BAND 7 HIGHLY SPECIALIST SPEECH & LANGUAGE THERAPIST Acute Dysphagia and Head and Neck Cancer

(We would also consider a Band 6 to 7 career development post, depending on experience)

1.0 wte permanent post (part-time hours would be considered)

An excellent career opportunity has arisen for an extremely motivated specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join our friendly supportive team within our well-established department. The post offers you scope to further shape the service whilst advancing experience across a range of specialities.

The Adult Speech & Language Therapy service provides input to a range of specialist areas including Acute Stroke, ENT, Head & Neck Cancer, Maxilla-facial Surgery, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Neuro-rehabilitation, Neuro-oncology and Spinal Injuries and Critical care. The Trust also hosts the Middlesbrough MND Care Centre. This provides a great opportunity to be able to access shadowing and support from a range of Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapists who work together as a senior team.

Whilst we have members of the team providing input into these specialist areas you can expect to be working with a wide range of patients and specialties including respiratory medicine, cardiology, gastroenterology, surgery, oncology, older peoples medicine, critical care and stroke.

Main duties of the job

You will lead the delivery of a high-quality acute dysphagia service to in-patients at The James Cook University Hospital, a large, busy teaching hospital in Middlesbrough. In addition, you will support the Head and Neck Cancer team providing a highly specialist ENT and maxillo-facial speech and language therapy service to patients across the Northern Cancer Alliance (South). The caseload will be approximately 3 days acute dysphagia and 2 days in the head and neck cancer service.

You will be a team player and confident working in a busy service. Video-fluoroscopy and tracheostomy skills would be an advantage, although we can offer thorough training with our highly experienced colleagues. There is a strong emphasis on MDT working, particularly with our colleagues in Medicine, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Dietetics.

You will work closely with the Lead Speech and Language Therapist for Stroke, providing mentorship and supervision, training and support to Band 5/6 colleagues working in the Stroke and acute service in developing their dysphagia competencies. There will also be opportunities to provide training to staff nurses, healthcare assistants, therapeutic care workers and housekeepers regarding supporting patients with dysphagia.

You will be encouraged to take an active role in service improvement, clinical governance and continuing professional development.

Please note that this vacancy will close when we receive sufficient completed applications.

Working for our organisation

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust offers leadership and improvement training to all new staff to the Trust; this training programme has been designed to support our leaders in developing their understanding of leadership and management skills. You will be expected to attend the leadership development programme, and the Quality Improvement Programme that the Trust delivers. This programme aims to:

  • Explore leadership within the NHS
  • Promote Trust Values and Behaviours
  • Develop your Leadership effectiveness and skills
  • Practitioner level in quality improvement, equipping you with the skills to champion, lead and complete quality improvement within your role

    • After you complete this four and a half days of training you will be able to explore further leadership and improvement training opportunities, we offer further in-house courses dependent upon your role and bitesize programmes and leadership apprenticeships at level 3,5 and 7.

    Detailed job description and main responsibilities

    Please see the full job description and person specification document(s) for main responsibilities of the role.

    Person specification

    Knowledge and skills

    Essential criteria

  • Demonstrate excellent knowledge and clinical expertise within relevant specialist area
  • Evidence of involvement in audit / research / measurement of outcomes
  • Ability to work across professional boundaries working with multiple teams of healthcare professionals in more than one location

    • Desirable criteria

  • Competent with use of Systmone (or equivalent electronic notes system)

    • Qualifications and training

    Essential criteria

  • To hold a degree or relevant Diploma in Speech & Language Therapy
  • Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registration
  • To have achieved or be willing to work towards relevant post-graduate qualification
  • To have post-graduate training in dysphagia (can be in house or external)

    • Desirable criteria

  • Membership of RCSLT
  • Leadership training

    • Experience

    Essential criteria

  • Clinical experience in relevant specialist area(s) at Band 6 level
  • To have substantial post graduate experience including work with patients in an acute setting
  • To have substantial experience in the management of dysphagia, including videofluoroscopy and tracheostomy skills

    • Desirable criteria

  • Experience of supporting other members of staff (e.g. line management, mentorship, regular supervision)
  • Evidence of relevant post graduate courses and study at Masters level or equivalent

    • Disclosure and Barring Checks (DBS)
    It is now the policy of South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who are new to the Trust who require DBS clearance for the post they have been offered, are required to pay the cost of their DBS. The method of payment for this is via salary deduction from your first month’s pay.

    Equality Diversity and Inclusion
     We are proud to offer the opportunity for all of our workforce to join a number of Staff Networks. These include the Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Network; LGBT+ Network; Disability and Long Term Health Conditions Network, Faith Network, Childless not by Choice Network and the Menopause Support Group.

    We welcome applications from applicants from all diverse backgrounds.

    The Trust encourages and supports all applicants to be fully vaccinated against both COVID19 and influenza.

    Please be aware, there are occasions where some vacancies may close prior to the closing date advertised. This will only happen where sufficient applications are received AND will be made evident on the job advert.

    Please note if you are successfully shortlisted, we will contact you via the email address that you have applied from so please ensure you check your emails regularly.

    Existing employees of South Tees NHS Foundation Trust currently on the Redeployment Register, who meet the essential criteria for this post, will be shortlisted and interviewed prior to all other applicants.