Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist - Voice and ENT

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist - Voice and ENT

We have an exciting opportunity for a Speech and Language Therapist with specialist skills in Voice / ENT to join our service on a permanent 0.5 WTE contract.

We are a friendly, innovative team working with patients who have head and neck cancer, voice disorders, benign ENT, OMFS and airway disorders. Our team covers three sites - St Bartholomews, Royal London and Whipps Cross Hospitals to serve a large and diverse caseload. We have many established specialist clinics that the post holder will have the opportunity to be involved with and have long established working relationships with our ENT, OMFS and Oncology colleagues, along with the wider MDT and SLT team.

The post offers significant opportunity to increase existing skills and experience in a variety of settings across patient groups within the specialism. You will provide highly specialist services to adults with a range of voice and benign ENT disorders. There may also be the opportunity to cross-cover the head and neck cancer inpatient and outpatient caseloads. You will have the opportunity to participate in joint voice clinics with our ENT consultants and SLT-led nasendoscopy clinics.

The post holder will have post-qualification experience in working with adults with voice and other benign ENT disorders. The post holder will have the opportunity to maintain and develop specialist skills in voice therapy, benign ENT dysphagia (including opportunities for videofluoroscopy and FEES) and nasendoscopy.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will work as a member of the Head & Neck / ENT Speech and Language Therapy Department, primarily providing a service to adults with benign voice disorders. There may also be the opportunity to cover inpatients and outpatients with benign ENT dysphagia and Head & Neck Cancer for candidates with relevant experience. The therapist will be based across Royal London Hospital (RLH) and Whipps Cross Hospital (WXH) sites, but may also provide sessions to St Bartholomew's Hospital (SBH) if required. The post holder will participate in service initiatives and be proactive in supporting the development of clinical work in their service area. The post holder will work closely with Technical Instructors (TIs), interpreters and other members of the MDT.

About us

Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.

The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.

Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond.

Job responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
• Health and Care Professions Council license to practice
• Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses in the area of Voice/Head & Neck
• Membership of relevant Clinical Excellence Networks e.g. Voice, H&N
• Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

Experience

• Significant post qualification experience of working with patients with benign ENT and voice disorders
• Clinical experience of voice therapy, including use of various assessment and therapeutic techniques
• Independent management of complex dysphagia
• Experience of MDT working including participation in combined clinics (e.g. voice clinic)
• Experience in training to other professionals
• Experience in the supervision of SLT students / junior therapists/ assistants
• Experience of audit/clinical governance to monitor/improve service
• Experience of working with clients from multicultural background and working with interpreters
• Experience of working with patients with Head & Neck Cancer, including laryngectomy, radiotherapy and surgical patients
• Myofascial release or other laryngeal manual therapy technique, experience of specialist areas such as upper airway disorders or trans voice

Knowledge

• To adhere to RCSLT, national and local clinical guidelines
• Well-established knowledge of a broad range of assessment tools in the area of voice and dysphagia
• In depth knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions in voice and dysphagia with an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits
• Knowledge of use of outcome measures relevant to clinical area
• Knowledge of up-to-date advances in clinical management
• In-depth knowledge of national policies and procedures in the clinical area
• Knowledge of the importance of cultural and linguistic issues for communication and swallowing
• In depth knowledge of the principles of clinical governance/audit
• Understanding of the roles of other professionals (relevant to Voice/Head & Neck)
• Knowledge of standards of record keeping

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.

Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist

£54,320 to £60,981 a year per annum inc (pro rata)