Senior Specialist Speech & Language Therapist

Senior Specialist Speech & Language Therapist

Are you looking for a change? Do you want a job with more autonomy, an opportunity to influence the development of SLT input? We have a vacant post working across 4 wards in Langley Green Hospital (Acute Adult Mental Health) and Uckfield Hospital (Beechwood Dementia ward). If you have experience of working with adults across any setting, an innovative approach to service delivery, good leadership skills and are passionate about providing communication input as well as dysphagia assessment and intervention we welcome your application.

You will provide SLT input, within a MDT framework, working with patients at Uckfield Hospital and LGH. You will be working with patients, their carers and ward staff to co-produce care. You will be required to wear the uniform of the ward.

You will also support the wider SLT team across Sussex providing duty cover for the referral inbox and occasionally providing cover in other areas. You will be familiar with working with other professions, agencies and families and carers. You will have an understanding of the changing landscape of the NHS. You will have several years of clinical experience in one or more adult settings and will be confident in supervision, supporting students, working alongside a MDT and communicating at all levels. Experience in service improvement and design is particularly welcome as is a flexible approach to implementing and leading in innovative changes.

Job summary

The SLT service is a small team of SLTs working across the county. We accept referrals for dysphagia and communication from within our services, via a central SLT referral inbox. Referrals are managed via a duty system (rota) and you will have responsibility for referral triage at least one day per week.

You will offer face to face dysphagia assessments to patients across the 4 wards. You will provide language assessment to support differential diagnosis, capacity assessments and decision-making, and to support patients to engage in their treatment and care plans.

You will use electronic systems in a methodical and timely way to capture your clinical input for the safety and effectiveness of the patients' journey through our services.

You will contribute to the continuous development of the service, bringing creative solutions, a flexible attitude and an open and positive mindset, and always with the patient's wellbeing at the centre of everything you do.

Interviews likely to be held on 14/05/2025.

About us

We provide mental health and learning disability care for children, young people and adults across Sussex and for children and young people in Hampshire. You will be working with adults with mental health and Dementia diagnoses in our acute inpatient services.

Working in Sussex:

Travel easily between coast and countryside, with a blend of picturesque villages and seaside towns there's always new experiences to be enjoyed.

Embrace the city life with great access to visit Brighton and London.

With easy access to Gatwick and Heathrow and excellent railway links across the UK there is plenty of opportunity for adventure.

We'd love you to join our organisation that is rated 'good' overall and 'outstanding' for caring by the Care Quality Commission. Our staff agree, with 82% of people in our recent staff survey telling us that they recognise that care for patients is our top priority.

Other key staff survey results include:

1. 70% highlighting flexible working opportunities as a key point for satisfaction at work.
2. 79% reporting feeling able to make suggestions to improve the work within their team.
3. 77% identifying the opportunities to show initiative in their roles.

See the attached 'Partnership Perks' document for details about our benefits package.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Qualified and experienced Speech and Language Therapist, with at least 5 years post graduate experience.

• Responsible for managing an often complex dysphagia and communication caseload for adults in acute inpatient settings; providing assessments, interventions, training and support to the MDT.
• To communicate the findings of your assessments effectively to colleagues, other agencies and family/carers.
• To contribute towards MDT risk assessments and care plans.
• To develop and deliver packages of training for both Communication and Dysphagia.
• To regularly support and cover the duty rota.
• To contribute to the maintenance and development of the Service.
• To regularly share and supervise students on practice placement.

For further information or to discuss the post, please contact the SLT team lead, Mary-Helen L'Heureux at mary-helen.lheureux@spft.nhs.uk 07471032042 (working days Tues, Wed).

Travel is an essential part of the role which involves travel between wards. You will be required to work from home for some of your working week (hot desking and other accommodation options can be offered if working from home is not possible).

MAIN DUTIES

See attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details.

Please apply using the link in this advert, or for more information explore the attachments or contact:

Mary-Helen L'Heureux Principle Speech & Language Therapist:

mary-helen.lheureux@nhs.net

(We are happy to arrange informal visits currently Covid dependant).

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Licence to practice as a Speech & Language Therapist.
• HPC registration.

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience as a qualified SLT.
• Broad experience of working with clients with a range of abilities and disabilities.
• Experience of both group and individual work.
• Experience of multidisciplinary working.
• Experience of supervising staff and students.
• Experience in a clinical area related to the post.
• Experience of multi-agency work.
• Experience in applying a range of assessment tools and a comprehensive knowledge of relevant SLT clinical approaches.
• Audit experience.
• Experience of service development.
• Expert knowledge of SLT assessments and interventions including dysphagia.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Langley Green Hospital

Martyrs Avenue

Crawley

RH11 7EJ

Employer's website

https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

£37,338 to £52,809 a year pro rata for part time.