Specialist Speech & Language Therapist

NHS; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job description

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Are you a flexible and innovative Speech and Language Therapist who is looking for a new and exciting challenge?

If you have a strong interest in working with adults with complex conditions in a fast-paced environment, come and join our talented team in the state-of-the-art new Royal Liverpool Hospital in the centre of Liverpool.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 6 Speech and Language Therapist to join our Inpatient Adult Speech and Language Therapy Team. The successful candidate will be part of an innovative team, managing complex dysphagia and communication inpatient caseloads. We cover many different medical specialities including Frailty, A&E, Gastroenterology, Infectious Diseases, Respiratory & Critical Care. This opportunity is also open to experienced Band 5s who are keen to develop into a band 6 role via a training route.

We are a dynamic, supportive, and friendly team who are forward thinking and passionate about evidence-based practice and service development. We are committed to continuing professional development through monthly CPD team events, peer supervision, and attendance and presentation at internal and national courses.

Main duties of the job

As a member of a flexible and supportive team, you will have the opportunity to work with a broad range of complex conditions from a range of clinical specialities. You will be supported to further develop your skills in dysphagia and communication as well as caseload management, prioritisation, and leadership.

You will have access to expert practitioner SALTs working with advanced dysphagia, critical care, and respiratory conditions. Two videofluoroscopy clinics run weekly and we have a well-established inpatient FEES service. Band 6 staff have the opportunity to become videofluoroscopy competent practitioners.

You will work as part of the wider multi-disciplinary team across the hospital. SLTs regularly attend Feeding Issues MDT and jointly work with the Learning Disability Team and Dementia Team to provide holistic patient care. There is SLT representation in many hospital-wide multi-professional working groups such as oral care, nutrition and hydration, communication, and tracheostomy.

We have a clear supervision structure and advice is available from our highly skilled Clinical Specialists. Band 6 employees are required to supervise Band 5 and assistant staff and deputise for clinical team leads. You will be encouraged to support service development through participation in internal and external projects.

About us

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.

UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.

For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.

Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation. Liverpool Women's Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK's largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.

Job responsibilities

To provide a Specialist Speech & Language Therapy Service to patients who have acquired dysphagia and communication disorders in acute settings.

Be an active member of the multidisciplinary teams to ensure the best possible service for patients and their families.

Please see attached job description and person specification for further information.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• BSc/MSc Graduate
• Registration with HPC
• Member of RCSLT
• Attends regular SIG meetings in areas of clinical interest

Experience

• Post qualification experience working with Adult Acquired disorders
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary environment
• Experience of running Adult groups
• Able to work with Assistants
• Videofluoroscopy assessments with senior
• Working with voluntary agencies
• Teaching/training others
• Involvement in audit or clinical research
• Involvement in Clinical Supervision process
• Experience of taking SLT observation students

Knowledge

• Sound dysphagia skills - able to work independently
• Understanding of current issues affecting NHS
• Evidence of attendance on external courses to develop knowledge and skills in specialised clinical areas

Skills

• Good knowledge and skills in therapeutic and functional approaches to communication disorders
• Evidence of developing clinical reasoning and problem solving skills
• Can evaluate the effectiveness of clinical intervention
• Ability to organise own caseload effectively
• Excellent interpersonal skills - observation, listening and empathy skills
• Basic IT skills
• Excellent written and verbal skills

Other

• Able to work collaboratively within a team
• Flexible/able to cope with change
• Committed to personal development
• Awareness of own limitations
• Demonstrates empathy with patients
• Experience of facilitating communication between language impaired patients, staff and carers

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.

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

£37,338 to £44,962 a year per annum, per rota

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working