Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (SLT)

Job overview

Due to internal promotion, an exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced clinician to join our team at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, a large state of the art teaching hospital. The post holder will work as part of our inpatient adult team, predominantly seeing complex acute patients including those on our Critical Care unit and supporting our post operative Head and Neck Cancer patients. Ideally you will be competent in managing patients with tracheostomy, as well as videofluoroscopy and/or FEES, with the opportunity to take on a Clinical Lead role dependent on experience.

You will be joining a well-supported, strong team of speech and language therapists, who are passionate about our Trust’s PRIDE values and have a fantastic reputation throughout the hospital. The team is enthusiastic and innovative and committed to evidence-based practice. You will receive regular supervision, be involved in service development and research projects, attend regular team meetings and have access to continuing professional development opportunities both with the Trust and externally. In addition, the team also has strong links with the University of East Anglia including the undergraduate SLT degree course.

So, if you are a versatile, enthusiastic, and motivated speech and language therapist who would like the opportunity to join our friendly team, we would love to hear from you!

Interview date: 23rd December 2025

Main duties of the job

• To provide highly specialist Speech & Language Therapy assessment, differential diagnosis, and treatment for patients with communication, feeding and swallowing disorders.
• To conduct and interpret results of specialist instrumental -assessment independently, including Videofluoroscopy (VFS) and Fibreoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallow (FEES) and Endoscopic Evaluation of the Larynx (EEL).  To be aware of Health and Safety issues in relation to potential exposure to radiation and bodily fluids.
• To work as part of a multidisciplinary team to ensure inter-professional patient care for patients with communication, feeding and swallowing disorders.
• To identify and address the professional development and training needs for junior colleagues within the SLT service in negotiation with the Service Manager, and to conduct/contribute to their annual Professional Development Reviews.
• To participate in Clinical Governance, audit activities and in research initiatives within the SLT Department and with the UEA.
• To provide leadership/leadership support to the SLT team.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To hold and manage a caseload of patients with communication, feeding and swallowing disorders independently and to be legally accountable for all clinical decisions and professional actions.
• To delegate a caseload to junior colleagues within the Speech and Language Therapy team.
• To provide highly specialist assessment, differential diagnosis and appropriate and clearly planned Speech and Language Therapy intervention and discharge planning for patients with a wide range of communication, feeding  and swallowing disorders within the SLT team, in line with RCSLT Clinical Guidelines, and standards set by the SLT Service Manager.
• To independently manage feeding, swallowing and communication difficulties in patients with altered airways including the management of patients with voice prosthesis, once competency has been achieved.
• To demonstrate highly specialist knowledge in the area of communication, feeding  and swallowing disorders underpinned by current evidence based practice.
• To adapt assessment and intervention techniques to the needs of individual patients on an ongoing basis including the provision of augmentative and alternative communication systems as appropriate.
• To provide second opinions for local SLT colleagues in the areas of communication, feeding  and swallowing disorders.
• To conduct and interpret results of specialist instrumental -assessment independently, including Videofluoroscopy (VFS) and Fibreoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallow (FEES), videolaryngoendoscopy with stroboscopy.  To be aware of Health and Safety issues in relation to potential exposure to radiation and bodily fluids.
• To independently carry out oral and deep suctioning on patients as required, once competency has been achieved.
• To independently carry out voice prosthesis changes and advise on laryngectomy/voice prosthesis products as required once competency has been achieved.

Please view the attached job description for full details of the role, and use your supporting statement to confirm how you meet the essential and desirable criteria on the job specification.