Job overview
We are excited to be offering an opportunity to join our Speech and Language Therapy service in Ipswich and East Suffolk to cover a period of maternity leave, working as a specialist speech and language therapist with acquired conditions in the inpatient and acute stroke teams.
The integrated SLT service in East Suffolk delivers inpatient, outpatient and community services. Our team supports people who have a range of conditions including stroke, progressive neurological conditions, head and neck cancer, voice disorders, dementia, respiratory conditions, and frailty. We also offer a countywide service to adults with learning disability. We are a friendly team and share expertise across the teams with our populations at the centre of service delivery. Our department sits withinIntegrated Therapies and therefore have excellent links to our MDT colleagues, including shared CPD opportunities. All teams are supported by our SLT apprentices and assistants.
This service champions research, innovation and development. The team are actively engaged in service improvement projects including the use of EMST, reviewing respiratory pathways and looking at service redesign. The Trust is committed to developing leadership skills for staff at all levels.
Main duties of the job
- The purpose of this post is to provide a highly specialist service to adults with acquired swallowing and communication disorders in inpatient settings. This will include acute stroke and inpatient wards such as respiratory, older people’s services, surgery, medicine and oncology.
- To provide clinical leadership with regards to delivering key acute stroke metrics (SNAPP)
- To provide Highly Specialist input to the Videofluoroscopy Clinic, as well as FEES assessments, including independent analysis, reporting and management of dysphagia
- To contribute to the nutrition support team ward round and attend the Trust nutrition meeting, contributing to service developments and strategy
- To provide specialist assessment and management of complex cases, including patients with tracheostomy, with support from the clinical lead therapist as required
- You will supervise and line manage staff and have the opportunity to contribute to our instrumental assessment provision, including videofluoroscopy and FEES, depending on your competency with these service areas.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Highly specialist knowledge in assessment and management of swallowing and communication disorders.
- Well established knowledge and interpretation of a broad range of relevant assessment tools and techniques, including informal assessment, standardised assessments.
- Highly specialist knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions
- Knowledge of evidence based practice / service developments in relation to specialism
- In-depth knowledge of the principles of clinical governance/audit
- Assessment/knowledge of alternative/ augmentative communication systems
- Involvement in audit/clinical governance within Speech and Language Therapy and/or multi-disciplinary
Desirable
- Knowledge of changes in NHS and current legislation
Experience
Essential
- Specialist experience of working with adults with acquired swallowing and communication disorders post registration
- Experience of neurological conditions, including stroke, progressive neurological conditions, dementia
- Experience of initiating and completing service development, audit and/or research
- Experience of teaching others on speech and language therapy related topics
- Experience of working in demanding settings, eg busy inpatient service, with patients with complex needs
- Experience supervising junior SLTs, assistants and students, supporting colleagues in stressful situations, and managing conflict
Desirable
- Experience of line managing staff
- Experience of analysing and interpreting videofluoroscopy images
- Experience of adhering to SNAPP stroke audit requirements
- Experience of working with people with altered airways, such as tracheostomy
- Experience of leading teams
Qualifications
Essential
- RCSLT recognised degree or equivalent
- Eligible for registered membership of RCSLT
- HCPC membership
- Independent Dysphagia practitioner
- Evidence of successful completion of specialist courses at a Master’s degree equivalent
- Membership of relevant CENs
Desirable
- RCSLT Videofluoroscopy competency: Level 3
- FEES level 2 competency
- Ability to travel to different places of work/driving licence
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Specialist Speech & Language Therapist with East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust in Colchester, East of England, England. It is listed as a Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist role. The advertised salary is £49,387 - £56,515 per annum. The contract type is Fixed term: 12 months (Exact end date TBC). The application deadline is 24 Jul 2026.
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