Job summary
12 month fixed term contract or secondment to cover Maternity leave from 1st August 2025.
At Stepping Hill Hospital, the Speech and Language Therapy department boasts an SLT service on critical care, a specialist FEES service, and an acute frailty unit. The team is looking for an enthusiastic, innovative, experienced SLT to join our team as Clinical Lead.
The post holder will work as part of a supportive MDT delivering a service to inpatients with a range of acquired communication and swallowing difficulties. It will also involve working closely with the Trust's Nutritional Support Team, attending weekly meetings and ward rounds.
The successful applicant will have established skills in dysphagia. Skills and experience in videofluoroscopy, knowledge of tracheostomy patients and FEES are desirable but not essential. Training opportunities are available when determined by the successful candidate's skill set. The candidate will have excellent communication skills and be able to demonstrate an adaptable approach whilst meeting guidelines and standards.
You will receive supervision with a senior SLT. You will also be responsible for supervising specialist, NQPs and SLT Assistants. There will be the opportunity to contribute towards and receive regular in-service training and CPD opportunities.
This post will include a maximum of 5 working days, flexible over a 7 day working rota. Where weekend working is involved an enhanced rate of pay is received.
Main duties of the job
* To provide a safe, effective and consistently high quality Speech and Language Therapy service at Stockport Foundation Trust.
* To act as a clinical expert and autonomous practitioner in specialist clinical area to provide highly specialist care to Speech and Language Therapy patients with complex swallowing and communication needs. Manage a delegated caseload within specialist area. To assess, plan and implement patient centred, evidence-based interventions.
* To provide evidence-based care, education and information to patients, carers and health care professionals in a range of inpatient settings.
* The role includes leading and developing a team of specialist Speech and Language Therapists in the acute ward service, covering critical care, A&E and the acute frailty unit in addition to the other specialty medical wards across the hospital.
* Provide line management and supervision to Band 6 and Band 5 Speech and Language Therapists. Contribute to the training and development of Speech and Language Therapy students and Speech and Language Therapy assistants.
* To support the Speech and Language Therapy Team Lead and Nutrition and Dietetic Service Lead with operational and strategic planning, deputising as required.
* The work is based at Stepping Hill Hospital and includes weekend working on a rota as required.
About us
We hold a unique position in the Stockport community as the provider of healthcare and we are one of its largest employers.
Our mission is to make a difference every day. Our values are that we care, we respect, and we listen.
We believe that the best organisations are those that reflect the communities they serve. We are therefore seeking to improve the diversity of our workforce to make it truly representative of our local population.
We actively encourage applications irrespective of race, age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage & civil partnership, or pregnancy or maternity. Recognising those communities that are underrepresented within our workforce, we would particularly welcome applications from you.
We recognise that flexible working is important. We take requests for flexible working seriously, consider any request we receive and try to work with you, so we can explore if your request may fit with the needs of the service.
The salary for the role is only one part of the excellent package of benefits we offer to you:
Between 27-33 days of annual leave plus bank holidays.
* NHS pension scheme membership
* Salary sacrifice schemes for lease cars, home electronics and more, to make your salary go further
* NHS Staff discounts
* Cycle to work scheme
* Salary finance - for loans, savings, budget planning and tips on managing debt
* Stockport Credit Union- for local financial advice
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Duties and Responsibilities
* To be the named SLT lead for acute wards and devise and implement appropriate clinical guidelines and patient pathways associated with this area.
* Provide a highly specialist Speech and Language Therapy service to the acute hospital wards using evidence based patient centred principles to assess, implement and evaluate interventions.
* To perform advanced therapeutic assessment of patients with diverse presentations including head and neck cancer and complex communication and swallowing problems. This includes instrumental assessment such as FEES and videofluoroscopy, providing a diagnosis and developing and delivering an individualised treatment programme.
* Act as an independent practitioner and be professionally accountable and responsible for aspects of own work. Decide priorities for own work, balance patient related and professional demands in consultation with other Speech and Language Therapy Clinical Leads and Service Lead.
* To be responsible for planning and service development within specialist area.
* To identify service needs and maximise the efficiency of the team within the resource available.
* To work alongside Service Lead and Speech and Language Therapy Clinical Leads to integrate service and pathways and implement any changes within the team.
* To provide line management for specialist team including recruitment and selection, induction, monitoring sickness and absence, performance and development reviews, one to one meetings and clinical supervision.
* To be a source of clinical expertise for the team providing supervision and mentorship.
* To work alongside consultants, specialist nurses and ward staff to provide specialist Speech and Language therapy treatment plans as part of holistic patient care.
* Provision of expert advice on the management of patients referred to the acute Speech and Language Therapy team due to additional complex clinical needs.
* To attend ward rounds, MDT meetings and best interest meetings as needed, promoting an understanding of the role of Speech and Language Therapy in achieving the best outcome for each patient.
* Supervise, educate and assess the performance of students (this would be to a graduate standard and involve working with universities to ensure the standard of practice and teaching meets the standards set by the degree level qualification).
1. To provide training, support and supervision to Speech and Language Therapy colleagues in critical care and videofluoroscopy.
* Provide relevant training to other healthcare professionals.
* Develop and implement pathways, resources and teaching materials for use by the Speech and Language Therapy team and other professions.
* Collect all data necessary to meet local requirements for service monitoring.
* Work in conjunction with colleagues on development and implementation of local policies based on national guidance.
* To identify and undertake clinical audit.
* Maintain professional competence and expertise, keeping up-to-date with current research, working practices and models of working. Comply with professional guidelines and Code of Practice.
* Participate in personal and professional development through objective setting and regular job review.
* Work as a committed and effective member of the Speech and Language Therapy Team wider MDT Team in order to maximise the potential of the service and profession.
* Support other specialist Speech and Language Therapists with caseloads in their absence. As required to offer support to other clinical areas to ensure all patients are seen in a timely manner.
The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and promote safeguarding by implementing the Trust's policies and procedures, acting promptly on concerns, communicating effectively and sharing information appropriately.
If successful this vacancy will require an enhanced DBS check at a cost of £54.50. This cost will be deducted from your first Trust salary.
In addition to this it will be a condition of your employment that you will join the DBS update service and pay the annual subscription fee of £16.
Person Specification
Education & Qualifications
Essential
* Degree in Speech and Language Therapy
* Registration with the Health Care Professions Council.
* Attendance at courses, conferences or study days which support knowledge and/or practice in specialist clinical area
* 'M' level or equivalent courses in relevant speciality.
* Postgraduate specialist certificate in dysphagia or equivalent and in-depth experience of dysphagia management.
Desirable
* Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)
* Member of relevant Speech and Language Therapy Clinical Excellence Networks
* Evidence of leadership courses relevant to the post
* Post-graduate training in FEES and completion of level 3 RCSLT FEES competencies.
* Completion of post graduate training in Videofluoroscopy.
* Postgraduate training in tracheostomy care and completion of RCSLT tracheostomy competencies
Knowledge
Essential
* Specialist knowledge across a range of clinical decisions and their management acquired through degree and postgraduate experience
* Highly specialist knowledge of the head, neck and thorax
* Specialist knowledge relevant to clinical area
* Knowledge of policies and procedures and guidelines relevant to role
* Understanding of NHS structure and systems
* Awareness of cultural diversity and equality issues
* Experience of providing clinical supervision to members of the team
Experience
Essential
* Significant post registration experience in area relevant to the post
* Experience working in a multi-disciplinary team in an acute stroke and stroke rehabilitation setting
* Evidence of leadership and supervision
* Ability to work autonomously
* Managing a clinical caseload
* Presenting training sessions/talks
* Experience of supervising/mentoring junior staff, speech and language therapy assistants and students
* Participation in audit/research
Work Related Circumstances
Essential
* Ability to work flexible hours based on the needs of the service.
* Must maintain patient confidentiality at all times
* Exposure to potentially distressing or emotional situations pertaining to the clinical or social circumstances of patients
Skills and abilities
Essential
* Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
* Good listening skills and an ability to offer empathy
* Ability to expertly use and apply a range of assessment and treatment techniques and approaches to the management of conditions relevant to Speech and Language Therapy.
* Ability to communicate complex information to clients, carers and other professionals in a sensitive manner.
* Ability to adapt communication style where required (with individuals or groups)
* Ability to motivate others to facilitate change
* Organisational skills and ability to manage time effectively, prioritise own and staff caseloads and meet deadlines
* Able to use judgement and clinical expertise to interpret and analyse information.
* Able to assess a situation holistically
* Documented evidence of CPD
* Engagement service improvement within clinical areas/ services including policy development
* Confident and self-motivated being able to work independently and communicate effectively at all levels
* Flexibility/adaptability in handling work pressures, competing interests and busy caseload to meet service need
* Well-developed problem solving/analytical skills
* Well-motivated, with a commitment to developing the service
* Strong commitment to personal development
* IT Skills
Desirable
* Behaviour change skills
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 .
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
Employer details
Employer name
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Stepping Hill Hospital
Poplar Grove
Stockport
SK2 7JE
Employer's website #J-18808-Ljbffr