Job summary
- Main area
- Therapies
- Grade
- AFC Band 7
- Contract
- Fixed term: 12 months (Maternity Cover)
- Hours
- Part time - 30 hours per week
- Job ref
- 384-JH-EMF17821-B7
- Employer
- Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
- Town
- Guildford
- Salary
- £48,270 - £54,931 per annum pro rata including High Cost Area Supplement
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 17/03/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Critical Care Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
AFC Band 7
Job overview
We have a fantastic opportunity for a suitably experienced SLT to join our clinically passionate, friendly, supportive inpatient speech and language therapy team at the Royal Surrey Hospital for a period of 12 months to cover maternity leave. The post holder will lead the SLT Critical Care service, as well as provide clinical support and expertise for complex patients across the trust, especially in the management of tracheostomy.
The speech and language therapy team have extensive expertise in the management of patients with head & neck cancer (including laryngectomy), stroke, neurology, critical care, neuro-oncology, general medicine and voice disorders. The team place a high value on the acquisition and development of evidence based clinical skills for the benefit of patients. We offer a supportive environment with regular team meetings and a rolling in-service CPD programme.
The team are committed to sharing best practice in the fields of acquired communication and swallow disorders, so provide regular training sessions for doctors, nurses and healthcare assistants as well as those staff trained to carry out basic dysphagia screening.
The trust has put staff well-being at the forefront of many of its initiatives in recent years, and there is a real focus on the importance of happiness and fulfilment at work. Equality and Diversity is also at the heart of the Trusts objectives, and there are opportunities to both promote, and learn about other cultures.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will have had previous experience working in both acute and critical care settings, and be confident in managing a wide range of patients, encompassing both complex dysphagia and acquired communication difficulties. They will ideally be a fully competent FEES practitioner, and be able to work independently with both tracheostomy and ventilator-dependent patients. Experience in providing education and training relevant to their clinical specialism is essential.
The successful candidate should work well under pressure, be passionate about high standards of patient care, and embrace the challenge of developing this relatively new service. Support will be available both internally, through regular supervision and peer support, and externally through access to relevant Clinical Excellence Networks (CENs).
You must be registered with the HCPC and the RCSLT for this post.
Working for our organisation
Royal Surrey is a compassionate and collaborative acute and community Trust. Recognising that our 5000 colleagues are our greatest strength, we offer a comprehensive health and wellbeing program along with a commitment to developing and advancing your career. Our diverse and welcoming Royal Surrey family will ensure you that you feel valued from your initial interview through your entire tenure.
We are clinically led and provide joined up care by bridging the gap between hospital and community services alongside regional specialist cancer care. Our main acute hospital site is in Guildford with community hospital sites at Milford, Haslemere and Cranleigh. We provide adult community health services in homes across Guildford and Waverley.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) have given us an overall rating of Outstanding.
Royal Surrey has a strong reputation and history to build on. We are proud of our achievements and we are investing in our colleagues through our commitment to supporting professional development as well as investing more than £45 million in our physical environment and new equipment in the next few years. There has never been a better time to join us.
Although it isn't the Trusts normal practice, adverts may close early, so you are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.
A video about the Royal Surrey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R96pMboIYdo
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
· To provide a specialist SLT service to adults with swallowing or communication difficulties within the critical care setting.
· To become an integral member of the critical care MDT and SLT team and share highly specialist clinical knowledge across all settings.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Recognised Speech & Language Therapy Degree Qualification
- Health and Care Professional Council – License to Practice.
- Registered Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT).
- Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses e.g. Videofluoroscopy, FEES, tracheostomy management.
Knowledge and Skills
Essential criteria
- Experience of videofluoroscopy including interpretation of results.
- Experience of Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallow (FEES) including interpretation of results.
- Experience of management of tracheostomised patients.
- Recent experience managing patients with complex communication and dysphagia needs in an acute setting.
- Member of relevant Clinical Excellence Network.
- Supervision and line management of staff and students.
- Experience of service development.
- Knowledge and use of patient-centered outcome measures
- Knowledge and experience of other clinical specialties/professionals.
- Knowledge of national and local policies / procedures relevant for the post.
- Knowledge of assessment tools and treatment techniques relevant to acquired communication / dysphagia needs in chosen field
- Understanding of the principles of Clinical Governance, including experience of audit and/or research.
- Knowledge of standards of record keeping and Information Governance.
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Kate Blick
- Job title
- Operational Manager Speech & Language Therapy
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01483 408376
If you have problems applying, contact
- Address
-
Royal Surrey Foundation Trust
- Telephone
- 01483 571122 Ext 2478
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