Advanced Head and Neck Speech & Language Therapist
Job overview
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.
Please see below for detailed job description of the role.
Main duties of the job
We are delighted to be advertising this exciting and rewarding role in Head and Neck oncology. This post is ideal for a patient-centred, friendly and enthusiastic SLT who is keen to work in a stimulating environment alongside skilled colleagues from a range of professions.
Working for our organisation
University Hospital Southampton is one of England's largest acute teaching Trusts, offering a wide range of learning and development opportunities to support your career aspirations.
Located on the south coast with an international airport and direct rail links to London, Southampton offers an ideal setting to live and work, with the New Forest, South Downs and Jurassic Coast.
We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalizing your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.
At UHS we’re committed to providing a flexible working environment where possible. Whether you are balancing family, study, or your wellbeing with your career, we want to support you so you can help our patients.
At UHS, we proudly champion individuality, recognizing that outstanding care is only possible with a diverse, inclusive team. We’re committed to creating an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory environment where everyone feels valued, safe, and empowered to make a meaningful impact in our communities.We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to join us in building a healthcare community where everyone can belong, thrive, and contribute.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
If you are the successful candidate, you will:
- Work as part of the Head and Neck SLT team, including SLT led clinics, MDT clinics, acute wards and outpatient treatment areas.
- Provide regular communication and swallowing assessment and therapy to patients with complex head and neck oncology diagnoses.
- Continually represent the SLT service within head and neck oncology.
- Be innovative in your approach to patient care and service delivery, whilst being part of MDT service initiatives.
- Support patients to have instrumental assessment of their swallowing.
- Offer training, supervision and support to less experienced SLTs and other staff.
- Support the SLT team in leading or taking on non-clinical tasks e.g. student coordination, clinical effectiveness.
Experience/skills needs:
If you are:
- Experienced in working with patients with complex communication and swallowing difficulties as a result of head and neck cancer diagnoses,
- Skilled in using instrumental assessments e.g. FEES and/or VF,
- Experienced in supervising and educating others,
- Experienced in representing SLT in an MDT setting, and effectively advocating for patients’ needs,
- Experienced in working in an acute hospital, and
- Experienced in planning, delivering and evaluating clinical audits, service evaluations and/or research,
we would love to hear from you.
Person specification
Trust Values
Essential criteria- Patient First
- Always Improving
- Working Together
Qualifications, knowledge and experience
Essential criteria- Degree or equivalent in Speech and Language Therapy
- Masters level qualification or equivalent experience
- HCPC (Health and Care professions Council) registered speech and language therapist
- Evidence of commitment to relevant ongoing CPD and development in relevant areas
- Evidence of relevant speech and language therapy knowledge and expertise with recent experience demonstrating this
- Evidence of post-graduate training in relevant speciality
- Experience of supervising staff Experience and involvement with training
- Ability to communicate complex information fluently, confidently and effectively to a diverse range of people: e.g. with patients, carers, managers and other health care professionals
- Ability to demonstrate a practical and sensitive approach and flexibility in working style when applying clinical judgement to complex clinical issues
- Ability to create rapport and professionally manage relationships with colleagues, patients and carers and the emotional challenges this presents
- Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and relevant specialist groups
- Experience of leading or co-ordinating audit or research work
- Clinical supervisory skills training
Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of applications. We will not accept any applications or queries via agencies, under any circumstances.
For more information about our Trust
https://careers.uhs.nhs.uk
Getting to work - our travel promise
Getting to work should be as easy as possible and that’s why we have introduced the UHS travel promise – a commitment from the Trust that we will provide reasonable travel options for every member of staff. Every member of staff can apply for a permit to use our park & ride facility.Eligibility for on-site parking is dependent on the nature and requirement of the role. All staff can also access a range of discounted benefits relating to travel including reduced price bus tickets, purchase of salary sacrifice bikes and ultra-low emission cars.
Our commitment to equality
Equality remains at the centre of our policymaking, service delivery, and employment practice, giving all employees equal opportunity to develop, apply for promotions, and have working arrangements that enable them to achieve a manageable work-life balance.
UHS actively promotes a work environment free from harassment and discrimination and provides training for managers and staff to ensure this happens. We also closely monitor recruitment activity, training, development, and employment practices to ensure equality of practice with regard to race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status and age.
How and why we use your information
The Trust is under a duty to protect the public funds it administers, and to this end may use the information you have provided on this form for the prevention and detection of fraud. It may also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes.
The European General Data Protection Regulations enhances individuals’ rights and safeguards all of their data in place under the DPA.
Find us on social media, we're on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn