Speech and Language Therapist - Acute General Medicine Speciality

Job overview

Thank you for your interest in this exciting opportunity.

We are seeking a full-time (37.5 hours per week), fixed-term (12 months) Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join our Acute General Medicine inpatient workstream. This role offers an excellent opportunity to develop advanced clinical skills and independent management of a complex caseload within a friendly and supportive team.

Based primarily at the John Radcliffe Hospital, you will work across a range of specialties including Elderly Care, Respiratory, Cardiac Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Trauma and Surgery, while also independently managing the inpatient and palliative care caseload at the nearby Churchill Hospital. The service contributes to FEES, the countywide Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study (VFSS) service, and multidisciplinary education and training programmes.

We are looking for an experienced, motivated and innovative SLT who enjoys working in a busy multidisciplinary environment. You will work closely with colleagues across the Acute General Medicine, Stroke, Neurosciences, Critical Care, and Head and Neck Cancer teams to deliver high-quality, person-centred care.

If you would like to learn more about the role, please get in touch. We would be delighted to hear from you.

Charlie Howland

Service Manager - Adult Speech and Language Therapy

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be an experienced Speech and Language Therapist working across acute inpatient wards at the John Radcliffe Hospital and nearby Churchill Hospital. This includes complex medicine, elderly care, surgery, cardiac services, trauma, palliative care, oncology/haematology, renal and transplant. They will be an integral member of the inpatient Speech and Language Therapy team and work closely within multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring patients receive person-centred and effective care.

The post holder will:

• Use specialist clinical skills to identify, assess, diagnose and manage a specialist caseload of adults with acquired swallowing and communication disorders across a complex general medical caseload.
• They will select the appropriate intervention for effective, evidence-based therapy.
• Make independent decisions about caseload management.
• Contribute to audit and service development projects in this clinical area and the wider department.
• Independently receive and provide supervision for students on placement
• Provide necessary cover for the caseloads of other Speech and Language Therapists within the Trust during periods of annual / sick leave.

Working for our organisation

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.

We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.

These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
• Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC)
• Formal post-graduate dysphagia training

Desirable criteria

• Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)

Experience and Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Evidence of high level of specialist knowledge / skills as a result of experience and CPD
• Experience of working within acute general medicine speciality
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
• Knowledge / application of the principles of Clinical Governance

Desirable criteria

• Experience of supervision of students / junior staff
• Experience of service review, quality improvement and audit

Skills

Essential criteria

• RCSLT Dysphagia Competencies (Level B/C)
• Excellent interpersonal skills including active listening skills
• Negotiation, problem-solving and conflict resolution skills
• Excellent reflective practice and analytical skills, ability to identify own strengths and learning needs, and proactivity in seeking support and personal development when required
• Independent workload/caseload prioritisation and management skills, particularly in an environment where workload is unpredictable and flexibility is required
• Ability to work successfully in a team, and assume leadership responsibilities when required

Desirable criteria

• RCSLT Videofluoroscopy competencies (Level 2+)
• RCSLT Tracheostomy competencies (Level 1+)
• RCSLT FEES competencies (Level 1+)
• Evidence of participation in clinical audit / research

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.

Application numbers

Please note that this job advertisement will close automatically once the application limit is reached, regardless of whether this occurs before the advertised closing date.

Documents to download

• B6 AGM JR and Churchill JD (PDF, 536.3KB)