Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

An opportunity has arisen for an experienced and established Therapist to join our dynamic, supportive and friendly SLT Services at CUH working in our Adult Acute Team.

With the support of your Team Lead and Advanced Specialist colleagues and as an integral member of the MDT, you will contribute to the provision of a highly specialist service to patients referred with communication and swallowing problems. You will also contribute to service development and help to ensure everyone referred to our service accesses the most effective and efficient care possible.

The Adult Acute Service reaches across the hospital and Divisional structure covering Medicine, including DME, Gastroenterology and Respiratory Medicine, Critical Care, Surgery and Neurosciences. As well as acute Ward based care, the team takes a lead on service representation at the Feeding Issues MDT, Nutrition Steering Group, coordination of the Videofluoroscopy Clinic and input to the MND Clinic. The service is forward thinking and highly regarded.

Experience and skills working with acutely ill patients with complex presentations, fast paced clinical decision making and strong MDT working skills are essential. Developing skills and experience in the use of instrumental dysphagia assessment such as VFS and experience managing tracheostomy would be an advantage. Supervisory experience, training development and delivery and experience of audit, service evaluation and/or project implementation is desirable.

To contribute to the provision of specialist SLT services within the SLT Adult Acute Service.

To provide specialist clinical input to a defined caseload, prioritising needs and managing workload independently.

To be proactive in developing specialist services offered to patients referred.

To contribute to the multidisciplinary management of patients, taking a holistic approach to care.

To cover for colleagues and line manager as required in service co-ordination and representation to relevant forums, e.g. Ward rounds, Clinics and multidisciplinary team meetings.

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 11000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing ‘outstanding’ care to our patients and rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values – Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent – are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Speech and Language Therapy Services at Addenbrooke's are structured to maximise opportunities for support, supervision, learning, development and career progression. Within SLT, there are five services; Adult Acute, Rehabilitation - Stroke, Neuro and Trauma, Head and Neck / ENT, Acute Paediatrics and the regional multidisciplinary AAC Service (Communication Aid Service East of England) commissioned by NHS England. There are plenty of opportunities for peer support, collaboration and cross team working on a range of projects to improve patient care and experience, making this a stimulating and highly rewarding place to work.

We welcome interest from Therapists who are in the process of developing this range of specialist skills and who currently do not fully meet the specification, but have the enthusiasm and aptitude to quickly develop the necessary competencies to fulfil the role.

The post offers an excellent opportunity to build on skills and contribute to the development of this varied and challenging caseload as part of a supportive and progressive team and service.

Please get in touch to find out more!

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

The closing date is 2 April 2023.

Benefits to you

We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse, day nurseries and access to a great transport system with easy access to airports and rail travel.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.