Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Job overview

An exciting opportunity is now available for a highly motivated, enthusiastic Speech and Language Therapist wishing to develop and extend skills in assessment and treatment of communication and swallowing disorders related to Head and Neck and Thyroid Cancer

The post is based within the multidisciplinary Head and Neck Centre at University College London Hospital. The post holder will join a team of specialist and consultant speech and language therapists in head and neck cancer and will receive expert supervision. UCH is a national tertiary referral centre for a range of specialties, including head and neck cancer and sarcoma. It has strong links with the UCL Medical School and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. UCH also functions as a District General Hospital providing a wide range of services to the local population in Camden and Islington. Camden and Islington are culturally diverse boroughs with many multiethnic, bilingual and multi lingual speaking communities.

Main duties of the job

As a specialist speech and language therapist, you will deliver a comprehensive and specialist service to patients presenting with communication and swallowing disorders related to head and neck tumours, including:

• Input into multi-disciplinary meetings and clinics for management of patients undergoing surgery and/or chemo/radiotherapy  •    Assessment and management of patients with complex dysphagia including tracheostomy management •    Participation in the use of instrumental assessment for dysphagia management, including videofluoroscopy and FEES •    Participation in use of instrumental assessment for voice management, including VLE •    Assessment and management of patients with complex communication impairments, including surgical voice restoration after total laryngectomy, speech and voice rehabilitation after treatment for head and neck cancer •    Delivery of comprehensive rehabilitation for voice, speech and swallow •    Participation in data collection for research and audit projects in line with the Trust research and development strategy, in consultation with the Consultant Head and Neck SLT post holder. •    Development and delivery of teaching and training, both internal and external

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.

Our organisation is driven by our strategic objectives and organisational values and we look for people who are strongly aligned with them.  Our Team is tight knit and work well together.  This position would suit a developing specialist who is looking for a Team that can provide a high level of mentoring and support on an on-going basis.  The team offers excellent line management and peer support a wide range of opportunities for professional and career development a full induction programme and regular clinical supervision modern.  We have a rich weekly CPD programme to promote and enhance skill and knowledge development.

Annual leave starts at 27 days a year plus bank holidays.

You will be employed in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in Agenda for Change. Applications for secondment will be considered

This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and so the successful candidate will be required to apply for a Disclosure

Speech and Language intervention in the head and neck cancer patient population requires advanced specialist knowledge and skills.   The caseload is varied and complex and ranges from early stage oro-pharyngeal and laryngeal cancers to advanced disease and /or cases requiring second opinions.

Treatment is broad, and is usually multi-modal, involving surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and / or protein therapy.  There is a wide range of patient profiles from teenage young adult, to geriatric.  There are specific diagnostic procedures used by speech and language therapist to define the impairment both as a result of the disease, and as a consequence of the treatment.  These procedures inform and define the intervention and highlight the most appropriate therapeutic techniques for rehabilitation of speech, swallow, voice and respiration.

The Speech and Language Therapists within the Head and Neck team are specialists dedicated to Head and Neck. The post holder is responsible for the provision of a Speech and Language Therapy service within the Head and Neck team and will report directly to the Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist for Head and Neck.

In line with the Trust philosophy these services are at a tertiary level, acting as resource for multidisciplinary care providers in secondary level services. The post holder works as part of an MDT contributing to the assessment, management and treatment of referred patients including highly complex and rare head and neck conditions.

The post holder will be based at UCH at all times providing both inpatient and outpatient services.

Come and be a part of the best NHS trust in England to work for, according to our staff*

UCLH top trust to work at in England – for the second year running! : University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

*In the most recent NHS staff survey UCLH had the highest percentage of staff who said they would recommend us as a place to work, out of all general acute or acute/community NHS trusts in England – for the second year in a row.

UCLH top trust to work at in England – for the second year running! University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Once again, UCLH has received the highest score of all general acute and acute/community NHS trusts in England for staff that would recommend us as a place to work.