Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

Senior Speech and Language Therapist

The closing date is 02 September 2025

Job summary

We are looking for motivated and experienced Speech and Language Therapists to join our dynamic and supportive teams.

We have posts in the following areas:

Acute this offers huge variety and the opportunity to work across a wide range of ward specialities including the Acute Medical Wards, Intensive Care, Respiratory High Care, ED and Acute Admissions Units, Older Persons Medicine and General Surgery.

Neuro- this role will offer the opportunity to work across a range of areas within the Neuro specialism including Acute Stroke, Rehabilitation and the Community Stroke Rehabilitation team,

Main duties of the job

You will be supported by highly experienced therapists, who will help you to develop the required skills and competence for the area that you will be working in, and support with nurturing and growing your career in the direction you aspire to.

Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, you will deliver high-quality, patient-centred care to adults with a wide range of medical conditions. You will also play an active role in clinical supervision, service development, education and quality improvement initiatives.

If you are a confident and reflective clinician, with a strong foundation in adult care and a passion for collaborative, evidence-based practice then we would love to hear from you.

Please specific which post you are applying for in your application.

Pre-arranged visits to the department are welcomed and encouraged prior to application or interview. For further information on how to arrange this, please contact our Admin Team on 02392 286141.

About us

Here at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, we are proud to provide expert, compassionate care for our local population. We are ranked as the third in the country for research, embedding education and training across the organisation. Our main hub is the Queen Alexandra Hospital, which is one of the largest hospitals on the south coast employing over 8,700 staff.

Our patients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes our hospital stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for getting it right for patients, colleagues, and our community, you will find a home at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.

Details

Date posted

19 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

REF1671Y

Job locations

Queen Alexandra Hospital

Cosham

PO6 3LY


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Static senior Speech and Language Therapist in either acute or Neuro setting (separate Job Descriptions provide additional information).
  • To perform advanced assessment of patients with a diverse range of presentations. To provide clinical reasoning and develop and deliver an individualised treatment programme.
  • To hold responsibility for own caseload and be responsible for a defined area of the service working without direct supervision. Supervision will take the form of regular formal training and clinical reasoning sessions, peer review and case conferences. Access to advice and support from a senior speech and language therapist available if required.
  • To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.
  • Participate in CPD and other departmental activities.
  • Supervise newly qualified staff, associate practitioners, technicians and students. Take responsibility for students - supervise, educate and assess the performance of speech and language therapy students; this would be to a graduate standard and involve working with Universities to ensure the standard of practice and teaching meets the standards set by the degree level qualification.
  • Undertake evidence-based audit and research projects to further own and teams practice within department. Make recommendations to clinical or pathway lead of service, for changes to practice that could be made. May lead the implementation of specific changes to practice or contribute to service protocols.

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Static senior Speech and Language Therapist in either acute or Neuro setting (separate Job Descriptions provide additional information).
  • To perform advanced assessment of patients with a diverse range of presentations. To provide clinical reasoning and develop and deliver an individualised treatment programme.
  • To hold responsibility for own caseload and be responsible for a defined area of the service working without direct supervision. Supervision will take the form of regular formal training and clinical reasoning sessions, peer review and case conferences. Access to advice and support from a senior speech and language therapist available if required.
  • To undertake all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.
  • Participate in CPD and other departmental activities.
  • Supervise newly qualified staff, associate practitioners, technicians and students. Take responsibility for students - supervise, educate and assess the performance of speech and language therapy students; this would be to a graduate standard and involve working with Universities to ensure the standard of practice and teaching meets the standards set by the degree level qualification.
  • Undertake evidence-based audit and research projects to further own and teams practice within department. Make recommendations to clinical or pathway lead of service, for changes to practice that could be made. May lead the implementation of specific changes to practice or contribute to service protocols.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • HCPC Registration
  • Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification
  • Registered member RCSLT
  • Signed off RCSLT Dysphagia Competency Framework Level C or equivalent post-graduate RCSLT accredited dysphagia course

Experience

Essential

  • A minimum of 12 months working in an acute setting including working with adults with a broad range of acute communication and swallowing impairments/disorders
  • Evidence of integrated working in multi-disciplinary teams
  • Experience working as an autonomous practitioner
  • Evidence of student or assistant supervision
  • Evidence of CPD documented

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Understand the legal responsibilities of the profession
  • Effective analytical and reflective skills
  • Sensitivity to a broad range of patients
  • Supportive interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy skills
  • Ability to organise, prioritise and delegate
  • Ability to be flexible and adaptable at work in order to meet competing priorities
  • Effective written and oral communication including the ability to keep accurate and legible patient notes
  • Ability to recognise when to seek advice
  • Competent IT skills
  • Presentation skills
  • Negotiation and problem-solving skills
  • Understand clinical governance and its implications for services. Include experience of quality issues and audit
  • Numerate
  • Literate in English
  • Ability to cope working in a stressful environment and with emotional or aggressive patients and carers
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • HCPC Registration
  • Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification
  • Registered member RCSLT
  • Signed off RCSLT Dysphagia Competency Framework Level C or equivalent post-graduate RCSLT accredited dysphagia course

Experience

Essential

  • A minimum of 12 months working in an acute setting including working with adults with a broad range of acute communication and swallowing impairments/disorders
  • Evidence of integrated working in multi-disciplinary teams
  • Experience working as an autonomous practitioner
  • Evidence of student or assistant supervision
  • Evidence of CPD documented

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Understand the legal responsibilities of the profession
  • Effective analytical and reflective skills
  • Sensitivity to a broad range of patients
  • Supportive interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy skills
  • Ability to organise, prioritise and delegate
  • Ability to be flexible and adaptable at work in order to meet competing priorities
  • Effective written and oral communication including the ability to keep accurate and legible patient notes
  • Ability to recognise when to seek advice
  • Competent IT skills
  • Presentation skills
  • Negotiation and problem-solving skills
  • Understand clinical governance and its implications for services. Include experience of quality issues and audit
  • Numerate
  • Literate in English
  • Ability to cope working in a stressful environment and with emotional or aggressive patients and carers

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

Address

Queen Alexandra Hospital

Cosham

PO6 3LY


Employer's website

https://www.porthosp.nhs.uk/work-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

Address

Queen Alexandra Hospital

Cosham

PO6 3LY


Employer's website

https://www.porthosp.nhs.uk/work-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Therapies Team

Speech and Language

02392286141

Details

Date posted

19 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

REF1671Y

Job locations

Queen Alexandra Hospital

Cosham

PO6 3LY


Supporting documents

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