Job summary
We
are looking to recruit a dynamic, motivated and highly skilled Band 7
Specialist Cardiac Speech and Language Therapist capable of providing high
quality input within Leeds Childrens Hospital. This dedicated post will
provide an excellent opportunity to develop skills as a core member of the
well established Cardiac MDT serving the population of Leeds and Yorkshire
region. This exciting role will also
allow skill development via quality improvement and audit projects.
Leeds
Childrens Hospital provides care across the region and is a well established
teaching hospital. The fantastic work of Leeds Teaching Hospital has recently
featured on Saving Lives in Leeds and it is one of the largest acute health
providers in the UK. The hospitals offer specialities including Neurology,
Neuro Rehab, Neonates, Cardio-Respiratory & Gastroenterology, critical
care, surgical, oncology and haematology.
The Hospital is based within one of the fastest growing cities in the
North, in the thriving city centre of Leeds which has excellent transport
links.
Our
Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy team provide
hospital based services for children with complex communication and/or
swallowing difficulties linked to a variety of acute and chronic conditions
across a broad range of medical specialities at local and regional level.
Expected Shortlisting
Date
14/11/2025
Planned Interview
Date
25/11/2025
Main duties of the job
To
fulfil the role of Highly Specialist LTV SLT, you will have experience of
working at an advanced level in the assessment, differential diagnosis and
management of Feeding and Swallowing difficulties from Neonates to
Adolescents as part of a multidisciplinary team. You will be able to
demonstrate highly developed skills in the assessment, treatment and
management of complex dysphagia. This will include tracheostomy management
and potential use of videofluoroscopy in conjunction with excellent inter-personal
communication, organisational and team work skills and be able to show
evidence of continued professional development.
You
will carry a complex clinical caseload as well as helping coordinate service
development, training, pre and post-operative assessments/treatments and
transfer of care at local and regional level. You will be working closely
with the LTV MDT, patients, families and relevant Health and Social Care
teams ensuring compliance against clinical drivers.
About us
Come
and join our team in Leeds and become part of The Leeds Way sharing our
vision and values.
Our
values are part of what make us different from other trusts, so we see this
as a strength, as well as a responsibility. They have been developed by our
staff and set out what they see as important to how we work. Our five values
are:
Patient-centred
Collaborative
Fair
Accountable
Empowered
Leeds
Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is one of the largest acute health providers in
the UK and based in one of the fastest growing and vibrant cities in the
north.
You
will be joining a dynamic and motivated SLT team that cover the whole of the
Leeds Childrens Hospital have the opportunity to work with paediatric
in-patients across all medical specialities, which includes but is not
limited to: neonatal, surgical, neurology, respiratory, ENT,
gastroenterology, cardiac, general paediatrics, PICU/HDU and oncology.
Leeds
Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk'
members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts
are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove
adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the
shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this
process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any
questions.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To
assess differentially diagnose and manage complex communication and
swallowing breakdown relating to a wide range of conditions. Utilise highly
specialist knowledge in line with local policies/protocols and professional
guidelines. Provide specialist second opinions on request to other health and
social care professionals. Build links with allied agencies across primary
and secondary care improving local and regional care pathways across
in/outpatient settings.
Diagnose,
assess, treat and manage complex communication, swallowing, cognitive and
emotional impairments. Ensure all patients have opportunities to improve
their swallowing/communication function and decrease reliance on enteral
feeds and communication aids.
Develop
a rehabilitation care pathway focussing on education, enablement and
empowerment of service users and their carers
The
post holder will:
3.1 Manage Highly Specialist caseloads
ensuring their complex communication and swallowing needs are met safely
3.2 Provide seamless pathway of care with
locality services ensuring equitable citywide provision.
3.3 Manage local and regional complex
caseloads.
3.4 Plan, coordinate and deliver medical
education and training programs for health/social staff, patients, care
providers, regional SLTs and students
3.5 Act as patient advocate facilitating
communication in order to secure compliance with Mental Capacity Act
3.6 Audit caseloads and provision to measure
value of input across this care pathway and evaluate alternative models of
provision
3.7
Optimise service provision by balancing provision between specialist Acute
and Outpatient clinics
Job description
Job responsibilities
To
assess differentially diagnose and manage complex communication and
swallowing breakdown relating to a wide range of conditions. Utilise highly
specialist knowledge in line with local policies/protocols and professional
guidelines. Provide specialist second opinions on request to other health and
social care professionals. Build links with allied agencies across primary
and secondary care improving local and regional care pathways across
in/outpatient settings.
Diagnose,
assess, treat and manage complex communication, swallowing, cognitive and
emotional impairments. Ensure all patients have opportunities to improve
their swallowing/communication function and decrease reliance on enteral
feeds and communication aids.
Develop
a rehabilitation care pathway focussing on education, enablement and
empowerment of service users and their carers
The
post holder will:
3.1 Manage Highly Specialist caseloads
ensuring their complex communication and swallowing needs are met safely
3.2 Provide seamless pathway of care with
locality services ensuring equitable citywide provision.
3.3 Manage local and regional complex
caseloads.
3.4 Plan, coordinate and deliver medical
education and training programs for health/social staff, patients, care
providers, regional SLTs and students
3.5 Act as patient advocate facilitating
communication in order to secure compliance with Mental Capacity Act
3.6 Audit caseloads and provision to measure
value of input across this care pathway and evaluate alternative models of
provision
3.7
Optimise service provision by balancing provision between specialist Acute
and Outpatient clinics
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Specialist Knowledge of relevant client groups
- Evidence of successful completion of specialist post graduate short courses related to the specialism eg: Tracheostomy Videofluoroscopy Palliative Care
- In-depth knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions and evidence of highly specialist clinical expertise relevant to the specialism.
- Well established knowledge of RCSLT Professional and Clinical Guidelines/ policies both locally and nationally in the specialism as well as relevant national strategy and drivers
- Substantial SLT experience post qualification with significant experience of assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of neonates and older children presenting with complex communication
- and/or feeding difficulties.
- Experience working at advanced level in the assessment, differential diagnosis and management of the specialism .
- Experience in teaching competencies to less experienced Speech and Language Therapists.
- Experience in the provision of second opinions and advice to internal and external professional colleagues.
- Experience in delivering Communication and Swallowing training to SLT colleagues and other members of the MDT
- Experience of conducting clinical audit.
- Able to manage the emotional consequences of with patients with a range of feeding and communication disorders.
- Experience in student clinical supervision
- Experience of working within specialist MDT
Desirable
- Has attended Clinical Supervisory Skills Course, or equivalent
- Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance, including audit cycle, continuous quality improvement and user involvement. Experience in research/audit
- Line Management experience Experience in conducting appraisals
- Experience of working in Specialist MDTs and acting as a specialist SLT resource.
- Experience of working with AAC
- Competence and experience in conducting, interpreting and analysing VFSS to support diagnosis and management of patients presenting with complex paediatric dysphagia
- Assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of communication and feeding disorders associated with tracheostomy including ventilator assisted patients in a paediatric setting
Skills & behaviours
Essential
- Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills. Active and empathetic listening/ counselling skills
- Sensitive to the needs of others and has an awareness and responsiveness to other peoples feelings and needs
- Values differences; regards people as individuals and appreciates value of diversity in the workplace
- Able to work as part of a team, co-operating to work together and in conjunction with others and willing to help and assist wherever possible and appropriate.
- Able to develop, establish and maintain positive relationships with others both internal and external to the organisation.
- Able to work under pressure, dealing with peaks and troughs in workload.
- Positive attitude to dealing with change; flexible and adaptable, willing to change and accept change and to explore new ways of doing things and approaches
- Highly motivated and reliable
- Has a strong degree of personal integrity; able to adhere to standards of conduct based on a sense of right and wrong and be dependable and reliable
- Ability to formulate independent clinical decisions following assessment.
- Able to negotiate with client / carer and medical / AHP teams around individual case management
- Able to communicate complex, sensitive condition-related information from assessment to patients and carers
- Ability to give clear advice, instruction and training to patients, carers and other professionals relating to complex communication/ swallowing disorders
- Good time management, organisational and prioritisation skills. Highly developed Negotiation and Problem solving skills. Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal
- Well developed analytical, reflective, negotiation and problem solving skills. Good auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically.
Desirable
- Good time management, organisational and prioritisation skills.
- Good knowledge of Microsoft Office
- Must be willing to participate in any relevant training identified to develop skills required to carry out duties
Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree accredited by RCSLT
- Health Professions Council license to practice as a Speech and Language Therapist.
- Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
- Post Graduate training in and maintenance of: RCSLT Level C / Proficient Paediatric Dysphagia Training & Competency Framework
- Advanced level dysphagia training.
Desirable
- EKSF / Appraisal training
- Advanced communication skills
- Post graduate training in VFSS
- FEES competencies
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Specialist Knowledge of relevant client groups
- Evidence of successful completion of specialist post graduate short courses related to the specialism eg: Tracheostomy Videofluoroscopy Palliative Care
- In-depth knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions and evidence of highly specialist clinical expertise relevant to the specialism.
- Well established knowledge of RCSLT Professional and Clinical Guidelines/ policies both locally and nationally in the specialism as well as relevant national strategy and drivers
- Substantial SLT experience post qualification with significant experience of assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of neonates and older children presenting with complex communication
- and/or feeding difficulties.
- Experience working at advanced level in the assessment, differential diagnosis and management of the specialism .
- Experience in teaching competencies to less experienced Speech and Language Therapists.
- Experience in the provision of second opinions and advice to internal and external professional colleagues.
- Experience in delivering Communication and Swallowing training to SLT colleagues and other members of the MDT
- Experience of conducting clinical audit.
- Able to manage the emotional consequences of with patients with a range of feeding and communication disorders.
- Experience in student clinical supervision
- Experience of working within specialist MDT
Desirable
- Has attended Clinical Supervisory Skills Course, or equivalent
- Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance, including audit cycle, continuous quality improvement and user involvement. Experience in research/audit
- Line Management experience Experience in conducting appraisals
- Experience of working in Specialist MDTs and acting as a specialist SLT resource.
- Experience of working with AAC
- Competence and experience in conducting, interpreting and analysing VFSS to support diagnosis and management of patients presenting with complex paediatric dysphagia
- Assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of communication and feeding disorders associated with tracheostomy including ventilator assisted patients in a paediatric setting
Skills & behaviours
Essential
- Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills. Active and empathetic listening/ counselling skills
- Sensitive to the needs of others and has an awareness and responsiveness to other peoples feelings and needs
- Values differences; regards people as individuals and appreciates value of diversity in the workplace
- Able to work as part of a team, co-operating to work together and in conjunction with others and willing to help and assist wherever possible and appropriate.
- Able to develop, establish and maintain positive relationships with others both internal and external to the organisation.
- Able to work under pressure, dealing with peaks and troughs in workload.
- Positive attitude to dealing with change; flexible and adaptable, willing to change and accept change and to explore new ways of doing things and approaches
- Highly motivated and reliable
- Has a strong degree of personal integrity; able to adhere to standards of conduct based on a sense of right and wrong and be dependable and reliable
- Ability to formulate independent clinical decisions following assessment.
- Able to negotiate with client / carer and medical / AHP teams around individual case management
- Able to communicate complex, sensitive condition-related information from assessment to patients and carers
- Ability to give clear advice, instruction and training to patients, carers and other professionals relating to complex communication/ swallowing disorders
- Good time management, organisational and prioritisation skills. Highly developed Negotiation and Problem solving skills. Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal
- Well developed analytical, reflective, negotiation and problem solving skills. Good auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically.
Desirable
- Good time management, organisational and prioritisation skills.
- Good knowledge of Microsoft Office
- Must be willing to participate in any relevant training identified to develop skills required to carry out duties
Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree accredited by RCSLT
- Health Professions Council license to practice as a Speech and Language Therapist.
- Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
- Post Graduate training in and maintenance of: RCSLT Level C / Proficient Paediatric Dysphagia Training & Competency Framework
- Advanced level dysphagia training.
Desirable
- EKSF / Appraisal training
- Advanced communication skills
- Post graduate training in VFSS
- FEES competencies
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).
