Job summary
We are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for a Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist to join our innovative service in community head & neck cancer and voice disorders.
The NELFT Speech and Language Therapy service supports adults with acquired disorders in Barking & Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge. The successful candidate will join a supportive and innovative team with established clinical specialists across multiple fields, including stroke, progressive neurology, head and neck cancers, and voice disorders.
Competencies and experience in managing surgical voice restoration are essential. The service offers weekly community videofluoroscopy and FEES clinics, and a monthly joint voice/dysphagia clinic with ENT. Competencies in these procedures would therefore be desirable. All staff are encouraged to lead quality improvement projects. In 2024, we were highly commended at the HSJ Awards for our community laryngectomy service development.
Clinical support will be provided by the Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapists in head and neck/ENT and adult neurology. CPD is actively supported through regular supervision, appraisals, and excellent training opportunities. Members of the team are supported to get involved in CENs and research. For further information, please follow our X @NELFTAdultSLT .
Main duties of the job
- Independently manage and differentially diagnose a caseload of clients with head and neck cancer, voice and complex dysphagia needs.
- Contribute to multidisciplinary support for clients with a range of swallow and communication difficulties.
- Provide feedback, advice and training to family members, carers and members of the multidisciplinary team regarding communication needs and swallowing difficulties and strategies to facilitate development.
- To deliver a comprehensive, holistic service to patients undergoing laryngectomy, including the provision of SVR management
- To participate in the delivery and development of the Videofluoroscopy & FEES Clinics
- To provide highly specialist clinical/technical skills for interpretive assessment techniques, e.g. reading videofluoroscopic / FEES examinations.
- To participate in the delivery and development of joint complex voice and dysphagia clinics with ENT and Gastroenterology colleagues
- To work with colleagues in clinical psychology in the management of patients with voice disorders and head & neck cancer.
- To provide supervision and leadership to junior speech and language therapy staff in the areas of dysphagia, head and neck cancer and voice disorders within NELFT London.
About us
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period.
Starting with NELFT
NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop in sessions focussing in engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.
High Cost Area Supplement - Outer London
This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,714 to a maximum of £5,941 p.a. pro rata for part time).
Job description
Job responsibilities
Detailed Job Description and Main responsibilities
Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer closely to this when completing your application.We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Any development needs to help you succeed in the role, can be discussed at the interview stage.
Certificates of Sponsorship
Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system
Use of AI
Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.
.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Detailed Job Description and Main responsibilities
Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer closely to this when completing your application.We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Any development needs to help you succeed in the role, can be discussed at the interview stage.
Certificates of Sponsorship
Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system
Use of AI
Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.
.
Person Specification
Other
Essential
- To be able to travel efficiently throughout the area
Skills
Essential
- Basic awareness of IT and IT skills
- Demonstrate clear clinical reasoning based on evidence based practice
- Able to use own initiative
- Organise and manage own caseload
- Allocate duties and supervise therapy assistants
- Good supervision skills
- Formulate care programmes, identify goals by organising and prioritising
- Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy
- Negotiation, problem solving concentration, analytical and reflection skills
- Written and verbal presentation skills
- Present information in clear and logical manner
- Ability to be a good team member
Knowledge
Essential
- An awareness of NHS priorities
- Awareness of NHS Plan, NSF, clinical governance priorities and changing service needs
- Government policy and legislation and how this may affect service delivery
- Knowledge of acquired communication and swallowing disorders
- Knowledge of assessment tools, treatment techniques and therapeutic interventions
- Awareness of the roles of other professionals
- Awareness of standards of record keeping
- Understanding of safeguarding
Desirable
- Awareness of the principles of clinical governance/audit
Experience
Essential
- Significant relevant experience at undergraduate/post graduate level
- Working collaboratively with carers and other professionals
- Experience of working in a multi-agency and/or multi-disciplinary team
- Working with clients who have a range of communication, trismus and swallowing needs resulting from head and neck cancer
- Planning and delivery of training to other professionals
- Working with clients who have clinical voice disorders
- Experience of independently managing surgical voice restoration
Desirable
- Experience of videofluroscopy clinic
- Experience of running a FEES clinic
- Experience of running joint voice clinic with ENT
- Experience of independently managing people with a tracheostomy
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ level 2 or equivalent standard of literacy and numeracy
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
- HCPC Licence to Practice
- Show active interest in CPD in line with RCSLT guidelines
- Post graduate training in dysphagia
- Competencies in working with laryngectomy including SVR
Desirable
- Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy
- Competencies in FEES
- Competencies in videofluroscopy
- Competencies in tracheostomy
Trust Values
Essential
- Demonstrates trust values
Person Specification
Other
Essential
- To be able to travel efficiently throughout the area
Skills
Essential
- Basic awareness of IT and IT skills
- Demonstrate clear clinical reasoning based on evidence based practice
- Able to use own initiative
- Organise and manage own caseload
- Allocate duties and supervise therapy assistants
- Good supervision skills
- Formulate care programmes, identify goals by organising and prioritising
- Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy
- Negotiation, problem solving concentration, analytical and reflection skills
- Written and verbal presentation skills
- Present information in clear and logical manner
- Ability to be a good team member
Knowledge
Essential
- An awareness of NHS priorities
- Awareness of NHS Plan, NSF, clinical governance priorities and changing service needs
- Government policy and legislation and how this may affect service delivery
- Knowledge of acquired communication and swallowing disorders
- Knowledge of assessment tools, treatment techniques and therapeutic interventions
- Awareness of the roles of other professionals
- Awareness of standards of record keeping
- Understanding of safeguarding
Desirable
- Awareness of the principles of clinical governance/audit
Experience
Essential
- Significant relevant experience at undergraduate/post graduate level
- Working collaboratively with carers and other professionals
- Experience of working in a multi-agency and/or multi-disciplinary team
- Working with clients who have a range of communication, trismus and swallowing needs resulting from head and neck cancer
- Planning and delivery of training to other professionals
- Working with clients who have clinical voice disorders
- Experience of independently managing surgical voice restoration
Desirable
- Experience of videofluroscopy clinic
- Experience of running a FEES clinic
- Experience of running joint voice clinic with ENT
- Experience of independently managing people with a tracheostomy
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ level 2 or equivalent standard of literacy and numeracy
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
- HCPC Licence to Practice
- Show active interest in CPD in line with RCSLT guidelines
- Post graduate training in dysphagia
- Competencies in working with laryngectomy including SVR
Desirable
- Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy
- Competencies in FEES
- Competencies in videofluroscopy
- Competencies in tracheostomy
Trust Values
Essential
- Demonstrates trust values
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
