Advanced Specialist SLT (Head & Neck Oncology)

· To autonomously take responsibility for delivering a highly Specialist service to adult inpatients and outpatients referred mainly from the ENT, Oro-Maxillo-Facial Surgery and Oncology departments with communication and/or swallowing disorders. This includes patients undergoing surgical voice restoration, and other major Head and Neck surgery.
· To contribute to the development of expert ENT/Head and Neck Speech and Language Therapy services in collaboration with the Clinical Lead SLT (Head and Neck) and Trust Head of SLT, and to be an autonomous advanced specialist resource.
· In collaboration with the Clinical Lead SLT to take responsibility for planning and delivering training to the wider MDT.

Working for our organisation
The Adult Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Department at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital consists of 26.2 WTE SLTs and 1.4 WTE SLT Assistants. We have considerable expertise within the team with members representing the profession on a number of regional and national groups as well as contributing to both local and national guidance and research.
The service is able to offer you excellent supervision and peer support, with an emphasis on team working. Quality improvement projects and research ideas are strongly encouraged, both within SLT and in the multi-professional teams. We have regular team meetings, plus opportunities for continuing professional development through in-house training, clinical excellence networks and external courses., 1. To provide highly specialist independent clinical management of inpatients and outpatients with disorders of swallowing/communication referred predominantly from ENT, Oro-Maxillo-Facial Surgery, and Oncology Departments. To demonstrate an advanced level of clinical decision making to assess, make a clinical diagnosis, develop, implement and evaluate specialised treatment programmes.
2. As a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to contribute to the Surgical Voice Restoration (SVR) programme at Guy's Hospital and to ensure that all clinical risk management procedures are adhered to.
3. To involve carers in promoting and developing swallowing and communication skills of patients and where appropriate to train them in the management of SVR prostheses for laryngectomy patients. To utilize a high level of inter-personal skills to support both patients and carers in adjusting to changed circumstances.
4. To closely liaise with referring Consultants, other Medical Staff and Nurse Specialists to provide optimum treatment and support for patients after head and neck surgery and during radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy treatment. To initiate appropriate investigations e.g. Videofluoroscopies, FEES and evaluate these assessments in order to make recommendations re: further surgical and non-surgical interventions.
5. To report instrumental assessment findings to the MDT regarding management recommendations plus utilise findings to design specialised therapeutic programmes of care.
6. To assess the need for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) aids.
7. To be a core member of the Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Oncology team.
8. To closely liaise with the Community Head and Neck Team and refer patients on at the agreed point in their pathway. To refer to other agencies where appropriate and to write discharge reports to GPs and referring agencies as per departmental standards to ensure continuity of care.
9. To be an expert resource / 2^nd opinion for SLTs in neighbouring Trusts including the Community Head and Neck Team with particular reference to management of patients with a head and neck cancer diagnosis.
Professional and Managerial
1. To strictly observe a personal duty of care in line with departmental and Trust infection control policies when carrying out interventions with patients with dysphagia/ tracheostomy/ surgical voice restoration where there is close contact with body fluids.
2. To be aware of and comply with the Speech and Language Therapy Risk Management Strategy and ensure any incidents/complaints are managed and reported according to Trust policy.
3. To be responsible for providing day to day clinical / professional supervision of junior SLTs.
4. To keep adequate records as per departmental standards.
5. To participate in 1:1 meetings with the Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist.
6. To compile statistics in line with the policy of the Speech and Language Therapy Department.
Education and Training
1. To keep up-to-date with current theory and evidence-based practice in the field of communication disorders, complex dysphagia management after Head and Neck surgery/oncological treatment and laryngectomy rehabilitation.
2. To contribute to the training programme to ENT ward-based staff in management of tracheoesophageal voice prostheses as required.
3. To undertake such other duties as shall be indicated by the Trust Head of Speech and Language Therapy to meet with the exigencies of the service and/or needs of the patients including cover for all inpatients on the Guy's site as required.
Research and Audit
1. To participate in Service Reviews/Quality Improvement Projects undertaken by the SLT Head and Neck Team in collaboration with the Clinical Lead SLT and peers.
Guy's and St Thomas' celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study's at the Trust, or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity , gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership.
Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. Equality of opportunity is our policy.
As an organisation we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This means that some staff groups will increasingly be asked to work a more flexible shift pattern so that we can offer services in the evenings or at weekends.
Flexible working
We are committed to supporting all employees to achieve a healthy work life balance and to work in a way that is best for them and our patients. We will consider all requests to work flexibly, taking in to account the individual's personal circumstances as well the needs of the service. We encourage all prospective applicants to discuss their individual circumstances with the recruiting manager as part of the on-boarding process.
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As a result of an internal secondment we are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Speech and Language Therapist with specialist skills in managing adults with acquired disorders of swallowing and communication secondary to Head and Neck Cancer and its treatment.
You will be based at Guy's Hospital, working within a team of specialist SLTs in the acute service and with strong links to our dedicated Community Head and Neck Cancer team. You will be offering a highly specialist service in collaboration with and support from the Clinical Lead SLT.
You will have significant postgraduate specialist experience of managing patients with complex swallowing and communication disorders associated with a diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer. You will be able to demonstrate competence in independently managing patients with a tracheostomy and surgical voice restoration. You will have a high level of competence in undertaking videofluoroscopy and knowledge and experience of interpreting and reporting FEES. You will also have a proven track record of working as an autonomous specialist SLT within a multidisciplinary team. As part of this role you will be required to supervise SLTs within the Guy's acute team.
The service is able to offer you excellent supervision and peer support, with a strong emphasis on team working. We have regular team meetings, plus opportunities for CPD.
Closing date: 12^th January 2025 Interview date: 23^rd January 2025

Guy's and St Thomas' is among the UK's busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London and as well as specialist care for patients from further afield including cancer, renal, orthopaedic, respiratory and cardiovascular services.
Guy's is home to the largest dental school in Europe and a £160 million Cancer Centre opened in 2016. As part of our commitment to provide care closer to home, in 2017 we also opened a cancer centre and a kidney treatment centre at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup. St Thomas' has one of the largest critical care units in the UK and one of the busiest emergency departments in London. It is also home to Evelina London Children's Hospital.
Evelina London cares for local children in Lambeth and Southwark and provides specialist services across south east England including cardiac, renal and critical care services. We lead a number of specialist service networks aiming to ensure children are treated locally where possible, but have access to specialist expertise when they need it. Our community services include health visiting, school nursing and support for families of children with long-term conditions.
Our adult community services teams deliver care at the heart of the local communities we serve, working in partnership with GPs, local authorities and other healthcare and voluntary sector organisations. Working with our partners in Lambeth and Southwark, we are focusing on new ways of working to improve care for local patients.
In February 2021 the Royal Brompton and Harefield joined Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, bringing together world-leading expertise in the care and research of heart and lung disease. Our merger provides a once in a generation opportunity to build a lasting, world-renowned heart and lung centre, providing the highest quality care for patients and conducting world-leading research.
We have a reputation for clinical excellence and high quality teaching and research. We are part of King's Health Partners, one of eight accredited UK academic health sciences centres. In partnership with King's College London we have dedicated clinical research facilities including an MHRA accredited Phase I clinical trials unit.
Patients are at the heart of everything we do and we pride ourselves on ensuring the best possible patient experience as well as safe, high quality care. We are proud to have one of the lowest mortality rates in the NHS. Following a comprehensive Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in 2019 we maintained our overall rating of 'good'. Our adult community services achieved a rating of 'outstanding'.
The commitment of our 23,500 staff is key to our success. We are one of the largest local employers and we aim to develop and support all our staff so they are able to deliver high quality, safe and efficient care. The 2019 NHS staff survey results show that we have one of the most engaged and motivated workforces in the NHS. We know this has a positive impact on the care provided to our patients.
We have one of the most ambitious capital investment programmes anywhere in the NHS.