Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

This post offers you the opportunity to further develop your skills with in-patients on the Stroke Unit , in a service with a wide range of experiences as part of a supportive SaLT team based at Salisbury District Hospital. This fixed term post is to cover an Employment/Career Break until August 2025, although opportunities to extend the contract may arise. This post is suitable for a current Band 6 Specialist SaLTs , or for an experienced Band 5 SaLT with suitable experience., Your work would be on the 30 bed acute & rehab stroke unit, and there may be opportunities for work on general medical, surgical, & elderly wards if requested. You would have responsibility to manage patient assessment & treatment decisions, and ensure excellent liaison with SaLT and MDT colleagues.

If experienced, you would contribute to the development of the SaLT team, including student supervision, NQP supervision, and in house CPD. You could also be involved in wider hospital initiatives such as improving MDT working in specific areas, and in training a wide range of hospital staff in communication and swallowing.

The SaLT team embraces new ways of working and has worked hard to be at the forefront of helpful and emerging technology. Therefore our patients have good access to a range of instrumental dysphagia investigations for swallow assessments and instrumental devices for treatment. For patients with communication disorders, we have a broad range of computer based therapy available, and quick access to a wide range of AAC.

We feel strongly that it is important to provide our SaLT team members with as much training and development as needed, and as a small team we meet often. We thrive on an ethos of sharing our learning, being supportive to each other, and being helpful and flexible at work.

Qualifications required include a degree in Speech & Language Therapy, and ideally postgraduate training (qualification or completion of RCSLT competencies) in adult dysphagia. Registration with the Health & Care Professions Council is essential. Membership of the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists is desirable.

Postgraduate experience required includes autonomous assessment, diagnosis and treatment of adults with swallowing and communication impairments from stroke and other acquired neurological conditions, ideally in an in-patient NHS setting. It would be desirable for the candidate to have had experience of instrumental dysphagia assessments and treatments, planning and delivering training courses to other professionals, and undertaking clinical audit. The applicants must flexible, be able to use initiative well, have effective caseload management and good clinical decision-making skills.

We are lucky to all be based in a modern and purpose-build SaLT department, close to most wards, and shared with our regional Cleft Lip and Palate SaLT colleagues. We also have a dedicated team of SaLT Admin staff which enables us to concentrate on our clinical work.

Salisbury District Hospital is a friendly environment where it is easy to make good connections and working relationships that enable us to make positive changes for patients. At the same time, the hospital is home to some regional specialist services that could provide you with unique clinical experiences.

The hospital Trust is continually looking at ways to improve services for both patients and staff, and has lots of initiatives to enhance your job, your well being, and your career. In addition, we benefit from support teams in many areas such as IT and Education, as well as Art Care, Voluntary Services, the staff Health & Fitness Club and swimming pool, and on-site staff parking. There is on-site hospital accommodation which may be available on request. In addition to your paid annual leave entitlement, you can also take your birthday as paid leave after 12 months of employment with the Trust.