Job summary
Are you a Speech and Language therapist with experience and interest in clinical voice disorders?
This is an excellent opportunity if you are seeking a Band 7 specialist post in clinical voice disorders, which involves working alongside the local Long-Covid pathway and our instrumental assessment service (both videofluoroscopy and FEES).
We are looking for an enthusiastic and flexible clinician that is autonomous in assessment and management of benign voice disorders and dysphagia with an underpinning of anatomy and physiology, and demonstrates excellent communication and administrative skills to support MDT working. Experience with the Long-Covid population and with Videofluoroscopy and/or FEES would be of benefit but is not essential. Depending on the level of experience, there may be an opportunity to support the delivery of the Joint Voice Clinic with ENT and our SLT-led therapeutic scoping clinic.
We offer excellent clinical support and supervision, and ongoing professional development is actively encouraged. Flexible working and part time hours will be considered.
Main duties of the job
You will be based at Ipswich Hospital and Allington Clinic, with telehealth a core part of therapeutic intervention. The voice service is part of a wider ENT service delivery model, including Head and Neck Cancer, and sits within a larger SLT team that covers both acute and community service provision. As we are part of an integrated service, community outreach domiciliary visits may be required, necessitating lone working and travel between places of work.
The purpose of this role is to:
1. Provide a specialist level of expertise in the assessment and management of patients who present with benign clinical voice disorders. The caseload also includes delivery of voice and communication therapy to the transgender population.
2. Support the delivery of the Joint Voice Clinic with ENT and our SLT-led therapeutic scoping clinics. This will be dependent on the level of experience of the candidate.
3. Support patients along the long-covid pathway (assessing and managing communication, voice and swallowing changes). This involves having a close working relationship with the local Long-Covid MDT/service.
4. Triage and prioritise referrals into the outpatient voice service and other relevant service areas.
5. Offer support and clinical advice to therapists throughout the service, regarding the specialty including the Long-Covid MDT.
6. Contribute to the delivery of the videofluoroscopy and FEES service.
7. Contribute and lead on service development projects.
About us
We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes.
We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff.
We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options.
Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.
Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients.
We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what's widely regarded as the world's best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.
If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you.
Find out about living and working here -
Job description
Job responsibilities
For full details of theresponsibilitiesand dutiesof this role please see the attached job description.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
8. oExperience of working in various settings and with a range of client groups - including the long-covid and transgender populations.
9. oExperience of working as a member of a team (Speech & Language Therapy and MDT)
10. oExperience of working in demanding settings, and with organising and participating in joint clinics
11. oSignificant specialist experience of working with people with benign clinical voice disorders (including complex cases)
12. oSignificant specialist experience of working with adults with acquired swallowing disorders
13. oExperience of working with people with progressive/terminal illness
14. oExperience of independently managing own caseload, including patients with dysphagia as well as communication difficulties (including complex cases)
15. oLiaising with other agencies/other staff groups
16. oClinical supervision of students/junior staff
Desirable
17. oTeaching/training other staff
18. oParticipation in audit/research
19. oExperience of directing SLT/Therapy assistants
20. oExperience of analysing instrumental assessments and preparing detailed reports
21. oHigh level interpretation of stroboscopy
Qualifications
Essential
22. oRCSLT recognised degree or equivalent
23. oEligible for registered membership of RCSLT
24. oHCPC membership
25. oIndependent dysphagia practitioner
26. oPortfolio of CPD evidence relevant to post, including specialist knowledge of the client groups outlined
Desirable
27. oEvidence of attendance at specialist voice/dysphagia courses
28. oEvidence of Videofluoroscopy/FEES Competency specialist training/experience
29. oAbility to travel to different places of work/driving licence