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Job summary

Main area
Speech & Language Therapy
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Part time - 15 hours per week
Job ref
409-7431960
Employer
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Southport Hospital
Town
Southport
Salary
£47,810 - £54,710 Per annum, pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
10/10/2025 23:59
Interview date
20/10/2025

Employer heading

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust logo

Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist

NHS AfC: Band 7

After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred Third-party recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website. By applying for this post you are agreeing to "name of trust" transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are appointed to a post information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Job overview

A unique & exciting opportunity has arisen for a passionate SLT to join a growing specialist team on the Northwest Regional Spinal Injuries Centre (NWRSIC) and additionally be part of the wider acute SLT services. The successful candidate will work predominantly on the spinal centre, but the role will also provide some input to the acute medical service, including contributing to weekend working. You will have the opportunity to further develop your skills in FEES (Fibre-optic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing) and videofluoroscopy as well as tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation. The successful post holder will work alongside and be managed by a Consultant SLT.

 

The NWRSIC is one of only 12 specialist centres in the UK & Ireland designated to receive and treat spinal cord injured patients. The NWRSIC houses the largest ventilatory bed base of any spinal centre. You will be part of the ventilation and weaning team and work with spinal cord injured patients who may require mechanical ventilation via tracheostomy. You will be joining an innovative and research active team with a strong commitment to supporting the CPD of our therapists.

Main duties of the job

The primary focus of this role will be within the spinal injury centre, but you will also provide input to the wider SLT team, specifically to our established FEES and VFS services and weekend working on the acute wards. Experience working with spinal injured patients and/or tracheostomy, ventilation in desirable but we would welcome applications from individuals who have worked with complex dysphagia in both a rehabilitation and acute setting.  You will be working under the supervision of our consultant SLT.

The post holder will participate in team meetings, complex audit and research projects on a regular basis. They will plan, deliver and evaluate specialist training within the hospital setting to other professionals and patients/ carers on all aspects of swallowing, speech, language and communication. They will be expected to participate in instrumental assessments such as videofluoroscopy and FEES; managing patients with tracheostomies and who are ventilator dependent. Although, support from your line manager will be provided as required. In order to meet caseload demands and/or to cover sickness absence or other vacancies, you may be required, from time to time, to cover different caseloads or to work across other teams within the MWL Southport Hospital site. Permanent changes to posts will only be made after consultation with the post holder.

Working for our organisation

The Secretary of State has approved the partnership between St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals and Southport & Ormskirk Hospitals.

From 1st July we have come together as a single organisation under the name Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

The Trust delivers acute hospital care, intermediate care, community, and primary care services to a population of over 600,000 people with a combined workforce of around 9000 dedicated and skilled staff from 17 locations including Whiston, Southport & Formby, St Helens, Ormskirk and Newton hospitals.

The Trust provides regional services for burns, plastic surgery and spinal injuries to more than 4 million people across Mersey and West Lancashire, Cheshire, the Isle of Man and North Wales.

Our Vision is to deliver 5 Star Patient Care:

  • CARE that is evidence based, high quality and compassionate
  • ​​​​​​SAFETY that is of the highest standards
  • COMMUNICATION that is open, inclusive and respectful
  • SYSTEMS that are efficient, patient centred and reliable
  • PATHWAYS that are best practice and embedded, but also respect the individual needs of patients

Our achievements include:

  • Trust rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
  • Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
  • Awarded National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for our Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme

Please see our Wellbeing & Benefits booklet for more information on our staff benefits

 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You will be an integral member of the wider multidisciplinary team, which includes medical, nursing and therapy staff. You will also work as an essential and valued member of the Acute Medical and Surgical SLT Team. The successful applicant will be managed by the Clinical Therapy manager within General Medical and Surgical Therapies team but will receive clinical support and supervision from the wider SLT service.

This position presents an excellent opportunity to cultivate your clinical, service development and supervisory skills. The successful applicant will lead on the development and implementation of care pathways, departmental policies, and protocols, and provide training, direct, and indirect support to other professionals relating to communication and swallowing disorders. They will supervise and manage clinical practice as required, including SLTs, SLT students and other staff working in their clinical area.

At Southport Hospital we hold regular Videofluoroscopy clinics and are implementing the MBSImP protocol. We also have an established FEES service. For the right candidate there is potential for development opportunities in this area. Continuing Professional Development is essential and actively encouraged, and there are multiple opportunities to develop and acquire new skills, such as: 

  • Regular clinical supervision
  • Regular in-service training
  • Regular SLT team meetings
  • Relevant external training
  • Attendance at relevant CENs
  • Access/ exposure to FEES and VF

See attached job description and personal specification.

We would welcome informal discussions and visits to further discuss this newly created post and the opportunities we can offer as a team. Please contact Heather Woodcock (Lead for Acute Medical and Surgical SLT Team) on 01704 704361 for more information.

 

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Diploma/Degree Speech & Language Therapy or equivalent
  • Current HCPC registered
  • Masters level clinical courses/or equivalent

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria
  • Extensive clinical post-graduation experience in specialist area
  • Experience of working with multi professional groups involved in the care of patients
  • Operational management, development and supervision of junior staff, students and therapy assistants
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of working with Videofluoroscopy and/or MBSImP qualified.
  • Experience of developing services.
  • Experience working with tracheostomy/ mechanical ventilation.
  • FEES trained or working towards competency - as per RCSLT.
  • Member of relevant clinical excellence networks.

Skills & Abilities

Essential criteria
  • Able to work well with others and pass on skills and knowledge
  • Initiate evidence based practice within the clinical setting and develop local care pathways
  • Committed to personal and departmental development
Desirable criteria
  • Experience in research/ audit/ quality improvement initiatives.

Working conditions

Essential criteria
  • To manage working in a highly pressured work environment that is busy and maintain excellent working relationships with the MDT

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Nursing TimesApprenticeships logoDisability confident leaderArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardNavajo - Merseyside and CheshireCare quality commission - OutstandingDying to Work CharterStep into healthHappy to Talk Flexible WorkingNHS Rainbow Badge - BronzeDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - GoldPeople Promise

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Heather Woodcock
Job title
Lead for Speech & Language Therapy
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01704 70 4147
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