Specialist Speech and Language Therapist: Acute, Surgery and Trauma

Job description

Fulfil your potential in hospitals that make history:

Charing Cross, Hammersmith, St Mary's, Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea and Western Eye.

With five world-renowned hospitals, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is full of opportunity if you are looking to develop your healthcare career.

We are an NHS Trust of approximately 16,000 people, providing care for over a million and a half patients from north west London and beyond every year.

We have a rich heritage and an ambitious vision for the future of our patients and local communities.

With our partners, Imperial College London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, we form Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre, one of 6 academic health science centres in the UK, working to ensure the rapid translation of research for better patient care and excellence in education.

We are proud of our heritage in innovation and we are early adopters of new insights in technologies, techniques and treatments for improving health.

Job overview

Are you passionate about providing high-quality Speech and Language Therapy services to adults in a fast-paced hospital environment? At St Mary's Hospital, part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, you'll work with a varied and complex caseload, collaborate with expert SLT colleagues and multidisciplinary teams, and benefit from excellent development opportunities.

We have an exciting opportunity to provide specialist assessment and management of patients with complex communication and/or swallowing disorders resulting from acquired neurological, medical and surgical conditions. The post holder will be expected to provide a service to all the acute wards, with a specific remit for the general surgical and Neurosurgical wards, and patients admitted via the North West London (NWL) major trauma pathway. The caseload includes patients with tracheostomy and disorders of consciousness. Clinical support to patients in critical care, and cross-site support to Charing Cross and Hammersmith Hospitals, may also be required according to service need.

The post holder will support the provision of instrumental swallow assessment and will be expected to provide leadership to the acute team, support the development of junior staff, participate in the development of the SLT service, including audit and research, and deliver teaching to other professions as an integrated member of the MDT.

Main duties of the job

• To provide comprehensive and specialist assessment and diagnosis for patients with a range of complex presentations, by utilising advanced clinical reasoning, evidence-based knowledge, analytical skills and specialist assessment techniques.
• To work both independently and within a team structure, demonstrating leadership to manage own and team caseload. To efficiently manage a caseload and organise this effectively with regard to clinical priorities and use of time.
• To formulate and deliver an individualised and specialist care plan / therapy management programme based on evidence-based practice, advanced clinical reasoning skills and a range of specialist treatment options. As a specialist clinician to provide a second opinion where required.
• To support the provision of instrumental assessments on site as clinically appropriate and as required by the service, triaging appropriate patients, under-taking joint assessments, analysis, reporting and feedback.
• To work in collaboration with the MDT to provide an integrated service for patients, participating in joint clinics, ward rounds, multi-disciplinary assessment/treatment, family/ carer support and education, attending regular meetings and case conferences as appropriate.
• To help lead and participate in quality improvement, clinical governance projects, audit and research as required by the Clinical Service Lead.

Working for our organisation

At Imperial College Healthcare you can achieve extraordinary things with extraordinary people, working with leading clinicians pushing boundaries in patient care.

Become part of a vibrant team living our values - expert, kind, collaborative and aspirational. You'll get an experience like no other and will fast forward your career. Benefits include career development, flexible working and wellbeing, staff recognition scheme. Make use of optional benefits including Cycle to Work, car lease schemes, season ticket loan or membership options for onsite leisure facilities.

We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and will consider applications to work flexibly, part time or job share. Please talk to us at interview.

Environmental sustainability
Climate change and poor air quality is a health emergency that harms people's health and wellbeing and widens health inequalities. The Trust is also committed to reducing its impact on the environment by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions to Net Zero by 2045. All our employees have a role to play, and we have an active green network that supports staff to act in ways that ensures that our services are efficient, sustainable and reduce our impact on the environme