Critical Care Specialist Speech & Language Therapist

Job summary

Are you an ambitious, adaptable and forward-thinking Speech and Language Therapist looking for your next career move?

Do you want to be part of a progressive and dynamic team recognised for driving innovation, influencing best practice and transforming the care of patients with communication and swallowing difficulties in critical care?

If so, we would love to hear from you.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our Adult Speech and Language Therapy Service within Critical Care at the Royal Liverpool Hospital. You'll develop specialist skills in a supportive environment, working alongside experienced clinicians who are passionate about delivering outstanding patient care.

Our Critical Care SLT team is recognised for its progressive approach and strong multidisciplinary relationships. We are highly valued within the critical care workforce, delivering early intervention, rehabilitation and person-centred care from admission through to recovery.

As a department, we lead and contribute to local, regional and national initiatives, championing best practice in communication and swallowing management. Staff are encouraged to become involved in service innovation, quality improvement, research, audit and professional networks. We are looking for a proactive team player who thrives in a collaborative environment and embraces new challenges.

Main duties of the job

Main duties of the job

You will have the opportunity to work with adults with a wide range of complex conditions. You will be supported to further develop your skills in complex dysphagia and communication, including the management of tracheostomised patients.

We have regular team meetings and are committed to continuing professional development, including via CPD sessions and MDT projects. We have a clear supervision structure, and advice is available from our Clinical Specialists within the department.

Band 6 employees are required to supervise Band 5 and assistant staff and deputise for clinical team leads. You will be encouraged to support service development through participation in internal and external projects.

You will have access to expert practitioner SLTs working with complex dysphagia, critical care, respiratory and voice. We have a well-established inpatient FEES and videofluoroscopy service.

You will have opportunities to develop expertise in:

• Critical care rehabilitation
• Complex dysphagia assessment and management
• Tracheostomy management and competencies
• Communication difficulties in critically ill patients
• FEES scoping and interpretation
• Videofluoroscopy assessment and interpretation
• Audit, quality improvement and service development
• Leadership and supervision skills
• This opportunity is open to experienced Band 5s who are keen to develop into a band 6 role, a training post may be offered if appropriate under Annex 21 conditions.

About us

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.

UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.

For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.

Aintree University Hospitalis the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility.Broadgreen Hospitalis home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation.Liverpool Women's Hospitalspecialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK's largest single site maternity hospital each year. TheRoyal Liverpool University Hospitalis the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.

For roles at Liverpool Women's, visit theircareers page.

Job responsibilities

To provide a Specialist Speech & Language Therapy Service to patients who have acquired dysphagia and communication disorders in acute settings.

Be an active member of the multidisciplinary teams to ensure the best possible service for patients and their families.

Please see attached job description and person specification for further information.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• BSc/MSc Graduate
• Registration with HPC
• Member of RCSLT
• Post Graduate professional qualification

Desirable

• Attends regular SIG meetings in areas of clinical interest

Experience

Essential

• Post qualification experience working with Adult Acquired disorders
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary environment

Desirable

• Experience of running Adult groups
• Able to work with Assistants
• Videofluoroscopy assessments with senior
• Working with voluntary agencies
• Teaching/training others
• Involvement in audit or clinical research
• Involvement in Clinical Supervision process
• Experience of taking SLT observation students

Knowledge

Essential

• Sound dysphagia skills - able to work independently

Desirable

• Understanding of current issues affecting NHS
• Evidence of attendance on external courses to develop knowledge and skills in specialised clinical areas

Skills

Essential

• Good knowledge and skills in therapeutic and functional approaches to communication disorders
• Evidence of developing clinical reasoning and problem solving skills
• Can evaluate the effectiveness of clinical intervention
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to organise own caseload effectively
• Excellent interpersonal skills - observation, listening and empathy skills
• Basic IT skills
• Excellent written and verbal skills

Other

Essential

• Able to work collaboratively within a team
• Flexible/able to cope with change
• Committed to personal development
• Awareness of own limitations

Desirable

• Demonstrates empathy with patients
• Experience of facilitating communication between language impaired patients, staff and carers