Speech and Language Therapist

Job summary

We are excited to be offering an opportunity to join our Speech and Language Therapy service in Ipswich and East Suffolk, with a temporary investment to support over the winter period. We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated newly or recently qualified speech and language therapist to support our service over this busy period. You may be asked to work flexibly across our community and inpatient teams to support where the service requires extra help. Youwill be well supported to develop their skills across a range of communication and swallowing disorders. We support newly qualified therapists to develop their dysphagia and newly qualified competencies. We hold monthly communication therapy support sessions, and monthly CPD meetings to share learning. This is an excellent opportunity to gain some skills as a qualified therapist, putting you on a stronger footing to apply for permanent roles in adult services.

Our integrated SLT service in East Suffolk delivers inpatient, outpatient and community services, supporting people with a range of conditions including stroke, progressive neurological conditions, voice disorders, head and neck cancer and learning disability. We provide videofluoroscopy and FEES assessments to inpatients, outpatients and our community caseloads. Our department sits within the Integrated Therapies division and therefore have excellent links to our MDT colleagues, including shared CPD opportunities.

Main duties of the job

This role will involve providing assessment, therapy and management of communication and swallowing disorders, to a mixed caseload of people with a range of acquired conditions such as stroke, progressive neurological conditions and dementia.

You may be expected to provide this support in the hospital, or in community settings.

This is a temporary role commencing 19th October 2026, and finishing on 31st March 2027.

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 thatTime Mattersto 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 -www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

Job responsibilities

For full details of theresponsibilitiesand duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Person specification

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of neurologically impaired patients, and current approaches to treatment and rehabilitation
• Knowledge of evidence-based practice in relation to neurological impairment
• Knowledge of normal and abnormal swallowing
• Knowledge of differing approaches to aphasia therapy
• Knowledge of various ways of seeking and accessing clinical information
• Assessment/knowledge of alternative/ augmentative communication systems

Desirable

• Awareness of change in NHS and current legislation

Qualifications

Essential

• RCSLT recognised degree or equivalent
• Eligible for registered membership of RCSLT
• HCPC membership
• Ability to travel to different places of work/driving licence

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in various clinical settings
• Portfolio of CPD evidence relevant to post
• Assessment of communication impairments by various means, including a range of standardised assessments
• Differential diagnosis of patients with multiple aetiologies
• Liaising with other agencies/other staff groups
• Experience working as a member of a multidisciplinary team
• Recognition of requirement for and means of accessing guidance/support

Desirable

• Bedside assessment of dysphagia
• Involvement in audit/clinical governance within SLT