Band 6 Specialist Speech and Language Therapist – Head and Neck Oncology
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join our well established head and neck oncology team.
We are looking a Band 6 Speech and Language Therapist with specialist skills in the management of adults with acquired disorders of communication and swallowing, including management of patients with a tracheostomy and with experience of working with patients undergoing treatment for head and neck cancer. You will have experience in undertaking videofluoroscopy, and knowledge and experience of interpreting and reporting FEES is desirable. You will also have a proven track record of working as a specialist speech and language therapist within a multidisciplinary team, and will have experience of delivering training and student supervision. Community experience is also desirable.
To provide a high quality specialist service to adult in-patients, out-patients and in the community referred mainly from the ENT, Oro-Maxillo-Facial Surgery and Oncology departments at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals with communication and/or swallowing disorders. This includes patients undergoing laryngectomy and surgical voice restoration, and other head and neck surgery/oncological treatment.
- see full job description for detail
There is a strong ethos of clinical support, supervision and development within the team. The service is able to offer you excellent supervision and peer support, with an emphasis on team working. Quality improvement projects and research ideas are strongly encouraged, both within SLT and in the multi-professional teams. We have regular team meetings, plus opportunities for continuing professional development through in-house training, clinical excellence networks and external courses.
This is a rotational post in which three Band 6 Speech and Language Therapists rotate across three positions within the Head and Neck Oncology Team. Two of the positions are based within the acute service, working collaboratively with senior therapists at the Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust site to provide independent, specialist assessment and management of inpatients with swallowing and communication disorders referred from the ENT, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Oncology departments.
The third position is embedded within the South East Community Head and Neck Cancer Team (CHANT). Clinical supervision is provided by one of the Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapists within CHANT, with ongoing professional oversight from the Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist (Oncology).
The postholder will carry out and interpret instrumental swallowing assessments, communicating findings to the multidisciplinary team (MDT) and using results to develop and implement specialised treatment programmes.
As a specialist Speech and Language Therapy resource and core member of the MDT, the postholder will contribute to Head and Neck MDT meetings and ward rounds, and where appropriate, support service development and implementation of policies and clinical initiatives.
The role also involves maintaining close liaison with referring medical teams and Clinical Nurse Specialists to ensure patients receive optimal care and support before, during, and after treatment for head and neck cancer. A high level of interpersonal and counselling skills is required to support patients in adapting to altered function, changed circumstances, and disability.
In addition, the postholder will independently manage a community caseload across multiple CHANT clinics within an MDT setting.
