Job summary
The Buckinghamshire Adult Speech and Language Therapy Team have an exciting opportunity for a motivated and dynamic therapist to join our acute SLT team. You will be joining a friendly SLT team working across Buckinghamshire, delivering high quality care.

This post offers the opportunity to work with acute SLT and MDT colleagues, providing swallowing and communication assessments and advice for patients admitted to Stoke Mandeville Hospital. The post holder is integral to the SLT provision in our admission areas and will work collaboratively with the REACT team to assess patients and enhance patient flow. The post holder will additionally support the ongoing care or patients throughout their inpatient admission. The post holder will be involved in the provision of instrumental assessment via FEES and VF.

We can offer training and development from within our team and this post could be considered as a band 6/band 7 development opportunity for the right person. In this situation the post holder would be supported to complete competencies related to acute care, to progress from a band 6 to a band 7.

Main duties of the job
The postholder will independently manage and take responsibility for their own caseload and will:

• Assess patients presenting in the A&E department or front-door service with acute communication and swallowing difficulties and interpret results from diagnostic tests, medical history, and multidisciplinary team (MDT) input to inform treatment plans.
• Work effectively in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment, prioritizing cases based on acuity and severity of needs.
• Identify, assess, and diagnose swallowing and communication impairments and implement management programmes, or therapy, where appropriate.
• Collaborate with other healthcare professionals to ensure holistic care and effective management of speech and swallowing needs.
• Use highly specialist clinical skills to manage an acute caseload of eating, drinking, swallowing and communication difficulties.
• Provide expert guidance and information to colleagues, patients and carers.
• To provide instrumental assessment, including Videofluoroscopy and FEES, as indicated in patient care.
• Support patients with communication impairments to engage with care planning and advanced care planning.
• Demonstrate leadership and support the development of SLT and HCP colleagues.
• Independently take students on placement.
• Take responsibility for implementing service wide developments as appropriate and contribute to the operational delivery of acute services at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

About us
What does Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust offer you?

• As part of our BHT family, you'll benefit from learning and development opportunities to support your career progression.
• We offer flexible and agile working opportunities, alongside your NHS benefits of generous annual leave entitlement, pension and access to NHS discount schemes.
• We provide a range of health and wellbeing services to promote a healthy, happy workforce.

Why work for us?

• We are committed to promoting inclusion and making sure all colleagues feel they belong. We encourage new colleagues from a diverse range of backgrounds to apply.
• As an employer, we aim to create a workplace where differences are valued, and colleagues treat one another with dignity and respect.
• Greater diversity within our BHT family improves positive outcomes for the people and communities we serve.

What do we stand for?

• Our vision is to provide outstanding care, support healthy communities and be a great place to work.
• Our mission is to provide personal and compassionate care every time.
• Our CARE values are collaborate, aspire, respect and enable.

Essential Qualifications

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
• Health Professions Council Licence to Practice
• Completion of accredited post graduate qualification in dysphagia or equivalent, demonstrating completion of competencies

Desirable Qualifications

• Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
• Membership of relevant Clinical Excellence Network
• Competencies achieved in Videofluoroscopy assessment and FEES assessment of swallowing

Essential Experience

• Significant clinical experience in Speech and Language Therapy, typically at least 2-3 years at Band 6 or equivalent level
• Experience in assessment and management of complex communication and dysphagia in acute settings and in optimising patient flow
• Experience in clinical decision making and managing complex caseloads in a fast-paced environment.

Desirable Experience

• Proven ability to supervise and support junior staff, assistants, and students.
• Experience of the application of quality measures pertaining to SLT

Essential Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

• Well established knowledge of specialist SLT assessment and therapy tools relevant to these client groups including VFS and FEES.
• Knowledge of the roles of other professionals involved in the relevant areas of patient care
• Working knowledge of MS Office applications and use of the Internet for communication and information

Desirable Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

• Knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to the client group
• Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance and quality measures

Details
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year, per annum (pro rata for part time)
Band: Band 7
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working
Reference number: 434-CR8296001-A
Closing date: 03 November 2026
Job location: Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Croft Road, Aylesbury, HP21 8AL

Contact
For questions about the job, contact: Clinical Specialist SLT for Acute Care, Justine Green, justine.green1@nhs.net, 01296838920

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Apply through our website for further information.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. Apply through our website for further information.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all backgrounds.