Job summary
We are looking for a Band 6 Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to work across our acute general wards and stroke/neuro-rehabilitation units, providing high-quality assessment and intervention for adults with communication and swallowing needs. As an autonomous practitioner, you will manage a varied and fast-paced caseload, delivering specialist input for patients with complex acquired conditions including stroke, neurological disorders, frailty, and acute medical presentations.

Working as part of a dynamic MDT, you will contribute to timely clinical decision-making, early supported discharge, and rehabilitation planning, ensuring safe and effective care throughout the patient pathway. You will provide specialist dysphagia management, communication rehabilitation, and patient/carer education, alongside supporting junior colleagues and contributing to service development within the acute and neuro-rehab settings.

This role offers the opportunity to consolidate and extend specialist skills in dysphagia, stroke, and neuro-rehabilitation while shaping high-quality SLT provision within a supportive and forward-thinking team.

Main duties of the job

• To provide specialist assessment, management and treatment to patients with swallowing and/or communication problems within the stroke and acute SLT team.
• To contribute to and lead on (where appropriate) service audits, quality improvement projects and service redesign.
• To work collaboratively within the multidisciplinary framework to achieve integrated care for patients.
• Regularly attendance and contribution to patient and family meetings, both face to face and via video
• Write high quality patient reports, including discharge reports for inpatients and community patients
• To support clinical education and student placements.
• To cover other areas within the wider SLT as and when required

About us
At NCIC, we have an ambition to deliver outstanding healthcare services to the population of North Cumbria. The Trust is committed to creating a centre of excellence in providing rural and remote healthcare and provides a wide range of community and acute services throughout our county.

Our 5 key principles demonstrate our belief in the delivery of 'safe, high quality care every time':

• Being a clinically led organisation
• Quality and safety at the heart of our Trust
• A positive patient experience every time
• A great place to work
• Managing our money well

As an organisation we are serious about supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our local community and are very much focused on being an inclusive and compassionate place to work.

Across the North East and North Cumbria we are working together to deliver our ambition to be the greenest region in England by 2030. All staff are expected to support sustainability.

Person Specification
Experience

• Experience of organising, managing and prioritising a clinical caseload.
• Experience of working as part of a MDT.
• Experience of working with other professionals and agencies.
• Experience of assessment and management of swallowing including instrumental assessment
• Experience of working with stroke survivors
• Experience of working in a fast paced acute ward setting
• Delivering training to others e.g. carers and other AHPs.
• Good working knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act and SLT role in the process.
• Good working knowledge of prognostic indicators in stroke and how this impacts on SLT care.
• Clinical governance as it affects clinical practice, in line with national and local drivers.
• Good working knowledge of Feed at Risk issues and the role of SLT in this process.

Qualifications

• Degree in Speech and Language Therapy approved by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT).
• Registered with HCPC.
• On-going membership with the RCSLT.
• Evidence of formal training/self-study/ specialist experience to post graduate level in dysphagia

Knowledge

• RCSLT code of conduct and professional standards
• Knowledge of local and national drivers in stroke and how they relate to SLT practice.
• Knowledge of RCSLT Clinical guidelines in regards to progressive neurological conditions, dementia, ABI & Stroke
• Knowledge of swallowing and communication disorders, including Dysarthria, Dysphasia, Dyspraxia, Dysphagia, and Dysphonia.
• Knowledge of Evidence based and modern therapy techniques with stroke and progressive neurological population.
• To demonstrate a breadth of knowledge with decision making underpinned by current evidence

Skills and Aptitudes

• Ability to carry out and analyse results of various assessments appropriate for different clients, relating to age, disorder, standardisation, etc
• IT ability, including word processing, presentation skills, ability to access software packages and ability to effectively use telemedicine.
• Negotiation and problem solving ability, in order to prioritise for assessment and intervention
• Skills in motivation of clients and/or carers to engage in the therapeutic process.
• Highly developed auditory and perceptual skills in the assessment, diagnosis and management within the stroke population
• Willingness to learn and be a reflective practitioner.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent time management, organisational and administration skills.

Other requirements

• Support equality and value diversity
• Ability to maintain concentration in a range of clinical environments and withstand interruptions and unexpected changes to work patterns. Note that Stroke work will be based on the stroke ward, and require worker to maintain productivity with admin tasks during clinical environment
• During periods of short staffing or significant caseload demands may be required to travel across North Cumbria to support the stroke or acute service as required by the team lead.

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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Benefits

• 27-day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years
• Flexible working Scheme
• NHS Discounts
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
• Excellent opportunities for development
• Competitive NHS Pension scheme
• Vivup is a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work-related problems

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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Important Information
Please ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.

If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.

Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.