Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Speech and Language Therapist

The closing date is 29 June 2025

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a recently-qualified Speech and Language Therapist to join our friendly and dynamic team working with adults with acquired disorders of communication and swallowing. The role may include a combination of inpatients and outpatients, both in the hospital setting and in the community. This post would provide a valuable opportunity to develop your skills in a wide variety of adult acquired conditions.

Supervision and support will be provided from more experienced and specialist clinicians within the team. CPD opportunities will also be offered. Some knowledge and skills in dysphagia management is preferred.

Main duties of the job

1. With appropriate support from designated and more experienced SLT, be an autonomous practitioner ie, have responsibility and accountability for own caseload of open referrals, requiring admission, treatment and discharge decisions, within own level of competence and professional and service parameters.

2. Assess and analyse type, severity and impact of all conditions of speech, language, communication and within own competency-level swallowing impairments in a wide age range of patients. This will be through a variety of formal and informal assessments and information gathering methods; with a high level of support from designated SLT clinical supervisor.

3. Use and analyse results of some formal standardised assessments and, with support, able to analyse and interpret results in relation to theoretical and clinical knowledge of individual patients.

4. Use and develop further sensory skills, in order to carry out core clinical work, such as acoustic and phonetic transcriptions; structured and detailed observation of verbal and non-verbal communication behaviours; and ability to distinguish between discrete differences in oro-pharyngeal muscle function.

About us

Our STAR values - Service, Teamwork, Ambition and Respect - are a golden thread running through everything we do. These values serve as a guiding principle, driving us towards our vision of delivering great joined up services to our local community. Whether at home, in the community, or within the hospital, our goal is to empower individuals to lead independent and healthier lives.

Details

Date posted

10 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £36,483 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

249-7200050

Job locations

Great Western Hospital

Marlborough Road

Swindon

SN3 6BB


Job description

Job responsibilities

5. Make differential diagnoses and clinical decisions regarding options for hypothesis driven clinical intervention (eg, whether to treat, type of treatment, frequency and duration of treatment, need for onward referral, re-evaluation and discharge) with significant regular and frequent support for clinical practice from designated SLT clinical supervisor.

6. Concentrate intensely during clinical activities (eg, working with patients for therapeutic interventions, writing reports with recommendations, and acting as an expert witness when called).

7. With support, develop insight, skill and experience to work in partnership with the patient, to determine an intervention programme that balances all aspects of their needs depending on their level of impairment, disability, handicap and distress.

8. Apply best available research evidence and evaluative thinking in all areas of practice.

9. With support, communicate highly complex SLT specialist information and clinical judgements of a sensitive or contentious nature where the situation may be emotive, to patients, carers and family, and to other members of the clinical team.

10. Develop the ability, with support, to integrate psychosocial, physical, emotional and environmental factors within a holistic patient centred approach, while working towards a specific therapeutic goal.

Please refer to the JD for full responsibilities

Job description

Job responsibilities

5. Make differential diagnoses and clinical decisions regarding options for hypothesis driven clinical intervention (eg, whether to treat, type of treatment, frequency and duration of treatment, need for onward referral, re-evaluation and discharge) with significant regular and frequent support for clinical practice from designated SLT clinical supervisor.

6. Concentrate intensely during clinical activities (eg, working with patients for therapeutic interventions, writing reports with recommendations, and acting as an expert witness when called).

7. With support, develop insight, skill and experience to work in partnership with the patient, to determine an intervention programme that balances all aspects of their needs depending on their level of impairment, disability, handicap and distress.

8. Apply best available research evidence and evaluative thinking in all areas of practice.

9. With support, communicate highly complex SLT specialist information and clinical judgements of a sensitive or contentious nature where the situation may be emotive, to patients, carers and family, and to other members of the clinical team.

10. Develop the ability, with support, to integrate psychosocial, physical, emotional and environmental factors within a holistic patient centred approach, while working towards a specific therapeutic goal.

Please refer to the JD for full responsibilities

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree in Speech and Language Therapy (or equivalent qualification)
  • Licence to practice from Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists, which is issued following attainment of degree as well as the successful completion of the requisite number of hours in clinical placement
  • Registration with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
  • Membership of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

Experience

Essential

  • Relevant experience working with adults during student placements.

Skills

Essential

  • Have knowledge of the use of some formal assessments of speech and language and, with support, able to analyse and interpret results in relation to theoretical and clinical knowledge of individual patients.
  • Have highly developed awareness of own sensory skills, to interpret information in order to carry out core clinical work, such as: - acoustic and phonetic transcriptions; structured and detailed observation of verbal and non-verbal communication behaviours; and ability to distinguish between discrete differences in oro-pharyngeal muscle function.
  • To be able to demonstrate empathy, support and reassurance to individuals who have a communication and/or swallowing impairment and with their carers and families
  • Have good knowledge of the integration of psychosocial, physical, emotional and environmental factors within a holistic patient centred approach, while working towards a specific therapeutic goal.

Desirable

  • Some knowledge and skills in the assessment and management of dysphagia is desirable (able to see non-complex cases under supervision
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree in Speech and Language Therapy (or equivalent qualification)
  • Licence to practice from Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists, which is issued following attainment of degree as well as the successful completion of the requisite number of hours in clinical placement
  • Registration with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
  • Membership of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

Experience

Essential

  • Relevant experience working with adults during student placements.

Skills

Essential

  • Have knowledge of the use of some formal assessments of speech and language and, with support, able to analyse and interpret results in relation to theoretical and clinical knowledge of individual patients.
  • Have highly developed awareness of own sensory skills, to interpret information in order to carry out core clinical work, such as: - acoustic and phonetic transcriptions; structured and detailed observation of verbal and non-verbal communication behaviours; and ability to distinguish between discrete differences in oro-pharyngeal muscle function.
  • To be able to demonstrate empathy, support and reassurance to individuals who have a communication and/or swallowing impairment and with their carers and families
  • Have good knowledge of the integration of psychosocial, physical, emotional and environmental factors within a holistic patient centred approach, while working towards a specific therapeutic goal.

Desirable

  • Some knowledge and skills in the assessment and management of dysphagia is desirable (able to see non-complex cases under supervision

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).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (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).

Additional information

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).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (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).

Employer details

Employer name

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Great Western Hospital

Marlborough Road

Swindon

SN3 6BB


Employer's website

https://www.gwh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Great Western Hospital

Marlborough Road

Swindon

SN3 6BB


Employer's website

https://www.gwh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Head of Speech and Language Therapy

Jo Field

jo.field@nhs.net

01793605101

Details

Date posted

10 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £36,483 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

249-7200050

Job locations

Great Western Hospital

Marlborough Road

Swindon

SN3 6BB


Supporting documents

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