Job summary
We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic and innovative Speech and Language Therapist within our Head & Neck Cancer team.
We are looking for a motivated individual who has Head & Neck Cancer skills and would like the opportunity to hone these further. We are keen to support enthusiastic candidates in developing their skills.
The post holder will work across all aspects of the Head & Neck Cancer pathway, with a particular focus on the Oncology "on treat" clinics, alongside providing cover to our specialist Head & Neck Cancer inpatient ward and outpatient joint Head & Neck Cancer clinics. The post holder will also cover the general Oncology patients across the Churchill site and will have the opportunity to maintain wider dysphagia skills across inpatient wards by seeing general acute patients.
There will be opportunities for the post holder to commence or build competencies within FEES, VFS, laryngectomy/surgical voice restoration and tracheostomy management in a very supportive environment. We have several exciting service development and research projects going on within the SLT and wider team, and the post holder will play an integral part in delivering these projects. Furthermore, we have a well-establish CPD and supervision structure as part of our commitment to clinical excellence and job satisfaction.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be an experienced and senior therapist within the Speech and Language Therapy service, working in the head and neck team.
. Use highly specialist clinical skills to manage a specialist caseload of adults with communication, (including surgical voice restoration), and swallowing disorders resulting from a head and neck cancer diagnosis and treatment. To identify, assess and diagnose communication/swallowing impairments, and select appropriate patients and type of therapy for effective management at all stages of the cancer journey.
. Take a lead role in service developments in this area, working alongside the rest of the team.
. Have a specialist advisory role for the Trust in these specialty areas, giving service wide second and expert opinions.
. Contribute to service wide developments as appropriate.
. To be highly experienced, and to be able to provide necessary cover for acute dysphagia inpatients in other clinical areas, during periods of other staff leave.
. To be highly skilled in managing surgical voice restoration and tracheostomy.
. Independently take students on placement for clinical teaching and supervision, including exam placement.
. Take a clinical leadership role for registered and unregistered staff working at lower grades and volunteers.
About us
Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) is a world-renowned centre of clinical excellence and one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the UK. We employ approximately 12,500 staff (including over 4,000 nurses and 2,000 doctors and 850 AHP staff). The Trust comprises four main hospital sites: the John Radcliffe Hospital (which includes the Children's Hospital, West Wing, Eye Hospital, Heart Centre and Women's Centre), the Churchill Hospital and the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, all located in Oxford, and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury, North Oxfordshire.
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family.
Find out more here www.ouh.nhs.uk
Job description
Job responsibilities
Patient/client care
1. To assess, develop and implement highly specialist speech and language therapy treatment. To make appropriate clinical decisions following assessments, including differential diagnosis, on the basis of evidence from assessment. To develop specialist care plans based in best practice and expert knowledge.
2. To use clinical skills to generate written reports reflecting specialist knowledge.
3. To provide appropriate specialist intervention and evaluate outcomes. To use skills and knowledge to generate appropriate strategies for caseload management for complex clinical issues.
4. To provide advice to others regarding the management and care of patients/clients with communication and/or feeding and swallowing difficulties. To provide specialist advice in relation to relevant care group.
5. To maintain intense concentration in all aspects of patient management for prolonged periods. In particular, to monitor auditory, visual and kinaesthetic aspects of clients communication, adapting and facilitating according to perceived client needs.
Policy/service development/implementation
1. To take delegated lead on the implementation of team objectives or projects in liaison with peers.
2. To develop care protocols for specific clinical issues.
3. To advise line manager on issues of service delivery, including shortfall, service pressures etc.
4. To assume delegated tasks as requested by line manager, including participation in working groups, policy development groups.
5. To develop care protocols/packages relating to specialist area in liaison with other clinical leads and Service Manager to improve patient care.
6. To contribute to interagency/multi-disciplinary team building and policy development.
7. To be aware of, adhere to and implement Trust, Service and team plans and policies.
8. To work within infection control and health and safety guidelines in order to deal appropriately with unpleasant conditions related to client contact as they arise
9. To use specialist knowledge to inform Service/policy developments as appropriate, and to implement policy within own specialist area.
8. To play a lead role in specialist area in the implementation of Service/Trust Clinical Governance Plan.
Human resources
1. To provide regular specialist training on a range of topics.
2. To facilitate the development of others problem-solving/negotiation skills within peer review/support.
3. To provide mentoring, advice and support to more junior SLTs, assistants and volunteers. To supervise the work of unregistered staff, volunteers and other professionals.
4. To take responsibility for appraisal of more junior SLTs/unregistered staff. To provide full student placements, including assessment of the placements as appropriate
5. To provide second opinions to less experienced colleagues, and expert opinions to others.
Research and development
1. To participate in and develop innovations in areas of risk management, quality standards setting and clinical effectiveness.
2. To initiate and undertake research/clinical governance/audit projects within area of expertise.
3. To represent the team within multi-disciplinary systems of clinical governance and research within the Trust.
Freedom to act
1. To provide clinical leadership within appropriate specialist area.
2. To manage a complex and specialist caseload independently.
3. To monitor and evaluate own highly specialist service delivery and provide progress reports.
4. To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries, seeking advice as appropriate.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Patient/client care
1. To assess, develop and implement highly specialist speech and language therapy treatment. To make appropriate clinical decisions following assessments, including differential diagnosis, on the basis of evidence from assessment. To develop specialist care plans based in best practice and expert knowledge.
2. To use clinical skills to generate written reports reflecting specialist knowledge.
3. To provide appropriate specialist intervention and evaluate outcomes. To use skills and knowledge to generate appropriate strategies for caseload management for complex clinical issues.
4. To provide advice to others regarding the management and care of patients/clients with communication and/or feeding and swallowing difficulties. To provide specialist advice in relation to relevant care group.
5. To maintain intense concentration in all aspects of patient management for prolonged periods. In particular, to monitor auditory, visual and kinaesthetic aspects of clients communication, adapting and facilitating according to perceived client needs.
Policy/service development/implementation
1. To take delegated lead on the implementation of team objectives or projects in liaison with peers.
2. To develop care protocols for specific clinical issues.
3. To advise line manager on issues of service delivery, including shortfall, service pressures etc.
4. To assume delegated tasks as requested by line manager, including participation in working groups, policy development groups.
5. To develop care protocols/packages relating to specialist area in liaison with other clinical leads and Service Manager to improve patient care.
6. To contribute to interagency/multi-disciplinary team building and policy development.
7. To be aware of, adhere to and implement Trust, Service and team plans and policies.
8. To work within infection control and health and safety guidelines in order to deal appropriately with unpleasant conditions related to client contact as they arise
9. To use specialist knowledge to inform Service/policy developments as appropriate, and to implement policy within own specialist area.
8. To play a lead role in specialist area in the implementation of Service/Trust Clinical Governance Plan.
Human resources
1. To provide regular specialist training on a range of topics.
2. To facilitate the development of others problem-solving/negotiation skills within peer review/support.
3. To provide mentoring, advice and support to more junior SLTs, assistants and volunteers. To supervise the work of unregistered staff, volunteers and other professionals.
4. To take responsibility for appraisal of more junior SLTs/unregistered staff. To provide full student placements, including assessment of the placements as appropriate
5. To provide second opinions to less experienced colleagues, and expert opinions to others.
Research and development
1. To participate in and develop innovations in areas of risk management, quality standards setting and clinical effectiveness.
2. To initiate and undertake research/clinical governance/audit projects within area of expertise.
3. To represent the team within multi-disciplinary systems of clinical governance and research within the Trust.
Freedom to act
1. To provide clinical leadership within appropriate specialist area.
2. To manage a complex and specialist caseload independently.
3. To monitor and evaluate own highly specialist service delivery and provide progress reports.
4. To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries, seeking advice as appropriate.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
- Health and Care Professions Council registration
- Formal post-graduate dysphagia training
- Evidence of successful completion of significant specialist post graduate training, equivalent to Masters level
Experience / Skills
Essential
- Evidence of in depth experience in specialist clinical area of head and neck cancer, including complex surgical voice restoration management and tracheostomy
- Evidence of high level of specialist knowledge/skills as a result of experience/CPD
- Excellent interpersonal skills
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
- Health and Care Professions Council registration
- Formal post-graduate dysphagia training
- Evidence of successful completion of significant specialist post graduate training, equivalent to Masters level
Experience / Skills
Essential
- Evidence of in depth experience in specialist clinical area of head and neck cancer, including complex surgical voice restoration management and tracheostomy
- Evidence of high level of specialist knowledge/skills as a result of experience/CPD
- Excellent interpersonal skills
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.
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.
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).
