Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for three consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.

Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video

Job overview

We are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for a Band 7 Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with skills in Head and Neck Cancer to join our Adult SLT team at NELFT. We are looking for an enthusiastic, innovative and motivated individual to join our friendly department as part of our Head and Neck Cancer and ENT team on a fixed term contract until June 2025. 

The Adult SLT Team are a respected and integrated part of the Head and Neck Cancer multidisciplinary team, with a positive record of developing innovative and patient centred services. The service runs weekly community videofluoroscopy and FEES clinics, and a monthly joint voice/swallowing clinic with ENT. The team also runs an Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Programme and we have proudly pioneered the provision of laryngectomy care in the community. CPD is actively supported through regular clinical supervision, appraisals and excellent training opportunities. 

To find out more about what we have been doing, why not follow us @NELFTAdultSLT ?

Main duties of the job

As an experienced and highly specialist SLT you will independently prioritise and manage a highly specialist caseload of head and neck cancer patients right across the cancer care pathway from diagnosis to survivorship. This will include management of a complex laryngectomy caseload therefore requiring competencies in SVR and laryngectomy care. The post holder will be required to support our innovative, pioneering and groundbreaking domiciliary laryngectomy service that operates across the three London boroughs of Barking & Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge. We are proud to announce that this service has been nominated for a prestigious 2024 HSJ Award.

The successful candidate will have an opportunity to further develop their existing skills, and work in an exciting and dynamic team. They will work closely with ENT, Oral & Maxillofacial and Oncology teams via weekly H&N cancer multidisciplinary team meetings whilst networking with vast group of cancer care professionals across the North East London Cancer Alliance.

The ideal candidate must be able to work independently as well as part of a team and have good time management and prioritisation skills.

Although not essential, the ideal candidate would have competencies in Videofluoroscopy and FEES.

The post holder will be required to participate in service development initiatives.

Working for our organisation

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

Starting with NELFT

NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop in sessions focussing in engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

High Cost Area Supplement - Outer London

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,551 to a maximum of £5,735 pro rata for part time).

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Use of AI

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

Please see the attached Job description and Person specification for more information about this role and working at NELFT. We encourage you to refer closely to this when completing your application.

Person specification

essential

Essential criteria

Demonstration of Trust Values

Qualifications

Essential criteria

NVQ level 2 or equivalent standard of literacy and numeracy Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent HCPC Licence to Practice HCPC Licence to Practice Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy Show active interest in CPD in line with RCSLT guidelines Competencies in working with patients with laryngectomies

Desirable criteria

Competencies in FEES Competencies in videofluroscopy Competencies in tracheostomy

Experience

Essential criteria

Significant relevant experience at undergraduate/post graduate level Working collaboratively with carers and other professionals Experience of working in a multi-agency and/or multi-disciplinary team Working with clients who have a range of speech, language and communication needs resulting from head and neck cancer and voice disorders Planning and delivery of training to other professionals Experience of supervising others

Desirable criteria

Experience of videofluroscopy Experience of running a FEES clinic

Knowledge

Essential criteria

Awareness of NHS Plan, NSF, clinical governance priorities and changing service needs Government policy and legislation and how this may affect service delivery Knowledge of acquired communication and swallowing disorders Knowledge of assessment tools, treatment techniques and therapeutic interventions Awareness of the roles of other professionals Awareness of standards of record keeping Awareness of the principles of clinical governance/audit Understanding of safeguarding

Skills

Essential criteria

Basic awareness of IT and IT skills Demonstrate clear clinical reasoning based on evidence based practice Able to use own initiative Organise and manage own caseload Allocate duties and supervise junior SLT Strong supervision skills Formulate care programmes, identify goals by organising and prioritising Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy Negotiation, problem solving concentration, analytical and reflection skills Written and verbal presentation skills Present information in clear and logical manner Ability to be a good team member

Other

Essential criteria

To be able to travel efficiently throughout the area

Benefits

We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer at NELFT:

A long-standing and award-winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff. A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our effortsto support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a ‘Top 10 Family Friendly Employer’ from the Working Families Charity. Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors. Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time hours or another flexible pattern.