We are recruiting for a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist - Oncology who shares our vision to be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service to our patients.

We have an exciting opportunity for a fixed term maternity cover to join our integrated Speech & Language Therapy team at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre. This role will be primarily based within pre to post treatment clinics for patients with head and neck cancer.

The successful candidate will have experience in the management of patients with complex communication and swallowing disorders following a diagnosis of Head & Neck cancer and have experience in working autonomously as a specialist within an MDT.

The Speech and Language Therapy Team is co-located within the AHP Therapy team working closely with Dietitians, Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists.

You will be required to jointly lead and deliver clinics held across the pathway. Ideally you will be competent to practice independently in Videofluoroscopy .

The post holder must have a Speech and Language Therapy degree or equivalent qualification, be a member of RCSLT and be registered and licensed to practice with HCPC.

Interviews to be hold on the week commencing 12th June, the exactly date to be confirmed later to the successful candidates.

Our Values are Include, Respect and Improve. It is important that you understand and refer to our values during your recruitment process and beyond!

Main duties of the job

Supporting patients undergoing radiotherapy +/- chemotherapy treatment with their swallowing and communication needs

Supporting patients with swallowing and/or communication disorders receiving palliative radiotherapy, chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy

Assessing and managing acute patients with swallowing or communication difficulties in the oncology inpatient wards

Participating in SLT-led videofluoroscopy clinics

Managing complex patients, such as those with a tracheostomy or laryngectomy, as competencies allow

Attending and participating in team meetings

About us

At East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, we are proud of the range of general & specialist services we provide & our 6,000 or so dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible & innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.

We run the following hospitals:

• The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
• New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
• Hertford County, Hertford
• Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC), Northwood

We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient-led Trust where dedicated staff provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation our staff & patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.

We understand that finding and starting a new job is an important life decision. If you need reasonable adjustments for a disability, or a life event, such as menopause - so that we can consider your application fairly & to get the best out of you during the selection process, please let us know.

We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees. Employees are entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns & we are committed to listen and consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made & considered formally, & will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.

Job description

Job responsibilities

ENHT is seeking to maintain and expand the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre staff as we move to an exciting new future.

We welcome applications from those who would relish the opportunity to be part of new and developing cancer service, building on the excellent reputation, research and patient experience the Cancer Centre already delivers.

In addition, you will receive a High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of your basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of �4,314 and a maximum payment of �5,436 per annum pro rata.

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification applicant pack for further detailed information regarding this role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree in Speech and Language Therapy
• Registered member of the RCSLT
• Current registration with HCPC
• Member of relevant SIG/CEN
• Completed RCSLT dysphagia competency framework to minimum Level C or equivalent

Desirable

• Completed RCSLT VF competency framework or equivalent
• Completed RCSLT FEES competency framework or equivalent
• Completed RCSLT Tracheostomy competency framework or equivalent
• Completed SVR competencies

Previous Experience

Essential

• Experience of working at postgraduate level with adults with head and neck cancer
• Experience of supervising junior staff or students on placement
• Experience of delivering training to other professionals, patients and/or carers
• Experience of working with patients under palliative care

Desirable

• Experience of working in a video fluoroscopy clinic
• Experience of working with FEES
• Experience working with adults with a tracheostomy or laryngectomy

Skills

Essential

• Able to manage time effectively, to prioritise, and to support junior staff to manage their caseload
• Able to make appropriate clinical decisions following an assessment
• Excellent communicator with ability to modify skills as needed
• Able to work effectively within a team and also on own initiative
• Able to teach and motivate others
• Able to reflect on own practice and that of others in order to deliver the best possible care
• Information Technology skills including: e-mail, Word, Excel & Power Point

Other Requirements

Essential

• Knowledge of relevant national and clinical guidelines
• Eligible to live and work in the UK
• Experience and evidence of engagement around equality, diversity and inclusion issues in relation to policy, service development and service delivery in respect of both services to users and the management of staff
• Role model our Trust values every day

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.

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

East and North Herts NHS Trust

Address

Mount Vernon Cancer Centre

Rickmansworth Road

Northwood

HA6 2RN

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

361-CAN-5222073