Speech and Language Therapy Operational Lead

We are looking to recruit a forward thinking, highly motivated and experienced speech and language therapist with proven leadership skills to lead our acute adult and paediatric speech and language therapy (SLT) service based at Southampton General Hospital.



UHS offers fantastic training and development giving you the best possible opportunities to achieve the career you want. Development of our staff is central to the delivery of high quality, safe and effective care. We can offer opportunities to develop within a supportive environment,



Attached you will find the person specification document which provides more detail about the essential and desirable skills and experience needed for this role. We highly recommend you review this document and use it when completing your application as these criteria are used by hiring managers as guidance during shortlisting.



For an overview of the main duties of the role please see the ‘Job Description and Main Responsibilities’ section below. To understand the day-to-day responsibilities in more detail please read the full job description document attached.



As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to. UHS is rated ‘Good’ by the CQC and in the latest national NHS Staff Survey, we were in the top 10 acute trusts for staff engagement and for staff recommending the hospital as a place to work or receive care.



All non-clinical roles may involve a mixture of on site and remote working, Specific details and flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process. UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme.



Southampton is an attractive place to live and work situated on the south coast, with an international airport and direct trains to London. The New Forest National Park and beaches of the Jurassic coast are also right on our doorstep. The city offers living costs 20% lower than London and 14 schools rated outstanding by Ofsted.



Specific to this role is the suitability for agile working which is a mixture of on-site and remote working. In addition, we are open to discussing flexibility in the hours that you work. Please talk to us at interview about the flexibility you need, and we will explore what’s possible for the role and service.



The department of dietetics and SLT employs more than 130 staff, with clinical experts working across the range of specialties, providing acute services in both adults and paediatrics. As a tertiary hospital, we have senior speech and language therapists in a wide range of specialist areas. There is access to regular CPD sessions, and opportunities to engage in service development and research. We support training and teaching of multi-professional students as well as providing placements for student speech and language therapists.



The SLT service consist of approximately 30 wtes of which nearly 20% work in paediatrics. You will be a core member of the Dietetics and SLT Leadership Team who work closely together to deliver excellent patient outcomes through our department vision, ethos and strategy.



Responsibilities:

You will work within a supportive leadership team, liaising closely with other managers within the department and providing cover for other members of the team when required. You will provide clinical as well as operational leadership to the SLT teams, managing the SLT service on a day-to-day basis, including allocation of staff, managing absence, service delivery and development, skill mix, recruitment, training/development and appraisal/supervision. You will provide supervision for specialist speech and language therapists and liaise with clinical services to develop the service. You will have the opportunity to manage a designated caseload at a specialist level.



What experience/skills are needed:

The post holder will be a qualified speech and language therapist, currently registered with the HCPC, with existing management and leadership experience, holding personal responsibility for defined programmes of work at a senior level as well as advanced clinical skills. You will have excellent interpersonal skills and must be able to communicate and negotiate in order to effect change and to evidence an ability to support, motivate and bring staff with you throughout the process.



Flexibility and the ability to prioritise and manage a busy and varied workload are essential. You must be able to demonstrate the ability to work within an MDT as a specialist speech and language therapist and have the confidence to present and discuss your professional opinion with colleagues. This post requires a dynamic, assertive person, able to demonstrate breadth of knowledge and good rapport building skills who is an excellent collaborator.



We welcome applications from diverse backgrounds and are willing to consider flexible working arrangements. If you are interested in this role, please get in touch to discuss.