Advanced Specialist Speech and Language Therapist - Adult Acute Dysphagia

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for two experienced Band 7 Speech and Language Therapists to join the Adult Acute Speech and Language Therapy team at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

We are seeking highly motivated clinicians with advanced expertise in the assessment and management of adults with complex dysphagia and communication disorders within an acute hospital setting. The successful candidate will independently manage highly complex patients across neurosciences, respiratory, acute medicine, surgery, orthopaedics and specialist oncology services, including neuro-oncology and haematology, providing expert clinical advice and contributing to complex multidisciplinary decision-making.

Experience in instrumental swallowing assessment (FEES and/or Videofluoroscopy) and tracheostomy management is highly desirable. You will also contribute to clinical leadership, supervision, education and service development within one of the UK's leading teaching hospitals.

Main duties of the job

You will independently assess and manage adults with highly complex dysphagia and communication disorders across acute inpatient services, providing advanced clinical reasoning and evidence-based management recommendations.

The role includes supporting patients with neurological, respiratory, medical, surgical and oncology conditions, including those with tracheostomies, contributing to complex multidisciplinary decision-making, and undertaking and/or contributing to instrumental swallowing assessment (FEES and Videofluoroscopy).

You will provide clinical leadership through supervision and support of junior staff and students, contribute to education and training, participate in audit, research and quality improvement initiatives, and play an active role in the ongoing development of Adult Acute SLT services.

Working for our organisation

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing ‘outstanding’ care to our patients and rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values – Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent – are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:
-    applied for a Graduate visa
-    or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment

This vacancy will close at midnight on the 27th August 2026. 

Interviews are due to be held on the 17th September 2026. 

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff. 

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree or equivalent.

Health professions Council Registration.

Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Post-graduate dysphagia accreditation or equivalent.

Evidence of advanced post-registration training relevant to Adult Acute practice, including dysphagia, instrumental assessment (FEES/VFS) and/or tracheostomy management.

Member of Specialist Interest Groups.

Experience

Essential criteria

Significant post-registration experience working as a Speech and Language Therapist within an Adult Acute service.

Extensive experience in the independent assessment and management of adults with complex dysphagia.

Experience independently undertaking and interpreting instrumental swallowing assessment (FEES and/or Videofluoroscopy).

Experience independently assessing and managing adults with tracheostomies, including communication and swallowing management.

Experience providing clinical supervision, education and support to junior clinicians and/or students.

Experience contributing to multidisciplinary working, service development and quality improvement initiatives.

Demonstrable experience independently prioritising and managing a highly complex Adult Acute caseload.

Demonstrable experience independently prioritising and managing a highly complex Adult Acute caseload.

Desirable criteria

Experience working within tertiary specialist services.

Experience leading audit, research or quality improvement.

Experience contributing to development of instrumental swallowing services.

Knowledge

Essential criteria

Advanced knowledge of complex dysphagia assessment and management.

Advanced knowledge of swallowing physiology and pathophysiology.

Knowledge of the principles, interpretation and clinical application of instrumental swallowing assessment (FEES/VFS).

Knowledge of tracheostomy assessment and management.

Knowledge of current RCSLT guidance, evidence-based practice and national dysphagia guidance.

Understanding of clinical governance, audit and quality improvement.

Skills

Essential criteria

Advanced clinical reasoning.

Autonomous clinical decision-making.

Ability to negotiate and influence complex multidisciplinary clinical decision-making.

Ability to communicate highly complex information effectively to patients, relatives and MDTs.

Ability to demonstrate clinical leadership through supervision, education and support of colleagues.

Excellent organisational and workload management skills.

Excellent written documentation.

Ability to contribute to service development and quality improvement.

Additional Requirements

Essential criteria

The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name

Andrie Schembri

Job title

Senior SLT

Email address

View email address on careers.cuh.nhs.uk

Telephone number

View phone number on careers.cuh.nhs.uk