Full job descriptionNHS AfC: Band 6Job Details*Contract: Fixed term: 6 months (6 month post to backfill a secondment)
*Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week
*Site: Royal Blackburn Hospital
Town
Blackburn
Salary
£39,959 - £48,117 pro rata per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
17/11/2026 08:00
At East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 600,000 people across East Lancashire and the surrounding area. We employ over 9,500 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work.
Job overview
This is an exciting opportunity to work as a band 6 specialist SLT in the stroke pathway. It is ideal for an experienced band 5 or an existing band 6 speech and language therapist looking to clinically focus in stroke.
The job focus will be to work as part of the SLT team and wider MDT providing responsive and high quality stroke services across acute, rehabilitation and community settings. ELHT as an organisation and the Therapies directorate are committed to an integrated stroke pathway, which includes a hyper acute stroke unit, an in-patient rehabilitation unit, and a community service spanning both early intervention and routine care.
Innovation and service improvement are core to our ethos and the Trust is a consistent high achiever in SSNAP audits, with a strong partnership with The Stroke Association.
You will be a qualified and HCPC registered SLT with good knowledge and competence in up to date assessment and treatment procedures for the stroke population (dysphagia and communication).
Main duties of the job
The key duties are:
To work as part of the staff team delivering specialist Speech and Language Therapy Services to the SLT Stroke pathway (community/acute):
*Adults with acquired disorders of communication and swallowing, predominantly in community and hospital settings.
*To lead relevant projects for the SLT service.
*To promote an understanding of clinical disorders and speech and language therapy services.
*To undertake instrumental and objective dysphagia assessment to level of competence and within the existing VFL and FEES workforce structure.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are required together with good organizational and time management skills. Flexibility in working patterns to meet the needs of the service is essential - duties may be at Royal Blackburn Hospital, Pendle Community Hospital and across the community. You will be able to work under pressure and be self directed, recognising your own limits.
You will be a car driver/owner or be able to travel between community visits in a timely manner.
You will be part of the seven day/bank holiday rota.
Working for our organisation
Established in 2003 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) is a large integrated health care organisation providing high quality acute secondary healthcare for the people of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen.
Our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 700,000 patients a year from the most serious of emergencies to planned operations and procedures. We employ over 8,000 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work and achievements.
The SLT service has an experienced team of clinical leads - Critical Care, Dysphagia, Voice, Head & Neck, Stroke, FEES, Videofluoroscopy, Neurorehabilitation and Community (including progressive disease).
Actively involved in a range of service and workforce initiatives across the Lancashire and South Cumbria ICS and research including collaborations with ELHT & UCLan’s AHP Professor in Neurorehabilitation and Stroke.
The service is well equipped and is supported by a team of administrators, SLT Assistants and Therapy Assistant Practitioners. Regular team meetings, an annual SLT Showcase of best practice, SLT, Stroke and Neuro Improvement Event and continual improvement is embedded in our daily work and service improvement initiatives. We are committed to continuing professional development and this is underpinned by supervision, regular line management and an annual appraisal system
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
See attached documents for details in full and main duties previously outlined.
Person specificationExperienceEssential criteria
*Experience treating a variety of patients relevant to the post including independent dysphagia competencies
*Organising and managing everyday clinic routines
*Minimum 6 months experience of working as B5 Speech Therapist
*Knowledge and SkillsEssential criteria
*Knowledge of a range of communication and swallowing difficulties and their management relevant to the post.
*Knowledge of a range of Alternative and Augumentative systems of communication.
*Knowledge of assessment tools relevant to the client group
*Knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to the client group.
*Knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions relevant to the client group.
*Awareness of principles of clinical governance/audit.
*Awareness of the roles of other professionals relevant to the client group
*Awareness of confidentiality as relating to the NHS
*Desirable criteria
*Use of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint
*Presentation skills
*QualificationsEssential criteria
*Registered with the HCPC
*Profession specific Diploma/ Degree
Dear Potential Applicant,
It is important you are made aware of the following as regards your application to East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
*Please note that the salary advertised is for full time hours. If this post is less than 37.5 hours per week, the salary will be pro-rata. For posts on Agenda for Change pay-scales, new entrants to the NHS will normally commence on the first pay point of the relevant band.
*This vacancymay close before the closing date if the recruiting manager deems sufficient applications have been received. Therefore it is advised to complete your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.**
*Please ensure you check the email account from which you apply regularly as we will use this to contact you regarding your application.
*Please note that shortlisting is completed anonymously with candidates being assessed against the essential criteria for the...