Job Description

Company Description

Here at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, we are proud to provide expert, compassionate care for our local population. We are ranked as the third in the country for research, embedding education and training across the organisation. Our main hub is the Queen Alexandra Hospital, which is one of the largest hospitals on the south coast employing over 8,700 staff.

Our patients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes our hospital stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for getting it right for patients, colleagues, and our community, you will find a home at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.

Job Description

NHS Band 6 Salary: £39,959 - £48,117 per annum

Hours Per Week: Full Time, 37.5 hrs (part-time applications considered)

Contract Type: Fixed-Term Maternity Cover

Location Base: Queen Alexandra Hospital, Southwick Hill Road, Cosham, Portsmouth, PO6 3LY

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Speech and Language Therapist to join our dynamic Speech and Language Therapy team on a fixed-term maternity cover contract.

This is an exciting opportunity for a Band 6 SLT to work across Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, providing specialist assessment and management of adults with communication and swallowing disorders. The successful candidate will work as part of a supportive multidisciplinary team, delivering high-quality patient-centred care across a range of acute inpatient and outpatient settings.

The role will involve assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of adults presenting with dysphagia and communication difficulties resulting from a variety of medical conditions. You will work closely with medical, nursing and allied health professional colleagues to support patient recovery, optimise nutrition and hydration, and promote effective communication.

Main Responsibilities

• Provide specialist assessment and management of adults with dysphagia and communication difficulties.
• Develop and implement evidence-based treatment plans.
• Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings and contribute to clinical decision-making.
• Support safe oral intake recommendations and communication strategies.
• Deliver training and advice to patients, families, carers and healthcare staff.
• Contribute to service development, audit and quality improvement initiatives.
• Support and supervise junior staff and students as appropriate.
• Maintain accurate and timely clinical records in line with Trust and professional standards.

About You

We are seeking a clinician who:

• Holds a recognised Speech and Language Therapy qualification.
• Is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
• Registered member of the RCSLT
• Accredited dysphagia post-graduate qualification or equivalent to level C (RCSLT dysphagia competencies)
• Has experience managing adult patients with complex dysphagia and/or communication difficulties.
• Demonstrates excellent clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills.
• Works effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Has supervision experience.
• Has strong organisational, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Is committed to delivering high-quality, patient-centred care.
• Demonstrates our trust values: Working Together For Patients with Compassion as One Team Always Improving

What We Offer

• A supportive and experienced Speech and Language Therapy team.
• Regular supervision and opportunities for professional development.
• Access to a wide range of learning and training opportunities.
• Opportunities to work across diverse clinical areas within a large acute teaching Trust.
• Flexible working arrangements where service needs allow.

Informal Enquiries

Informal discussions are welcomed and encouraged. We would be pleased to discuss the role and opportunities available within the team.

For full job details and person specification please refer to enclosed Job description

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered member RCSLT
• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
• HCPC Licence to Practice
• Accredited dysphagia post-graduate qualification or equivalent to level C (RCSLT dysphagia competencies)

Additional Information

The health and wellbeing of our staff is at the forefront of everything we do. We are proud to be able to offer our staff some fantastic benefits including our on-site Nursery, access to our free Beach Hut for those long summer days, our on-site Wellness Centre including a gym and a swimming pool, access to our fantastic staff networks including LGBTQ, Race Equality and DisAbility, and awards ceremonies to recognise your achievements. We believe we can offer support to all of our staff when they need it the most.

We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs.

For more information, please see our People and OD Strategy 2026