About this role
Job summary
Do you want to develop your skills in Head and Neck Cancer/ENT-related voice, upper airway and swallowing disorders? We have a rare permanent full-time position available. Based at the Freeman hospital, you will be integral to a busy but highly supportive team of SLTs as well as being a valued member of multi-disciplinary teams. Training will be provided in required specialist areas and you will have access to frequent FEES/VF clinics and joint respiratory/ENT specialist clinics due to our close working relationships with these specialties. We are one of the busiest H&N units in the country, highly innovative and active in research. Our voice/upper airways service is also nationally renowned. As a department we support and host national conferences and training programmes, and are committed to teaching, audit, quality improvement and research. We have close links with both Newcastle and Northumbria Universities.
Interview date:12 June 2026 37 hours 30 minutes/week
You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy. NO AGENCIES PLEASE
Main duties of the job
We are looking for an exceptional individual who has a solid background working in complex dysphagia, ideally with some voice and/or head and neck experience including using endoscopic assessment though this is not essential and training can be offered. A compassionate team member who is industrious, you will be rewarded with opportunities to gain skills and experience in highly specialist areas. Freeman Hospital has a dedicated ENT/OMFS ward. It also hosts the Northern Centre for Cancer Care where radiotherapy is delivered and Oncology wards are based. We input to complex respiratory clinics at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, including specialist paediatric voice/upper airway disorder clinics held at the Great North Children's Hospital. This is a rare opportunity, and we would welcome any declarations of interest/queries to discuss further - please do not hesitate to get in touch, we would love to hear from you.
About us
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
With around 2 million contacts with patients every year, we deliver care from:
Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) Freeman Hospital Newcastle Dental Hospital Cramlington Manor Walks Urgent treatment centres Newcastle Fertility Centre Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria Northern Genetics Service These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under 'Documents to download' or 'Supporting documents'.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Job description Job responsibilities
To assess, diagnose, treat, and manage own highly specialist caseload of clients with routine and complex voice and upper airway disorders as well as swallowing difficulties arising as a result of a range of ENT and respiratory conditions, including head and neck cancer (HNC). To provide highly specialist intervention and evaluate outcomes. To support joint clinics with ENT and respiratory colleagues. To provide day to day coordination, support and clinical supervision of speech and language therapists, assistants, and students. To develop and deliver highly specialist training to other colleagues including SLT colleagues, multidisciplinary team colleagues and other professionals To pursue and acquire ongoing highly specialist knowledge and expertise in voice and ENT conditions affecting communication and swallowing as well as in conditions of the upper airway including inducible laryngeal obstruction and chronic cough. To implement all Trust and Departmental policies and procedures in own working practice and comment on policies being developed. To provide input to the teaching, research, audit and service development functions of the department.
Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS Essential
Recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree qualification or equivalent Registration with HCPC Relevant post graduate courses/conferences
Desirable
Master's degree Membership of relevant RCSLT CEN
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE Essential
Significant experience of working with adults with a broad range of disorders including swallowing problems in an acute/rehabilitation setting. Experience of interpretation of nasendoscopy/FEES. Significant experience in video fluoroscopy clinics Experience of working with a specialist voice/upper airway and/or H&N caseload. Experience of working with complex conditions with an appropriate level of autonomy Knowledge/experience/training in a range of voice, upper airway and swallowing treatment and assessment techniques Awareness of the appropriate use of counselling skills/psychological therapies Experience of supervising more junior SLTs Experience of teaching other professionals Experience of supervising students Experience of participating in audit
Desirable
Experience of working in a specialist multidisciplinary clinic Experience working with ILO and chronic cough Advanced Post grad training and experience o nasendoscopy o analysis/interpretation of laryngeal images o videofluoroscopy assessment o FEES assessment o working with patients with tracheostomy o Surgical voice restoration Highly specialist in-depth knowledge and understanding of the management of voice, upper airway, and swallowing disorders Experience of engagement in research activity Post grad training and clinical experience in a range of voice and swallowing treatment and assessment techniques Proven application of current theories and practices in the specialist field of voice and upper airway disorder. Post-graduate training in talking therapies
SKILLS AND ABILITIES Essential
Dysphagia skills at intermediate level Highly developed auditory and perceptual skills Ability to work collaboratively Ability to recognise limitations of competence Excellent communication Excellent computer skills Negotiation and problem solving skills Demonstrates an understanding of SLT services in the context of the wider NHS structures and the current DH policies Excellent organisational skills including case prioritisation
Desirable
Project evaluation skills Excellent teaching and presentation skills Established skills in conducting and interpreting laryngeal examination, videofluoroscopy and FEES assessments at intermediate level Excellent clinical supervision skills
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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 The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address Freeman Hospital
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE7 7DN
Employer's website https://careers.nuth.nhs.uk/why-us (Opens in a new tab)