Specialist Speech and Language Therapist – Acute Stroke: Sponsorship Available

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

Job summary

Are you ready to grow and develop your specialist skills within the field of acute Stroke? If so, we would be excited to welcome you to join our friendly, enthusiastic and supportive team! The post is based at Cheltenham General Hospital in Gloucestershire, providing cover to both the hyperacute (HASU) and acute (ASU) stroke units.

We are looking for a Speech and Language therapist with post graduate dysphagia skills and a passion for working with individuals experiencing acute post-stroke communication and swallowing difficulties. This post would suit experienced Speech & Language Therapists at band 5 level or those already working as a band 6 who wish to further develop their competencies in communication and dysphagia within a supportive and experienced team.

Main duties of the job

In this role, you will:

  • Manage a shared caseload of stroke inpatients with complex communication and swallowing disorders.
  • Provide specialist assessment of both communication and swallowing difficulties and input into discharge planning.
  • Create and implement individualised treatment programmes, ensuring that these are monitored and modified as required.
  • Work alongside a supportive team of experienced Speech and Language Therapy colleagues as well as a Speech and Language therapy assistant.
  • Work closely with our multidisciplinary colleagues, providing regular joint sessions and attending shared goal planning meetings.

Why Join Us?

We are proud of our supportive team culture and strong commitment to your professional growth and wellbeing. When you join us, you can expect:

  • Comprehensive CPD opportunities and access to a wide range of training
  • Structured supervision, including regular peer support sessions
  • Opportunities to develop advanced clinical skills in areas such as FEES
  • A clear pathway for career progression, supported through regular personal development reviews

Whether you’re experienced in community working or keen to transition into this rewarding area, you will be supported every step of the way to grow, develop, and thrive.

The qualification, training & experience requirements for the role are outlined in the Job Description/Person Specification.

Person Specification

QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

  • Recognised Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists degree level qualification
  • Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)
  • Member of the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)
  • Post Graduate Dysphagia Training

LENGTH AND / OR NATURE OF EXPERIENCE

Essential

  • Experience in managing patients with acquired communication and swallowing difficulties post stroke
  • Special interest in current evidence-based practice relating to post stroke communication and/or swallowing difficulties

Desirable

  • Experience of working with Stroke patients within an acute/hyperacute setting

Professional/managerial/Specialist Knowledge

Essential

  • Specialist skills in differential diagnosis and targeting of clinical interventions relevant to Stroke
  • Ability to appropriately prioritise and manage a complex caseload independently
  • Negotiation skills for management of conflict across a range of situations
  • Demonstration of specialist knowledge in Stroke underpinned by current evidence based practice
  • Knowledge of a broad range of specialist formal and informal assessment methods and their interpretation

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).

Closing Date: 28 September 2026

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.