Specialist Speech & Language Therapist Head & Neck

Go back Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

Closing date: 14 February 2026

The head and neck cancer MDT covers Calderdale & Huddersfield, Airedale and Bradford. The MDT meets weekly  major surgery takes place at Bradford Royal Infirmary, and oncology treatments are given in Leeds.

The CHFT head and neck cancer service has well established twice weekly AHP clinics which run with H&N CNS, dietitian and SLT input. The team consists of 3 CNSs, a cancer care coordinator, dietitian and part time B8a and B6 H&N SLTs. Patients are seen in the AHP clinic before they start treatment and again after treatment for rehabilitation.

In addition, there are regular laryngectomy clinics run with the ENT specialist nurses, a drop in valve troubleshooting clinic and OP SLT clinics. There is access to nasendoscopy and recording for FEES in the OP department as well as on both hospital sites.

There is a clinical support group for H&N SLT within the MDT hospitals which meets regularly, as well as a region wide H&N SLT group.

To work with our principal speech therapist and other speech therapy colleagues, to provide a highly specialist Speech & Language Therapy service for adults with communication, voice, and swallowing disorders associated with head and neck cancer, ENT conditions (including thyroid cancer), and their medical/surgical/oncological treatments. The postholder will work across the H&N cancer pathway, delivering expert assessment, intervention, rehabilitation, and multidisciplinary care.

CHFT is an integrated Trust of 6,500+ colleagues providing hospital and community services to patients and communities across Calderdale and Kirklees. We are rated as ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission, are a top performing Trust for Elective Recovery, Emergency and Cancer Care and widely acknowledged as a national digital lead when it comes to caring for people across our local and regional systems.

Our people are at the core of everything we do, hence our commitment to One Culture of Care. Our focus is to care for and support each other in order to provide outstanding compassionate care to our patients. That is why we are looking for an inclusive collaborative, creative, innovative and compassionate leader to join us in this role.

Clinical

• Deliver specialist assessment and differential diagnosis of dysphagia, dysphonia, communication disorders, and airway related issues in H&N and thyroid patients.
• Provide pretreatment counselling and post-treatment rehabilitation for patients undergoing surgery, radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy.
• Manage patients with tracheostomies and laryngectomies, including surgical voice restoration (e.g. managing voice prostheses, including changes).
• Perform instrumental assessments where appropriate (e.g., FEES, videofluoroscopy).
• Develop and implement individualised treatment plans using evidence base practice.
• Monitor progress and adjust interventions throughout the cancer and surgical pathway.
• Provide specialist advice to patients, carers, and the MDT regarding communication and swallowing management.
• Participate in H&N MDT clinics, joint consultations, AHP clinics, laryngectomy clinics and OP SLT Clinics.
• Work collaboratively with ENT and Max Fax surgeons, oncologists, dietitians, CNS teams, restorative dentistry, radiographers, and palliative care.
• Contribute to coordinated discharge planning and community follow up where required.

Leadership, Education & Service Development

• Provide clinical supervision to junior SLTs, assistants, apprentices and students.
• Lead or contribute to service development, pathway redesign, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Deliver training to nursing, medical and SLT colleagues on communication, swallowing, and airway management.
• Participate in audit, research and data collection to support service evaluation.

Professional Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate, timely clinical records in line with Trust and HCPC standards.
• Adhere to national guidelines, local policies and professional codes of conduct.
• Contribute to departmental meetings, governance processes and professional networks.
• Actively engage in extending knowledge and clinical experience in areas of special interest and share this learning with other therapy team members.
• Demonstrate competency in equipment use and safety under supervision.
• Ensure safe storage of equipment and compliance with health and safety standards.
• Take delegated tasks as requested by line manager including recruitment, participation in working groups and multi‑agency policy development groups.
• Participate in local or national courses relevant to specialty.
• Contribute to the SALT educational programmes for community and CHFT staff.
• Use computer software (Microsoft Word, Excel) to produce therapy care plans, reports and data spreadsheets.
• Maintain a flexible approach to the role and develop it according to need.

Accountability

• Maintain HCPC and RCSLT…