Post COVID-19 Speech Therapist

Job Overview

This specialized role in Speech & Language Therapy focuses on providing care to both inpatient and outpatient individuals (adults and children) experiencing voice disorders, upper airway issues, and muscle tension swallowing difficulties, particularly those related to Post COVID-19 symptoms. The successful candidate will play a vital role in delivering essential services to local patients suffering from voice and upper airway conditions following COVID-19. Collaboration with the Post COVID-19 Service at Whittington Health is a key aspect of this position.

Key Responsibilities

The role involves delivering speech and language therapy to outpatient individuals (adults and children) with clinical voice disorders and upper airway conditions post COVID-19, as part of an expanding upper airway service. The appointee will assist the Clinical Voice Lead in developing protocols and treatment pathways in these areas.

• A strong background in clinical voice disorders is essential, with a preference for experience in upper airway conditions, such as chronic cough, laryngeal hypersensitivity, and inducible laryngeal obstruction.
• A foundational understanding of neurology for differential diagnosis in both neurolaryngology and neurology is advantageous.
• The post holder will collaborate with the Clinical Voice Lead to assess and treat a diverse caseload of patients referred from Whittington Health.
• Responsibilities include managing a caseload of outpatients presenting with voice, upper airway, and post COVID-19 related disorders.
• The role requires coordination with the Post COVID-19 Service at Whittington Health and associated organizations. The position also involves providing training and contributing to service enhancements, audits, outcome assessments, and research initiatives.
• Collaboration with multidisciplinary team members in ENT and the Post COVID-19 service is essential to deliver integrated care.
• The post holder will receive clinical supervision from the Clinical Voice Lead at Whittington Health.

About Whittington Health

Whittington Health is an integrated care organization that encompasses the Whittington Hospital, a district general hospital located in North Central London. The successful candidate will join the ENT/Voice Speech and Language Therapy Service, an outpatient service led by a Clinical Voice Lead. This service is dedicated to assessing and treating adults and children with clinical voice disorders referred from the Whittington ENT Department, providing both outpatient therapy and inpatient consultations.

Whittington Health is committed to serving a diverse community and strives to ensure equitable access to all services. The organization values diversity in its workforce and is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment that respects differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust recognizes its responsibility as a public sector organization to implement recruitment, training, and promotion policies that are sensitive to these differences, ultimately enhancing patient care and workplace satisfaction.

Job Duties

1. Exhibit clinical proficiency in the assessment, treatment, and management of voice, swallowing, and airway conditions in both adults and children, primarily in an outpatient setting.
2. Conduct specialized assessments and manage inpatient/outpatient cases involving complex voice and upper airway disorders, particularly those related to Post COVID-19 symptoms.
3. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of voice, swallowing, and respiratory disorders, supported by current evidence-based practices and outcome measures.
4. Utilize auditory and perceptual skills in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with voice disorders.
5. Adapt to the demands of a clinical caseload, prioritizing tasks and maintaining a database for future audits and research, while managing time effectively.
6. Foster strong working relationships with all healthcare professionals involved in patient care.
7. Participate in and contribute to multidisciplinary team meetings, facilitating referrals to other professionals and coordinating joint efforts to ensure effective, integrated therapy delivery.
8. Promote the dissemination of knowledge regarding voice, swallowing, and airway interventions within the Trust and at both national and international levels through the demonstration of specialized clinical practice and positive outcomes.
9. Continuously develop and enhance personal specialist skills and knowledge through ongoing education, participation in clinical excellence networks, and relevant training courses, ensuring that these benefits are integrated into clinical practice.
10. Reflect on clinical practice, adapt to evidence and feedback from clinical supervision, and contribute to the Trust's clinical governance systems.
11. Remain flexible to the evolving needs of the service and demonstrate a positive response to changes as directed by lead clinicians.

Qualifications

Essential

• BSc/MSc in Speech Sciences or equivalent (including PG Dip).
• HCPC license to practice and registered member of RCSLT.
• Successful completion of postgraduate studies relevant to the field (voice disorders and upper airway conditions).
• Completion of specialist courses pertinent to the field (voice therapy techniques, voice assessment, upper airway disorders, and Long COVID).

Desirable

• Counseling skills.
• Experience in student supervision and training.

Previous Experience

Essential

• Experience working with voice and/or upper airway disorders.

Desirable

• Experience delivering specialist training to diverse audiences.
• Involvement in evidence-based research projects.

Knowledge

Essential

• Proficiency in utilizing a specialized range of assessment tools and procedures to evaluate voice, upper airway dysfunction, and Long COVID disorders.
• Ability to demonstrate key characteristics leading to a specialist diagnosis of voice and upper airway disorders, including Long COVID.
• Competence in selecting, setting, and evaluating specialist treatment goals for patients with voice and upper airway disorders.
• Familiarity with a variety of therapeutic interventions relevant to voice and upper airway disorders, including their evidence base.
• Understanding of key presentations and management options for voice and upper airway conditions (chronic cough, reflux, and Long COVID).
• Application of specialist knowledge of local cultural, linguistic, and demographic factors in managing voice and upper airway caseloads.
• Awareness of the diagnosis and management of patients with Long COVID and the role of the Speech and Language Therapist.
• Knowledge of multidisciplinary team approaches.
• Understanding of clinical governance principles.
• Strategies to support clients and caregivers facing challenging behaviors or mental health needs.

Desirable

• Application of specialist knowledge of assessment tools for evaluating swallowing disorders related to voice, upper airway, and Long COVID conditions.
• Knowledge of mentoring and supporting less experienced Speech and Language Therapists and support staff.
• Basic understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
• Familiarity with the essential components of writing a research protocol.

Skills

Essential

• Ability to communicate complex and sensitive information effectively.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Capacity to formulate informed hypotheses regarding voice and/or upper airway disorders based on case studies.
• Skills in critically evaluating published research within a specific area of clinical expertise.
• Proficiency in delivering presentations and training, including adapting styles for diverse audiences.
• Experience in developing and implementing clinically based projects.