0.5WTE Senior Speech & Language Therapist in Stroke

Job Title: Senior Speech \& Language Therapist in Stroke

Reference No: 06\.035 (2026\)

Department / Directorate: Speech \& Language Therapy Department, COO Directorate

Reports to: Manager of Speech \& Language Therapy or Deputy

Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) is a model 4, voluntary, academic teaching hospital partnered with Trinity College and situated in south west Dublin. With a staff of over 4,000 people from 63 different countries, it provides both acute and tertiary care to an increasing population of circa 800,000 people and is a provider of local, regional and national specialties. It is also a National Urology Centre, the second largest provider of dialysis services in the country, Pelvic and Acetabulum National Centre and a designated Trauma Unit.

The Hospital is part of the newly established HSE Dublin \& Midlands Region, which serves a population of over 1\.2 million across seven counties, and operates under the governance of an independent Board of Directors who give their time on a voluntary basis. TUH is also supported by the Adelaide Health Foundation, the Meath Foundation and Tallaght University Hospital Foundation.

TUH recognises the role it plays in our community both as an employer and provider of healthcare and is committed to building a sustainable future for our region both now and into the future with a focus on patient outcomes.

The Hospital is ambitious, recognising that healthcare delivery is undergoing seismic change and will be different now and into the future, largely due to digital and technological advances along with research continuing to discover and test new treatment options. TUH wants to be a leader in determining that future. It is a *“Hospital without Walls”* always looking to optimise care both within and beyond in line with the Sláintecare vision of providing the right care, in the right place, at the right time whilst empowering our patients and staff.

TUH Vision and Values

The vision of the Hospital is “*People Caring for People to Live Better Lives”* through excellent health outcomes supported by evidenced based practice, positive patient and staff experience in an empowering and caring environment. A culture of innovation and quality improvement in everything we do.

Our TUH CARE values – for patients, their families, our community and staff are:* Collaborate – together and with our academic and care partners

• Achieve – our goals, positive outcomes and wellbeing


• Respect – for patients, each other and our environment


• Equity – for patients and staff

At TUH we view our staff as our most valuable asset and every member of the Team is valued equally. We recognise that a skilled, satisfied and motivated workforce is a prerequisite to high qualitycare.

A full overview of TUH is available on https://www.tuh.ie/about\-us/

Purpose of the role:

The Senior Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) role offers the opportunity to work alongside Clinical Specialist, Senior and Basic Grade SLTs and Therapy Assistant colleagues in delivering extensive care for communication and swallowing difficulties to inpatients and early supported discharge (ESD) patients in the Stroke Service of TUH. There is a strong emphasis on training, collaboration, support and close team\-working. The role will provide rotational opportunities across the inpatient and ESD Stroke service.

The Senior SLT in Stroke works as part of a comprehensive multidisciplinary Stroke service, coordinating and developing the service to meet the needs of the patients and the objectives of the Hospital. There will be close collaboration with the multidisciplinary team in the areas of clinical care, education, service development and research.

The Senior SLT will also be responsible for supervising Basic Grade, Student SLTs as well as Therapy Assistants, and participate in their continuing professional training and development.

*A panel of suitable applicants will be formed for future permanent and temporary Speech and Language Therapy vacancies in Stroke.*

Overview of role:

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical and Professional* Provide timely and clinically appropriate assessment, diagnosis and management to patients with communication and swallowing disorders in the designated area, ensuring full patient involvement, underpinned by a broad range of knowledge and clinical experience.

• Be responsible for the development and maintenance of high standards of quality clinical practice of self and any junior staff appointed to the designated area.


• Demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence based practice and outcome measures.


• Work as a key member of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) within the area and actively advocate for speech and language therapy through engagement with the team, primary care colleagues, GPs etc for optimal patient care.


• Be responsible for supervising colleagues, prioritising and allocating work and promoting positive staff morale and team working, in collaboration with senior colleagues and the Speech and Language Therapy Manager.


• Manage clinical risk within own service and that of any designated team at all times.


• Foster and maintain professional working relationships with colleagues, front line managers, and other healthcare personnel.


• Maintain timely and accurate records to comply with local service, professional standards and legal requirements, in order to maintain high level of patient care, to support clinical studies and to provide information for data collection.


• Advise and collaborate with Manager and Clinical Specialist SLT on operational issues and/or issues of service delivery, resources etc and contribute to business cases as appropriate.


• Assume delegated tasks as requested, including participation in working groups/committees, representing at meetings etc.


• Develop, read and adhere to hospital and departmental protocols, policies, procedures and guidelines.


• Assist in the recruitment and induction of new staff, and in probation, supervision and performance management as appropriate.


• Be ICT competent having experience in the use of MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint along with other desktop software.


• Work within departmental and national guidelines and professional code of conduct, being accountable for own professional action and recognising own professional boundaries.


• Adhere to the Ethics for Speech and Language Therapists from CORU and the IASLT.


• Deputise for the Manager in their absence, as requested, undertaking specified duties.


• Have the clinical, managerial and administrative capacity to properly carry out the functions of the role.


• Closely liaise with the Manager regarding clinical and professional duties and undertake any other duties that may be assigned by the Manager.

Education and Development\- Self and Others* Keep abreast of ongoing developments in clinical and professional practice by engaging in informal and formal continuing professional development activities as appropriate.

• Participate in the departments professional supervision and performance achievement programme.


• Participate in relevant internal training and mandatory training programmes.


• Play an active role in the departmental in\-service training as well as teaching programmes for other healthcare professionals.


• Supervise, teach and support junior staff, colleagues, students and assistants as required.


• Ensure newly qualified therapists have adequate induction and clinical supervision and assist the Speech and Language Therapy Manager in implementing staff development and regular appraisals.


• Participate in the clinical training and assessment of speech and language therapy students, and as required for qualified speech and language therapists.


• Develop, organise and facilitate the running of local, national and international training programmes and courses for speech and language therapists and other professionals as may be appropriate.

Innovation, Quality \& Service Improvement, Audit \& Research* Be responsible for the organisation and provision of the speech and language therapy service in the assigned areas and collaborate with the Speech and Language Therapy Manager, Clinical Specialist SLT, and multidisciplinary colleagues as appropriate.

• Collect, collate and analyse workload statistics required for departmental and service purposes and review with the Manager and Clinical Specialist SLT.


• Undertake innovative service and quality improvement and clinical audit activities to monitor, maintain, and/or develop clinical standards and service quality and efficiency.


• Participate in research relevant to the designated areas as post allows.


• Report on and disseminate audit, quality improvement and research outcomes to improve service delivery/patient care.


• Adapt working practices and roles based on new learning and developments.


• Be familiar with quality improvement and research resources available within the hospital and from relevant hospital stakeholders.


• Facilitate and jointly supervise undergraduate research projects as post allows.

QUALIFICATIONS \& EXPERIENCE required

Note: *All essential requirements as set out below must be clearly demonstrated on the CV to be shortlisted.*

Essential:* Be registered as a Speech and Language Therapist with CORU, the professional body for regulating Health \& Social Care Professionals in Ireland

• Minimum of 3 years full time (or an aggregate of 3 years full time) post qualification clinical experience for offer of senior contract. Candidates with 2\.5 years post qualification clinical experience are eligible to apply with a view to forming a panel.


• Satisfactory recent proven working experience in the area of Stroke.


• Evidence of full and independent competence in the management of adult eating, drinking and swallowing disorders

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