Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist / Deputy Team Manager (Band 7)

Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist / Deputy Team Manager (Band 7)

Location: Southall, Middlesex

Salary: £53,751 - £60,651 per annum inclusive

Hours: Full time / Permanent  (37.5 hours per week)

Job reference: 222-ICS-419-D

Closing Date: 11 March 2026

West London NHS Trust  provides a full range of mental health, community  and physical healthcare services for children, adults and older people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow.

We also provide some specialist services that are commissioned regionally, such as our medium secure services; and nationally, such as the Cassel Hospital for people with complex and severe personality disorder and our high secure services at Broadmoor Hospital.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Band 6 or an existing Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist who is keen to further develop their clinical and professional skills within the Physical Health AHP team.

This Band 7 Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist post offers an excellent opportunity to further develop advanced clinical and leadership skills within inpatient mental health settings, while working as part of a supportive Physical Health Allied Health Professions team. The role is well suited to an experienced SLT with a strong physical health background who is interested in expanding their practice into mental health services and developing management and service leadership skills, with appropriate support and training. Comprehensive mental health training and ongoing support will be provided.

The post holder will deliver high-quality, evidence-based and person-centred Speech and Language Therapy assessment, intervention and education for adults and older adults within inpatient mental health units. Clinical responsibilities include the management of dysphagia, speech, language and cognitive-communication needs, working collaboratively with multidisciplinary colleagues to support holistic and integrated patient care.

Applicants must be HCPC registered and must have substantial dysphagia experience equivalent to the RCSLT Level C/D competency framework and experience working with adults with complex needs.

Main duties of the job

Key Result Areas & Performance:

• Autonomously manage a complex caseload of adults and older adults with dysphagia and communication needs across Inpatient Mental Health service lines, from assessment through to discharge.

• Deliver highly specialist assessment and intervention for dysphagia, speech, language and cognitive-communication needs using evidence-based practice and outcome measures.

• Advise managers and clinical leads of shortfalls /difficulties as they arise, identifying initiatives/plans to manage these shortfalls/ difficulties whilst contributing to future service developments

• Provide specialist advice to the multidisciplinary team regarding daily patient management, clinical risk and discharge planning.

• Support informed consent and contribute to Mental Capacity Act assessments, ensuring communication needs are fully considered.

• Communicate complex clinical information clearly and sensitively to patients, carers, families and professionals.

• Contribute specialist SLT input to MDT meetings, reviews and clinical decision-making processes.

• Lead and contribute to service development and Speech and Language Therapy quality improvement initiatives.

Working for our organisation

Staff benefits:

•  We offer a comprehensive range of staff benefits including regular wellbeing initiatives, and an additional wellbeing day leave, reflecting our commitment to supporting staff health and wellbeing.

•  Check our staff benefits: Staff benefits : West London NHS Trust

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.

Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and   Hammersmith & Fulham).  We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.

The Trust is rated as ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as ‘Outstanding’.

The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached

The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.

Person specification

Qualification and Training

Essential criteria

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent

• Post graduate training in clinical areas relevant to the post e.g. Makaton, Clinical Supervision, Talking Mats.

• Intensive Interaction, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

• Registered with Health and Care Professions Council & Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)

• RCSLT Dysphagia Competency Level D/EDSCF Level 6

Desirable criteria:

• ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observations Schedule) assessment tool/equivalent ASD diagnostic assessment

Experience

Essential criteria:

• Assessment, mealtime management and therapeutic intervention of acute and chronic dysphagia

• Assessment and therapeutic intervention of speech, language and communication difficulties in an adult population (including geriatric population)

• Working independently with a dysphagia and communication caseload

• Administration and analysis of both formal and informal clinical assessments in a range of environments

• Relevant post qualification clinical experience with adult population

• Development and implementation of programs of care

• Communicating information clearly to patients, staff, carers and support network where appropriate

• Experience working in collaboration with members of the MDT team in order to support the needs of patients with dysphagia and communication needs

• Implementation of robust therapy plans and monitoring and evaluating outcomes

• Clinical supervision of SLT students and junior SLTs

• Deliver training to a range of professionals to upskill others in a range of therapy approaches/ strategies/ service delivery whilst capturing effectiveness of the training

• Experience in delivery of structured groups

• Experience with complex communication and challenging behaviours

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working with people with Mental Illness or personality disorder and/or challenging behaviour

• Incorporation of Accessible Information Standard (AIS) criteria into clinical practice

Knowledge

Essential criteria:

• To carry out and analyse both formal and informal assessments for people who have dysphagia, complex speech, language, social and communication needs

• Knowledge of up-to-date assessment tools and therapeutic interventions related to specialist area

• Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance/audit

• Knowledge of the roles of other professionals such as social workers, community nurses, physiotherapists

• Knowledge of national policies, legislation and procedures that impact of SLT and future care for learning disabilities

• Ability to record electronic notes and reports to a high standard.

• High standard of organisational, time management and prioritisation skills

• Independently assess, diagnose and provide specialist input for dysphagia cases

• Applying visual systems to support communication in ADLs e.g. AAC, BSL, Makaton signs and symbols

• Knowledge of a total communication approach

• Good presentation skills

• An awareness of relevant legislation e.g. Mental Health Act

Desirable criteria:

• Advanced knowledge of Research and/or clinical audit skills

• Skills in developing/delivering structured groups

• Willingness and ability to develop a specialist area of expertise and clinical service

Other requirements

Essential criteria:

• Ability to travel independently in accordance with Trust policies and service need.

• Ability to deputise for the Team Manager

• Good organisational & problem-solving skills

• Negotiation skills and resolution of conflict

• Personal interest in working within mental health services

• Excellent interpersonal skills – including observation, listening and empathy skills, team working

As an employee of West London NHS Trust, you have a responsibility to maintain a sound understanding of, and a commitment to uphold the National Health Service values and principles set out in the NHS Constitution.

We reserve the right to close adverts prior to the closing date stated should we receive a high volume of applications.

By applying for this post you are agreeing to West London NHS Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, you will be required to undergo a pre-employment checks which can take between 4-8 weeks . After which your  information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system (ESR ).

Please ensure you include email addresses for your referees which MUST be at supervisory or managerial capacity covering the last 3 years of employment to date to avoid delay in the recruitment process.

West London NHS Trust is committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We encourage the thoughtful use of technology as a demonstration of strong time management and a commitment to innovation. However, we encourage applicants to personalise their recruitment application to showcase their unique skills and experiences.

While AI-generated content can be a helpful tool, relying solely on generic responses instead of highlighting your own strengths and achievements may impact the success of your application. The success of an application will always be assessed against the essential and desirable criteria for the role, so it is important to ensure that your application and any supporting information clearly demonstrate how you meet these requirements.