Band 7 Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist

Lead Speech & Language Therapist - Urgent Care Pathway (Fixed Term - Maternity Cover) We are seeking an experienced and motivated clinician to work alongside the Speech and Language Therapy Lead and wider multidisciplinary team (MDT) to review, plan, and coordinate SLT provision across the urgent care pathway. This is a fixed-term opportunity to cover maternity leave, offering an excellent chance to step into a key leadership role within a developing and dynamic service. It provides valuable experience in service development, operational leadership, and pathway redesign, ideal for clinicians looking to broaden their skills and advance their career. The role is designed to support patient flow across the organisation, and the successful candidate will play a central role in driving service development and change, becoming an integral member of urgent care teams.

A core element of the role will be to develop and deliver education and training to the wider MDT, supporting timely and appropriate referrals into Speech and Language Therapy and enhancing the overall quality of care. You will provide clinical and operational leadership for the acute inpatient SLT service, including elements of staff management, service development, and day-to-day coordination of SLT provision. As a senior member of the clinical team, you will also maintain a visible and active clinical presence. The role will focus on improving early assessment and intervention for patients with communication and swallowing needs, particularly within urgent care areas. You will also support continuity of care by following patients admitted via urgent care through to other acute wards, working collaboratively with ward teams as part of the wider caseload. You will work as a highly specialist SLT in dysphagia and communication across all emergency clinical areas and acute adult inpatient wards, supporting the acute team of Speech and Language Therapists. You will develop strong links with key members of the multidisciplinary team, providing training as required.

• Degree in Speech and Language Therapy or equivalent
• Registered with HCPC
• Evidence of attendance at recent post graduate specialist courses relevant to the clinical field
• Post graduate dysphagia training internal or external course
• Qualification in Advanced Dysphagia Management
• Member of RCSLT
• MSc in relevant clinical area or equivalent post graduate courses

• Experience of managing highly complex patients in critical care
• Experience of supervising and appraising staff
• Competent in Dysphagia assessment
• Extensive relevant clinical experience at post graduate level
• Experience of teaching and supervising undergraduate students
• Experience of facilitating service development
• Experience of audit and research
• Experience of FEES in tracheostomy

• Good presentation skills written and verbal
• Commitment and motivation to deliver a quality service
• Willingness to work flexibly
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Representing department or Trust at local/national level

• Good knowledge of IT software packages eg word, excel
• Extensive post graduate experience and specialist knowledge of SLT assessments and treatment in area of specialism
• Robust knowledge of current best practice and clinical guidelines of SLT in area of specialism
• Good knowledge of health and safety and risk management
• Relevant post graduate clinical work and CPD at senior level
• Commitment to personal and team development
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
• Proven experience in the independent assessment, treatment, and management of patients with tracheostomies, including ventilated patients
• Leadership training

• Ability to manage own workload and determine priorities
• Able to organise and delegate workload

• Ability to reflect upon and critically appraise staff and own performance
• Publication in appropriate journals

• Able to motivate staff and others
• To flexibly work across locations or across 7 days as needed
• Able to work under pressure

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.

£49,387 to £56,515 a year (pro rata)