Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts

Clinical Specialist Speech & Language Therapist

The closing date is 18 January 2026

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity for a Band 8a Clinical Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join a dynamic and innovative team at Nottingham Children's Hospital.

Our Paediatric and Neonatal SLT service has undergone a significant period of transformation and we are now looking for a motivated and experienced clinician to support the continued growth and development of the service.

  • Do you have highly specialist knowledge in the acute management of children's eating, drinking, and communication needs across a range of specialties?
  • Do you thrive working as part of a multidisciplinary team to achieve the best outcomes for children and families?
  • Do you have experience in instrumental assessments such as Videofluoroscopy and/or FEES, or a keen interest in developing these skills?
  • Are you an experienced Band 7 clinician or an established band 8 looking for your next challenge?
  • Do you have experience in supervising and developing junior colleagues, students, and support staff?
  • Are you confident in contributing to service development, research, and audit to ensure high-quality, evidence-based care?

If this sounds like you, we'd love to hear from you.

This is a permanent full-time post, however part-time or flexible working will be considered.

If you're unsure whether you meet all the requirements, please do get in touch to discuss. We are keen to recruit the right person and are happy to explore how your skills and experience might fit within our team.

Main duties of the job

You will be part of a specialist Speech and Language Therapy team responsible for delivering a high-quality service to children and young people within the Nottingham Children's Hospital. This includes the assessment, differential diagnosis, and management of communication and eating, drinking, and swallowing needs for paediatric inpatients.

There is also scope to contribute to the development of the long-term ventilation (LTV) provision and to be involved in shaping new and innovative models of care as the service continues to grow.

The SLT service covers ten inpatient wards across a range of specialities including Neurology and Neurosurgery, Paediatric Critical Care, Oncology, and the Hospital School. You will work closely with the Band 8a Clinical Specialist for Neonates and the Operational Lead for SLT to ensure a seamless, collaborative approach across neonatal and paediatric pathways. The SLT team includes five other clinicians ranging from Band 3 to Band 7, and you will play a key role in supporting and developing their skills, fostering professional growth and excellence across the service.

We have strong links with adult services and other children's services across NUH, offering regular opportunities for shared CPD, joint learning, and cross-service collaboration. You will be part of a supportive and forward-thinking network that values professional development, reflection, and innovation.

About us

Nottingham University Hospital Trust is a large teaching hospital, with multiple sites, Queens Medical Centre, City Hospital and the National Rehabilitation Centre.

The Speech & Language Therapist Service for Adults and Children, works across the multiple sites, working alongside a separate ENT SLT service. We work across a very broad range of specialties, the Children's Hospital is a specialist tertiary unit providing services to children and young people across the region.

With over 19,000 staff, we are one of the biggest employers in the city with a central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our local population. We play a leading role in research, education and innovation.

Come and join our wonderful team at NUH. We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team in order to deliver world class healthcare to the vast patient populations we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career!

We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.

Details

Date posted

31 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

164-7602278-VC

Job locations

Queen's Medical Centre

Derby Road

Nottingham

NG7 2UH


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please familiarise yourself with full Job Description and Person Specification documents attached to this advert.

To provide advanced acute paediatric SLT care and clinical leadership in the management of patients under the care of NUH Childrens Hospital Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy Service who are referred with communication and/or swallowing or feeding difficulties across a range of specialities.

To deliver a high quality service by implementing evidence-based practice, demonstrating clinical effectiveness, and focussing on patient centred outcomes within the acute paediatric SLT service.

To provide training and supervision for less experienced SLTs and students within acute paediatric SLT

To deliver training and engage in inter-disciplinary learning with other SLTs and MDT colleagues

To develop and extend the scope of practice through service evaluation, audit, and research projects

The post holder must have -

  • Recognised Speech & Language Therapy Degree
  • HCPC and RCSLT registration
  • Evidence of appropriate CPD post qualifying.
  • Excellent IT skill

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please familiarise yourself with full Job Description and Person Specification documents attached to this advert.

To provide advanced acute paediatric SLT care and clinical leadership in the management of patients under the care of NUH Childrens Hospital Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy Service who are referred with communication and/or swallowing or feeding difficulties across a range of specialities.

To deliver a high quality service by implementing evidence-based practice, demonstrating clinical effectiveness, and focussing on patient centred outcomes within the acute paediatric SLT service.

To provide training and supervision for less experienced SLTs and students within acute paediatric SLT

To deliver training and engage in inter-disciplinary learning with other SLTs and MDT colleagues

To develop and extend the scope of practice through service evaluation, audit, and research projects

The post holder must have -

  • Recognised Speech & Language Therapy Degree
  • HCPC and RCSLT registration
  • Evidence of appropriate CPD post qualifying.
  • Excellent IT skill

Person Specification

training and qualifications

Essential

  • Recognised Speech & Language Therapy Degree Qualification
  • Registered with HCPC and RCSLT
  • Recognised post-graduate training relevant to specialty preferably including research skills to a Master's level.
  • Knowledge of National, Trust and Departmental policies, procedures and guidelines
  • Evidence of advanced training in field of eating, drinking, swallowing and complex communication

Experience

Essential

  • Require highly advanced / theoretical / practical knowledge and clinical reasoning skills in field of communication and swallowing
  • Significant experience working with complex patients across a range of specialities within these specialities
  • Experience of measuring outcomes, audit, service evaluation and improvement
  • Experience of supporting less experienced staff within this range of specialties

Desirable

  • Videofluoroscopy trained
  • FEES trained
  • Experience of working with tracheostomy/ventilation needs
  • Member of local and or national working parties/collaborations in relation to Paediatric SLT

Other

Essential

  • Full driving licence and car insured for business purposes
  • Knowledge of ICT applications clinical and non clinical

Communication and relationship skills

Essential

  • Able to communicate highly complex information effectively, in writing and verbally, including sensitive information
  • Able to motivate, train and teach own and other disciplines of staff, individually and in groups
  • Able to influence senior medical consultants, GPs and commissioners
  • Able to persuade, negotiate, take and give feedback tactfully and diplomatically

Analytical and judgement skills

Essential

  • Ability to analyse, interpret and compare information.
  • Demonstrated high level clinical reasoning skills, providing second opinions
  • Able to critically appraise research literature and implement evidence based practice.
  • Provide critical evaluation of service delivery and facilitate change.

Planning and organisation

Essential

  • Able to plan and prioritise own workload by using planning, organisational and time management.
  • Ability to delegate effectively
  • Demonstrated ability to work within the MDT, interdisciplinary working
  • Demonstrates potential to develop the paediatric SLT service.
Person Specification

training and qualifications

Essential

  • Recognised Speech & Language Therapy Degree Qualification
  • Registered with HCPC and RCSLT
  • Recognised post-graduate training relevant to specialty preferably including research skills to a Master's level.
  • Knowledge of National, Trust and Departmental policies, procedures and guidelines
  • Evidence of advanced training in field of eating, drinking, swallowing and complex communication

Experience

Essential

  • Require highly advanced / theoretical / practical knowledge and clinical reasoning skills in field of communication and swallowing
  • Significant experience working with complex patients across a range of specialities within these specialities
  • Experience of measuring outcomes, audit, service evaluation and improvement
  • Experience of supporting less experienced staff within this range of specialties

Desirable

  • Videofluoroscopy trained
  • FEES trained
  • Experience of working with tracheostomy/ventilation needs
  • Member of local and or national working parties/collaborations in relation to Paediatric SLT

Other

Essential

  • Full driving licence and car insured for business purposes
  • Knowledge of ICT applications clinical and non clinical

Communication and relationship skills

Essential

  • Able to communicate highly complex information effectively, in writing and verbally, including sensitive information
  • Able to motivate, train and teach own and other disciplines of staff, individually and in groups
  • Able to influence senior medical consultants, GPs and commissioners
  • Able to persuade, negotiate, take and give feedback tactfully and diplomatically

Analytical and judgement skills

Essential

  • Ability to analyse, interpret and compare information.
  • Demonstrated high level clinical reasoning skills, providing second opinions
  • Able to critically appraise research literature and implement evidence based practice.
  • Provide critical evaluation of service delivery and facilitate change.

Planning and organisation

Essential

  • Able to plan and prioritise own workload by using planning, organisational and time management.
  • Ability to delegate effectively
  • Demonstrated ability to work within the MDT, interdisciplinary working
  • Demonstrates potential to develop the paediatric SLT service.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts

Address

Queen's Medical Centre

Derby Road

Nottingham

NG7 2UH


Employer's website

https://www.nuh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts

Address

Queen's Medical Centre

Derby Road

Nottingham

NG7 2UH


Employer's website

https://www.nuh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Speech & Language Therapy Pathway Lead

Sian Rajakaruna

sian.rajakaruna2@nhs.net

07812277888

Details

Date posted

31 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

164-7602278-VC

Job locations

Queen's Medical Centre

Derby Road

Nottingham

NG7 2UH


Supporting documents

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