Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Adult Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist

The closing date is 03 May 2026

Job summary

Due to current post holder gaining NIHR funding for 5 years we have an opportunity to join our adult acute SLT service at Royal Brompton Hospital and Harefield Hospital. Grow your skills in leading the communication, swallowing and airway service to people with complex heart and lung conditions. We have significantly expanded the SLT service over the last few years and in addition to our core clinical work, we are focused on driving service and quality improvements that demonstrate impact and improve functional outcomes. We are 'research aware', translating and aligning our practice with the best currently available evidence, and on a journey to becoming 'research active'.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will clinically and professionally lead the SLT service, supporting and supervising the teams across both sites. They will have expert skills in the multidisciplinary management of adults with acute communication and swallowing problems related to complex cardiothoracic surgery, respiratory disease, and heart and lung transplantation, including patients in the intensive care unit with tracheostomy and ventilator dependence. They will provide highly specialist assessment, differential diagnosis, treatment and management of speech, voice, language, cognitive-communication, airway and swallowing disorders, as well as education and advice to patients and those caring for them. They will be involved in discharge planning to ensure a seamless transfer of care to other hospital, outpatient and community services. The post holder will be responsible for the governance, safety and quality of dysphagia care at the sites, including the delivery of responsive VFSS and FEES services. Alongside clinical work, they will also be an active member of the Senior Leadership Team within Rehab & Therapies contributing to governance, strategy and operational decision-making. The ability to drive and deliver service improvement initiatives through audit, service evaluation, research and quality improvement is essential

About us

The post is embedded within the multi-professional therapy team which is made up of a dynamic group of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, psychologists and therapy assistants. You will work collaboratively with your colleagues to deliver a responsive, patient-centred, high-quality and effective service to inpatients. Continuous professional development will be provided through line management/121s, appraisal, inservice training and access to study leave funding for external learning opportunities.

Details

Date posted

17 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£66,274 to £73,496 a year PA incl HCA

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

5 years

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

196-LIS10425M

Job locations

Cross site role Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals

London

SW3 6NP


Job description

Job responsibilities

Patient/customer care (both direct and indirect)

Policy development

Service development

People management

Communication

Resource management

Information management

Please see job description for full details.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Patient/customer care (both direct and indirect)

Policy development

Service development

People management

Communication

Resource management

Information management

Please see job description for full details.

Person Specification

KNOWLEDGE/QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

  • Degree accredited by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
  • Registration with RCSLT and HCPC
  • Advanced qualification and/or evidence of CPD in adult acquired communication disorders
  • Advanced qualification and/or evidence of CPD in dysphagia

Desirable

  • Post-graduate qualification or completion of short courses in clinical, management or leadership skills equivalent to MSc, PgDip or PgCert level

EXPERIENCE

Essential

  • Significant experience working at a highly specialist level with adults in critical care and/or with cardio-respiratory conditions who have communication and swallowing disorders
  • Clinical experience to include: Adult dysphagia, Tracheostomy and ventilator-dependency, Videofluoroscopy - performing, analysing, interpreting and reporting independently, oFEES - competent in nasendoscopy and Level 2b assessor, oAdults with neuromuscular, respiratory and cardiac disorders
  • Significant experience in a team, service or professional leadership position

Desirable

  • Working at or towards Level D - consultant of the RCSLT Eating, Drinking and Swallowing Competency Framework
  • MBSImP certification
  • Level 3 FEES assessor
  • Evidence of completion of training in research and/or QI methodologies

SKILLS & ABILITIES

Essential

  • Ability to analyse data and make appropriate clinical decisions following specialist assessment
  • Demonstrates skills in dealing with complex issues and able to generate appropriate strategies for caseload management
  • Evidence of teaching at external courses/conferences
  • Demonstrates skills in dealing with complex issues and able to generate appropriate strategies for caseload management

Desirable

  • Evidence of facilitating learning and teaching at undergraduate or postgraduate levels
Person Specification

KNOWLEDGE/QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

  • Degree accredited by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
  • Registration with RCSLT and HCPC
  • Advanced qualification and/or evidence of CPD in adult acquired communication disorders
  • Advanced qualification and/or evidence of CPD in dysphagia

Desirable

  • Post-graduate qualification or completion of short courses in clinical, management or leadership skills equivalent to MSc, PgDip or PgCert level

EXPERIENCE

Essential

  • Significant experience working at a highly specialist level with adults in critical care and/or with cardio-respiratory conditions who have communication and swallowing disorders
  • Clinical experience to include: Adult dysphagia, Tracheostomy and ventilator-dependency, Videofluoroscopy - performing, analysing, interpreting and reporting independently, oFEES - competent in nasendoscopy and Level 2b assessor, oAdults with neuromuscular, respiratory and cardiac disorders
  • Significant experience in a team, service or professional leadership position

Desirable

  • Working at or towards Level D - consultant of the RCSLT Eating, Drinking and Swallowing Competency Framework
  • MBSImP certification
  • Level 3 FEES assessor
  • Evidence of completion of training in research and/or QI methodologies

SKILLS & ABILITIES

Essential

  • Ability to analyse data and make appropriate clinical decisions following specialist assessment
  • Demonstrates skills in dealing with complex issues and able to generate appropriate strategies for caseload management
  • Evidence of teaching at external courses/conferences
  • Demonstrates skills in dealing with complex issues and able to generate appropriate strategies for caseload management

Desirable

  • Evidence of facilitating learning and teaching at undergraduate or postgraduate levels

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

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Cross site role Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals

London

SW3 6NP


Employer's website

https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/careers/careers.aspx (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Cross site role Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals

London

SW3 6NP


Employer's website

https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/careers/careers.aspx (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Therapy Lead

Charlotte Pereira

charlotte.pereira1@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

17 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£66,274 to £73,496 a year PA incl HCA

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

5 years

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

196-LIS10425M

Job locations

Cross site role Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals

London

SW3 6NP


Supporting documents

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