Barts Health NHS Trust

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist – Complex Needs

The closing date is 14 September 2025

Job summary

Are you looking for an opportunity to enter the field of dysphagia or further develop your skills in this area? An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) to join the Integrated Community Children's Therapy team within Barts Health NHS Trust. The successful applicant will have experience in working with children aged 2 - 11 years with complex needs and will be looking to further develop their knowledge and skills in dysphagia and AAC. The post holder will have the opportunity to be part of an a multi-disciplinary team in a local primary special school (Stephen Hawking School). There may also be the opportunity to spend some time within the community setting within complex needs.

The post holder will be joining a well-established, and highly supportive and innovative Complex Needs SLT Team, supported by the Lead Speech and Language Therapist for Complex Needs and Dysphagia and will receive regular supervision and access to professional development opportunities. Flexible working will be considered.

The main office base is located at Mile End Hospital, conveniently located between Mile End and Stepney Green tube stations and serviced by a number of local buses.

Main duties of the job

The Integrated Children's Therapy Team consist of Community Children's Speech and Language Therapy (SLT), Occupational and Physiotherapy teams and is divided into three sub-teams - under 5s, primary school and transition teams. The Integrated Children's Therapy Team sits in Specialist Community Children's Services within the Children and Young People's Division of Barts Health NHS Trust. Community based service are offered to babies, children and young people in Tower Hamlets and is delivered in schools, pre-school settings, clinics and service users' homes. The Integrated team aims to work in partnership with children, families and other providers to help babies, children and young people participate in normal daily activities and the SLT team specifically addresses communication and eating and drinking needs through the provision of universal, targeted and specialist level services.

The post holder is an autonomous practitioner who will have the opportunity to develop skills and expertise in working with children with communication and feeding difficulties within the context of complex health and development needs in a special school (children aged 2 - 11 years).

About us

Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.

The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.

Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.

We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.

Details

Date posted

29 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£46,419 to £55,046 a year per annum inc

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

33 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

259-7449271RLH

Job locations

Royal London Hospital

London

E1 1FR


Job description

Job responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree in Speech and Language Therapy
  • HCPC Registration and Licence to Practice
  • Member of RCSLT

Desirable

  • Evidence of audit and research activity
  • Successful completion of specialist post-graduate dysphagia study relevant to the community setting, (e.g. accredited dysphagia course).

Experience

Essential

  • Post-qualification experience working within relevant fields
  • Experience of assessment and management of communication difficulties both developmental and acquired in the paediatric population.
  • Experience in working in a multi and/or transdisciplinary team.
  • Clinical experience within the NHS
  • Working with children/families from multi-cultural/multi-lingual backgrounds and working with interpreters

Desirable

  • Experience of working in a special school
  • Experience in managing children with eating and drinking difficulties
  • Experience in supervision of students.
  • Carrying out evidence based research projects/audit projects

Skills

Essential

  • Good clinical skills/specialist knowledge across a wide range of dysphagia and communication difficulties
  • Evidence of use of initiative and ability to maintain judgement under pressure
  • Skills in delivering presentations and training including basic adaptations to presentation/training style for a range of audiences.
  • The ability to convey complex sensitive information.
  • Good organisational and prioritisation skills
  • Ability to lone work
  • Working knowledge of IT

Desirable

  • Specialist knowledge of community SLT working.
  • Skills in managing children with eating and drinking difficulties
  • Audit experience
  • Virtual assessment and intervention
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree in Speech and Language Therapy
  • HCPC Registration and Licence to Practice
  • Member of RCSLT

Desirable

  • Evidence of audit and research activity
  • Successful completion of specialist post-graduate dysphagia study relevant to the community setting, (e.g. accredited dysphagia course).

Experience

Essential

  • Post-qualification experience working within relevant fields
  • Experience of assessment and management of communication difficulties both developmental and acquired in the paediatric population.
  • Experience in working in a multi and/or transdisciplinary team.
  • Clinical experience within the NHS
  • Working with children/families from multi-cultural/multi-lingual backgrounds and working with interpreters

Desirable

  • Experience of working in a special school
  • Experience in managing children with eating and drinking difficulties
  • Experience in supervision of students.
  • Carrying out evidence based research projects/audit projects

Skills

Essential

  • Good clinical skills/specialist knowledge across a wide range of dysphagia and communication difficulties
  • Evidence of use of initiative and ability to maintain judgement under pressure
  • Skills in delivering presentations and training including basic adaptations to presentation/training style for a range of audiences.
  • The ability to convey complex sensitive information.
  • Good organisational and prioritisation skills
  • Ability to lone work
  • Working knowledge of IT

Desirable

  • Specialist knowledge of community SLT working.
  • Skills in managing children with eating and drinking difficulties
  • Audit experience
  • Virtual assessment and intervention

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

Barts Health NHS Trust

Address

Royal London Hospital

London

E1 1FR


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Barts Health NHS Trust

Address

Royal London Hospital

London

E1 1FR


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Lead SLT for Dysphagia and Complex Needs

Gaynor Owen

gaynor.owen3@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

29 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£46,419 to £55,046 a year per annum inc

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

33 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

259-7449271RLH

Job locations

Royal London Hospital

London

E1 1FR


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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