Job summary
A part time fixed term vacancy has arisen for a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to work in the Regional Cleft Lip and Palate Speech and Language Therapy Team (SLT) team based in Newcastle. We can offer this as a secondment opportunity as needed.
The post is based at the Newcastle centre at the Royal Victoria Infirmary and The Great North Children's Hospital. We provide a specialist service to children and adults with cleft lip and palate and non-cleft velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD). This is a specialist regional service which covers the North East and Cumbria.
The post will involve working at the hub site in Newcastle and also outreach work managing the cleft and non-cleft VPD caseload in one or more of the geographical patches that we cover across the North East.
- Interview Date Tuesday 23 September 2025
- 16 Hours/Week
- You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy
NO AGENCIES PLEASE
Main duties of the job
The role covers all aspects of cleft care including multidisciplinary team (MDT) working, cleft SLT working, assisting senior SLTs with specialist investigations, specialist therapy interventions and clinical audit. You will be working closely with local SLT services across the region and other SLTs and professionals within the cleft service MDT.
You will be providing cleft SLT appointments and you might be required to attend MDT clinics held at the Newcastle clinic sites or our outreach MDT clinic sites depending on your prior experience, training will be provided as needed. You can also use a telemedicine platform for MDT and SLT clinics, reviews or therapy sessions as needed.
Your post qualification experience will include some experience working with patients with cleft lip and palate. You will also have experience of supporting other professionals and students. Strong communication skills and the ability to work with a variety of professionals and services across a wide geographical area are essential.
The Newcastle Cleft Service is a highly supportive team, which works within an ethos of continually monitoring and implementing best practice. Effective support and supervision systems are in place and there are opportunities for ongoing professional development both internally and externally and opportunities to be involved with research.
About us
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Our staff oversee over 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites:
o Freeman Hospitalo Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)o Health Innovation Neighbourhood (on the former Newcastle General Hospital and Centre for Ageing and Vitality site)o Newcastle Dental Hospitalo Newcastle Fertility Centreo Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbriao Northern Genetics Serviceo Cramlington Manor Walks
These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under 'Documents to download' or 'Supporting documents'.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide a specialist Speech and Language Therapy service to children and adults with cleft lip and palate and non-cleft velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD) within the Regional Cleft Service.
- To work and liaise closely with local SLT services, in particular the local Link SLTs, to provide a local needs based service for patients presenting with cleft lip and palate and non-cleft velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD)
- To be solely responsible for a personal caseload of children and adults with cleft lip and palate and non-cleft velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD)
- To provide priority treatment and intensive blocks of therapy for patients under the care of the Regional Cleft Lip and Palate Service.
- To be involved in local liaison, assessment, audit and outreach multi-disciplinary clinics as necessary.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide a specialist Speech and Language Therapy service to children and adults with cleft lip and palate and non-cleft velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD) within the Regional Cleft Service.
- To work and liaise closely with local SLT services, in particular the local Link SLTs, to provide a local needs based service for patients presenting with cleft lip and palate and non-cleft velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD)
- To be solely responsible for a personal caseload of children and adults with cleft lip and palate and non-cleft velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD)
- To provide priority treatment and intensive blocks of therapy for patients under the care of the Regional Cleft Lip and Palate Service.
- To be involved in local liaison, assessment, audit and outreach multi-disciplinary clinics as necessary.
Person Specification
KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- Understanding of speech, language and communication development and disorders in children with cleft lip and palate and non-cleft velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD)
- Significant experience and knowledge of a wide range of assessments and therapeutic approaches for children with specific speech disorder
- Knowledge of the multidisciplinary approach to cleft care
Desirable
- Audit and research principles
SKILLS
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Excellent organisation and time management skills
- Good phonetic speech transcription and analysis skills
- Basic computer skills
- Car driver
Desirable
- Computer skills to ECDL level
- Teaching, training and presentation skills
EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Significant speech and language therapy experience within paediatrics, including work with specific speech disorders
- Experience of working with children with cleft lip and palate and non-cleft velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD)
- Facilitating implementation of therapy by fellow professionals
- Organising and running groups
- Experience of providing training to parents and professionals
- Supervising students
- Supervising SLT Assistants
- Experience of working with a range of professions
Desirable
- Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team
- Involvement in audit and evaluation of projects
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
- Registered with Health Professions Council
- Licence to Practice from RCSLT
Person Specification
KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- Understanding of speech, language and communication development and disorders in children with cleft lip and palate and non-cleft velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD)
- Significant experience and knowledge of a wide range of assessments and therapeutic approaches for children with specific speech disorder
- Knowledge of the multidisciplinary approach to cleft care
Desirable
- Audit and research principles
SKILLS
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Excellent organisation and time management skills
- Good phonetic speech transcription and analysis skills
- Basic computer skills
- Car driver
Desirable
- Computer skills to ECDL level
- Teaching, training and presentation skills
EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Significant speech and language therapy experience within paediatrics, including work with specific speech disorders
- Experience of working with children with cleft lip and palate and non-cleft velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD)
- Facilitating implementation of therapy by fellow professionals
- Organising and running groups
- Experience of providing training to parents and professionals
- Supervising students
- Supervising SLT Assistants
- Experience of working with a range of professions
Desirable
- Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team
- Involvement in audit and evaluation of projects
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
- Registered with Health Professions Council
- Licence to Practice from RCSLT
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.
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.
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).
