Clinical Lead Speech & Language Therapist: Head, Neck, ENT And Voice

NHS

  • Tooting, South West London
  • £64,156-71,148 per year
  • Permanent
  • Part-time
  • 8 days ago
The post holder will provide direct clinical and operational leadership for a team of Head and Neck and Voice SLTs working within St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This team provides services to Head and Neck oncology, general ENT and OMFS services and Voice/ respiratory and laryngology services. The post holder will line manage the team members, complete appraisals, clinical supervision, oversee clinical caseload management, service development and governance. They will provide joint sessions, second opinions and highly specialist treatment and advice for patients across the acute caseload.The post holder will be expected to lead collaborative working with patients/clients, carers and with colleagues in Health, the voluntary sector and Social Services in planning and delivery of services. In particular to work with consultants/ GP's & multidisciplinary management teams within St. George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to ensure coordinated service delivery.Main duties of the jobTo Provide expert leadership and governance oversight to the SLT ENT Teams .To Independently manage highly complex clients within the ENT/ Oncology and OMFS caseloads independently making differential diagnosis & clinical management decisions on the basis of evidence from assessment, frequently weighing up complex clinical management decisions in the context of conflicting clinical indicators.To develop and maintain expert clinical competence and deliver expert clinical service, through the whole SLT team, to patients in all clinical areas aboveTo develop and implement expert level Speech and Language Therapy treatment programmes within the service , providing thorough services and evaluation through clinical outcomes.To keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and maintenance of excellent practice in tracheostomy management, Fibre Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES), and Videofluoroscopy (VFS)To provide specialist clinical technical skills for interpretive assessment techniques such as AAC communicationTo be responsible for the leadership & co-ordination of ENT Specialist Speech & Language therapy extended scope clinics at St George's Hospital and Queen Mary's Hospital such as VFS, EEL and FEES, liaising with other professionals and referral agencies, and providing training opportunities to other colleagues as appropriate.About usSt George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provide services from two main hospitals, St George's Hospital and Queen Mary's Hospital, and two health centres, St Johns Therapy Centre, and The Nelson Centre.With over 9,000 dedicated staff caring for patients around the clock, we are the largest healthcare provider in southwest London.Our main site, St George's Hospital in Tooting - one of the country's principal teaching hospitals - is shared with St George's, University of London, which trains medical students and carries out advanced medical research. St George's Hospital also hosts the St George's, University of London and Kingston University Faculty of Health and Social Care Sciences, which is responsible for training a wide range of healthcare professionals from across the region.DetailsDate posted27 August 2025Pay schemeAgenda for changeBandBand 8aSalary£64,156 to £71,148 a year pa pro rata inc HCAS (inner)ContractPermanentWorking patternPart-timeReference number200-NN-7409753-AHP-YJob locationsSt George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustTootingLondonSW17 0QTJob descriptionJob responsibilities**Please see the attached supporting job description and person specification document, which contains more information about the role and requirements. Please ensure your application refers to the job description and person specification** Job descriptionJob responsibilities**Please see the attached supporting job description and person specification document, which contains more information about the role and requirements. Please ensure your application refers to the job description and person specification**Person SpecificationEducation/QualificationsEssential
  • Recognised speech and language therapy degree qualification or equivilent
  • Health Professions Council - License to Practice
  • Evidence of successful completion of specialist courses up to Master's degree equivalent such as Advanced Dysphagia, Clinical Voice Disorders, Palliative care or Tracheostomy management, SVR, Advanced laryngectomy care, CBT
  • Experiential and advanced training as evidenced by highly structured self-directed study using regular appraisal of research & evidence base for specialist clinical area.
Desirable
  • Registered Member of RCSLT
  • Counselling Qualification
ExperienceEssential
  • Extensive post qualification experience of working in the field of ENT/Head and Neck Surgery/Voice/ Airways
  • Management role within a speech and language therapy team
  • Significant experience of working within healthcare and NHS
  • Clinically Competent in Advanced SVR and tracheostomy management
  • Advanced and specialist knowledge of head and neck anatomy and physiology
  • RCSLT Level 4 competency in Videofluoroscopy (including Air insufflation) with client group
  • RCSLT competency in performing FEES (level 2b or above Assessment treatment and management of highly complex clients with voice, speech, language and communication difficulties
  • Experience/licensed is using a range of therapeutic techniques inclusive but not limited to: ESTILL, Accent Method, LMT, McNeill
  • Working with clients with highly complex dysphagia
  • Coaching / developing reflective clinical practice in less experienced staff
  • Counselling in a supervisory role with staff, and rehabilitative/ supportive role with clients and carers
  • Developing and delivering education and training packages
  • Advising/providing second opinions
  • Clinical audit, applying the principles of research methodology
  • Undertaking appraisal and planning CPD for less experienced staff
  • Undertaking recruitment & selection
OtherEssential
  • Membership of relevant CEN / special interest groups
Knowledge and SkillsEssential
  • Good written and spoken English
  • Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills, including observation, listening and empathy skills, in complex situations
  • Negotiation and problem solving skills demonstrated in complex situations
  • Demonstrates well embedded self reflection skills
  • Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal
  • Ability to work in an unpredictable environment and to prioritise own workload and that of the service
  • Good organisational skills
  • Ability to transcribe speech phonetically
  • Demonstrates ability to be an active team member and assume leadership responsibilities
  • Well established knowledge of assessment tools relevant to the ENT/OMFS client group with speech language and communication, and swallowing difficulties.
  • Well established knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions relevant to the above client group.
  • Established knowledge of national policies and procedures in particular safeguarding children, disability discrimination act, National Service frameworks for older people & chronic conditions, the cancer plan, AHP Strategy, NHS 10 yr plan, Cancer Reform Strategy, GIRFT
  • Advanced understanding and application of the principles of clinical governance /audit within own & subordinates / others clinical practice.
Person SpecificationEducation/QualificationsEssential
  • Recognised speech and language therapy degree qualification or equivilent
  • Health Professions Council - License to Practice
  • Evidence of successful completion of specialist courses up to Master's degree equivalent such as Advanced Dysphagia, Clinical Voice Disorders, Palliative care or Tracheostomy management, SVR, Advanced laryngectomy care, CBT
  • Experiential and advanced training as evidenced by highly structured self-directed study using regular appraisal of research & evidence base for specialist clinical area.
Desirable
  • Registered Member of RCSLT
  • Counselling Qualification
ExperienceEssential
  • Extensive post qualification experience of working in the field of ENT/Head and Neck Surgery/Voice/ Airways
  • Management role within a speech and language therapy team
  • Significant experience of working within healthcare and NHS
  • Clinically Competent in Advanced SVR and tracheostomy management
  • Advanced and specialist knowledge of head and neck anatomy and physiology
  • RCSLT Level 4 competency in Videofluoroscopy (including Air insufflation) with client group
  • RCSLT competency in performing FEES (level 2b or above Assessment treatment and management of highly complex clients with voice, speech, language and communication difficulties
  • Experience/licensed is using a range of therapeutic techniques inclusive but not limited to: ESTILL, Accent Method, LMT, McNeill
  • Working with clients with highly complex dysphagia
  • Coaching / developing reflective clinical practice in less experienced staff
  • Counselling in a supervisory role with staff, and rehabilitative/ supportive role with clients and carers
  • Developing and delivering education and training packages
  • Advising/providing second opinions
  • Clinical audit, applying the principles of research methodology
  • Undertaking appraisal and planning CPD for less experienced staff
  • Undertaking recruitment & selection
OtherEssential
  • Membership of relevant CEN / special interest groups
Knowledge and SkillsEssential
  • Good written and spoken English
  • Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills, including observation, listening and empathy skills, in complex situations
  • Negotiation and problem solving skills demonstrated in complex situations
  • Demonstrates well embedded self reflection skills
  • Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal
  • Ability to work in an unpredictable environment and to prioritise own workload and that of the service
  • Good organisational skills
  • Ability to transcribe speech phonetically
  • Demonstrates ability to be an active team member and assume leadership responsibilities
  • Well established knowledge of assessment tools relevant to the ENT/OMFS client group with speech language and communication, and swallowing difficulties.
  • Well established knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions relevant to the above client group.
  • Established knowledge of national policies and procedures in particular safeguarding children, disability discrimination act, National Service frameworks for older people & chronic conditions, the cancer plan, AHP Strategy, NHS 10 yr plan, Cancer Reform Strategy, GIRFT
  • Advanced understanding and application of the principles of clinical governance /audit within own & subordinates / others clinical practice.

NHS