Clinical Lead: (DLD) Speech and Language Therapist
Transformation Unit
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Job summary
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust in Enfield is seeking an experienced Clinical Lead for Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) across Children's Speech and Language Therapy Services. You will provide strategic clinical leadership while maintaining a clinical caseload of complex cases.
You will drive service development, quality improvement and evidence-based practice, working with education, health and care partners to improve outcomes for children and families.
Qualifications
- Degree in Speech and Language Therapy with HCPC registration.
- Significant post‑registration experience with children with SLCN.
- Experience contributing to EHCP assessments and statutory processes.
Responsibilities
- Provide strategic, clinical and professional leadership for DLD services across Children's SLT.
- Lead on service development, care pathways and quality improvement initiatives.
- Maintain accurate records and support governance, data analysis and QA activities.
- Provide supervision and mentorship to staff and students.
- Lead audit, research and service evaluation to promote best practice.
Skills
Education
Job description
Employer Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site St Micheal's Hospital Town Enfield Salary £63,665 - £70,887 per annum inclusive of Outer HCAS Salary period Yearly Closing 21/10/2026 23:59
Our trust has over 17,000 staff serving 2 million patients every year. It comprises Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital and more than 30 services in the community. This larger scale organisation provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to continue our pioneering work, particularly in finding ways to deliver even better care to our patients.
Our mission is to deliver world class care and expertise in our clinical services, underpinned by world class teaching and research and we will continue to measure our progress against our five governing objectives: excellent outcomes, excellent patient and staff experience, excellent value for taxpayers’ money, being safe and meeting our external duties, and building a strong organisation.
Everyone is welcome at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME, gender equality, staff carers and people with disabilities and lived experiences to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
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An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and clinical lead specialist Speech and Language Therapist to lead on Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) across Children's Speech and Language Therapy Services and the local area. The postholder will provide strategic, clinical and professional leadership to ensure the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based services for children and young people with DLD.
As the Clinical Lead for DLD, you will drive service development, quality improvement and innovation, while maintaining a clinical caseload of complex cases. You will provide expert assessment, diagnosis, intervention, consultation and training, support Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) processes, and work collaboratively with education, health, social care and voluntary sector partners to improve outcomes for children and families.
The role also includes providing leadership, supervision and mentorship to staff and students, contributing to research, audit and service evaluation activities, and ensuring services reflect current evidence, national guidance and professional standards. This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated clinician to shape and develop specialist DLD services while supporting excellence in clinical practice across the wider service.
Core Responsibilities of the Role
Provide strategic, clinical and professional leadership for Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) services across Children's Speech and Language Therapy Services, driving service development, care pathway improvement and high-quality, evidence-based practice.
Clinical / Service Delivery
Provide highly specialist assessment, diagnosis, consultation and intervention for children and young people with DLD and complex communication needs, including contributing to EHCP and statutory assessment processes.
Operational and Administrative Duties
Maintain accurate clinical records and support service monitoring, governance, data analysis and quality improvement activities.
Leadership and Management Responsibilities
Provide clinical supervision, mentoring and professional leadership to staff and students, supporting workforce development and effective multi-agency working.
Research and Development
Lead and participate in audit, research, service evaluation and quality improvement initiatives to promote best practice and innovation.
Financial Responsibility
Support the effective use of staffing, equipment and service resources to ensure efficient and sustainable service delivery.
Professional Development
Maintain advanced specialist knowledge in DLD through ongoing professional development and contribute to the training and development of others.
Royal Free London works within the West and North London Integrated Care System (ICS)is a partnership of organisations working together to improve health and wellbeing for everyone in west and north London.
The ICSp includes the NHS, local councils, voluntary groups, community organisations and many others. We join up our work so people get better care and support, wherever they live.
As with other ICSp’s, we are working increasingly closely with partners and many of our financial and performance objectives are measured at this system level. Whilst all organisations remain as standalone, statutory bodies we have an ICSp infrastructure for making shared decisions and agreeing shared approaches.
North Middlesex University Hospital and community services (North Mid) is one of the Royal Free London's four hospitals.
The health unit provides both hospital and community care, helping to keep people in the best possible health at every stage in their lives.
- Act as the Clinical Lead for Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) across Children's Speech and Language Therapy Services.
- Provide strategic, clinical and professional leadership for the development and delivery of high-quality DLD services.
- Lead service developments, care pathways and quality improvement initiatives relating to children and young people with Developmental Language Disorder and associated speech, language and communication needs.
- Promote evidence-based practice and ensure clinical services reflect current research, national guidance and professional standards.
- Contribute to strategic planning and service transformation to improve outcomes for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.
- Provide highly specialist assessment, differential diagnosis, consultation and intervention for children and young people presenting with Developmental Language Disorder and complex speech, language and communication needs.
- Provide specialist advice and second opinions for complex cases, statutory assessments and Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments.
- Develop and implement highly specialist intervention programmes informed by evidence-based practice and outcome measurement.
- Produce high-quality reports for EHCPs, annual reviews, placement consultations and tribunal proceedings as required.
- Support the development of communication-friendly environments within educational and community settings.
- Ensure delivery of safe, effective and person-centred services that promote meaningful participation and improved outcomes.
- Maintain accurate, contemporaneous and legally compliant clinical records in line with Trust, HCPC and RCSLT standards.
- Monitor and evaluate service activity, performance and outcomes and provide reports as required.
- Contribute to policy, protocol and pathway development within the service.
- Ensure compliance with safeguarding, information governance and risk management requirements.
- Provide professional leadership, clinical supervision and mentorship to therapists, assistants and students.
- Support workforce planning, recruitment, induction, retention and staff development.
- Lead and facilitate clinical networks, communities of practice and professional forums.
- Contribute to appraisal and performance development processes.
- Lead projects and working groups as delegated by the Service Manager.
- Develop effective partnerships with education, health, social care and voluntary sector organisations.
- Lead and participate in audit, service evaluation, quality improvement and research projects.
- Promote the use of outcome measures and data-driven service improvements.
- Disseminate research findings and learning through presentations, publications and training activities.
- Maintain awareness of emerging evidence and developments relating to Developmental Language Disorder.
- Exercise responsibility for the safe and appropriate use of clinical resources and equipment.
- Contribute to efficient use of staffing and service resources.
- Support cost-effective service delivery through service planning and evaluation.
- Maintain advanced specialist knowledge in Developmental Language Disorder through continuing professional development (for example, through NAPLIC membership and conference attendance)
- Participate in appraisal and personal development review processes.
- Undertake relevant training, research, networking and leadership development activities.
- Degree or recognised qualification in Speech and Language Therapy
- HCPC Registered.
- Registered Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
- Evidence of substantial postgraduate training or experience relevant to Developmental Language Disorder and associated SLCN
- Significant post-registration experience working with children and young people with speech, language and communication needs
- Extensive experience of assessment and intervention for Developmental Language Disorder
- Experience of differential diagnosis and complex case management
- Experience contributing to EHCP assessments and statutory processes
- Experience providing clinical supervision,
- Experience of research, audit or service evaluation
- Advanced specialist clinical skills in Developmental Language
- Ability to manage highly complex cases and make autonomous clinical decisions
- High-quality report writing and presentation skills
- Ability to communicate complex information clearly to a range of audiences
- Strong organisational, prioritisation and project management skills
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
Name Sally Mordi Job title Children & Young People Therapies Service Lead Email address sally.mordi@nhs.net Additional information
You may wish to contact the current post holder to discuss the post: Eleanor Leeser.
eleanor.leeser@nhs.net
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