Clinical Lead SLT - 17 hpw - 12 mths

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Bradford; On-site; GBP 58,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Band 8a Speech and Language Therapist to lead neonatal SLT services within the Children’s Therapy team at Bradford Royal Infirmary. The post involves leading neonatal pathways, clinical standards and supervision of SLTs and MDT colleagues, with a focus on feeding, swallowing and early development for vulnerable infants.

This role offers opportunities to shape service development and contribute to audit and research while

Qualifications

• Significant postgraduate experience in acute neonatal care and infant dysphagia.
• Experience developing care programmes and evaluating outcomes.
• HCPC registered Speech and Language Therapist with relevant postgraduate training.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of neonatal SLT pathways, standards and competencies.
• Provide expert assessment and management of neonatal feeding and neurodevelopmental needs.
• Supervise and train SLTs and MDT, contribute to audit and service development.

Skills

Neonatal care

Leadership

Clinical governance

Staff training

MDT collaboration

Communication

Education

HCPC registered SLT

BSc/MSc in SLT

Clinical Educators Course

Postgraduate neonatal training

Job description

Employer Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Bradford Royal Infirmary Town Bradford Salary £57,528 - £64,750 per annum (pro rata) Salary period Yearly Closing 26/10/2026 23:59

Clinical Lead SLT - 17 hpw - 12 mths

NHS AfC: Band 8a

Job overview

Closing Date: 26.10.26(this may change dependent on response).

Shortlisting to take place following closing date commencing 27.10.26

Interview expected to take place in the week commencing 02.11.26

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced, enthusiastic and innovative Band 8a Speech and Language Therapist to join our Children’s Therapy team as the Clinical Lead for Neonatal Speech and Language Therapy.

This is a unique opportunity to provide clinical leadership and highly specialist Speech and Language Therapy input across our neonatal service, working with infants with complex feeding, swallowing, communication and developmental needs. You will be joining a supportive and forward-thinking service and will play a key role in shaping and developing neonatal SLT provision across Bradford Teaching Hospitals.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will provide expert assessment, differential diagnosis and management of infants presenting with complex neonatal dysphagia and feeding difficulties, as well as early communication and neurodevelopmental needs. You will work closely with neonatal consultants, paediatricians, nursing colleagues, dietitians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and wider multidisciplinary teams to provide family-centred care and support positive outcomes for infants and their families.

Working for our organisation

Our People Charter outlines the behaviours we can expect from one another and what you can expect from Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust:

• We are one team

We’re keen to meet people who share these values and are passionate about delivering the highest quality of care to our patients.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You will have a key role in leading the development of neonatal SLT pathways, clinical standards and competencies, as well as providing specialist advice, second opinions, supervision and education to SLTs and the wider MDT. The role also provides an opportunity to contribute to service development, quality improvement, clinical governance, audit and research.

We are looking for an SLT who has significant postgraduate experience within acute neonatal care and infant dysphagia and who can demonstrate highly specialist clinical skills, excellent clinical reasoning and the ability to manage complex clinical situations. Experience of developmental care, Family Integrated Care and the Baby Friendly Initiative is essential, alongside experience of working across professional and organisational boundaries.

You will be an experienced clinician and confident leader, with a passion for developing services and supporting others. Experience of leading change, innovative practice, service development, audit/research and providing training and supervision to SLTs and the wider MDT is essential.

The role offers an excellent opportunity for someone who is passionate about neonatal feeding and swallowing, early communication and neurodevelopmental care, and who wants to make a real difference to the quality and continuity of care provided to babies and their families.

You will also have the opportunity to develop strong links with the Yorkshire and Humber Neonatal Operational Delivery Network, representing Bradford Neonatal Services and working collaboratively with the Network AHP team.

We are a well-established and supportive Speech and Language Therapy service Trust wide with a strong focus on clinical excellence, professional development, service improvement and staff wellbeing. We value collaborative working and encourage our staff to develop their specialist skills and contribute to the ongoing development of our services.

If you are an experienced neonatal SLT looking for an opportunity to combine highly specialist clinical practice with clinical leadership and service development, we would love to hear from you.

Person specification

Experience

• Significant postgraduate expereince working within acute neonatal care and infant dysphagia at a highly specialist level
• Experience of assessment, development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care for patients/service users/staff demonstrating knowledge of specific needs
• Significant knowledge and experience of Developmental care, Family Integrated care and Baby Friendly Initiatives
• Experience of leading clinical audit/research and using outcome measures
• Experience of providing training to Speech and Language Therapy staff and other members of the MDT
• Experience of leading and managing change
• Experience of leading innovative practice
• Experience in service prioritisation, delegation and caseload management.
• Experience of working in an MDT and across organisational and professional boundaries
• Experience of leading evidence based projects/ service development

Skills

• Ability to use highly specialist knowledge and skills to make appropriate clinical decisions following assessment
• Able to communicate complex information clearly to other professionals, patients, relatives and carers.
• Working towards level D (neonatal competencies)
• Highly developed analytical approach to problem solving and ability to make clinical judgements requiring assimilation, interpretation and decisions where there may be a range of options
• Competence in breastfeeding and lactation support.
• Expert skills in leading change culture and service developments
• Able to teach, train and supervise others in specialist area of practice
• Excellent Interpersonal and communication skills
• Excellent time management and organisation skills

Knowledge

• Knowledge of research/audit in speciality
• Evidence of current CPD at an advanced level
• Recruitment and Selection, Appraisal and other relevant HR/People management training

Qualifications

• HCPC Registered Speech and Language Therapist
• BSc or recognised postgraduate MSc or diploma in Speech & Language Therapy or relevant field
• Knowledge acquired through degree supplemented by further specialist training, short specialist courses and evidence of continued professional development in an area of relevant clinical speciality to the equivalent of post graduate advanced level
• Clinical Educators Course
• Member of special interest group relevant to speciality.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.