Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist - NICU

NHS; City Of London; On-site; GBP 64,000 - 72,000; Part time

Job summary

A major healthcare provider in London is looking for a Band 8a Clinical Lead Speech & Language Therapist for a fixed term of 5 years. You will manage a caseload, provide independent assessments, and organize clinics while ensuring high standards of clinical practice. Strong communication skills and relevant qualifications are required. This part-time role offers a salary of £64,156 to £71,148 per year.

Qualifications

• Experience managing complex dysphagia.
• At least 5 years experience in a similar role.
• Registration with HCPC as a Speech & Language Therapist.

Responsibilities

• Independently assess and treat own caseload.
• Organise and manage specialist outpatient clinics.
• Liaise with multidisciplinary team for patient management.

Skills

Experience in acute paediatrics

Managing complex dysphagia

Good spoken communication

Good written communication

Education

HCPC recognised Diploma, Bachelor’s or Master’s in Speech & Language Therapy

Registration with HCPC

Postgraduate education in neurological disorders

Job description

Overview

Band 8a Clinical Lead Speech & Language Therapist 0.8WTE - 5 year fixed term secondment

We are looking for a highly skilled and motivated Neonatal Speech & Language Therapist to take on a fixed term position within our NICU services at our PRUH and Denmark Hill sites.

This is a 5 year fixed term position covering a period secondment for the current post holder to complete a Doctoral Clinical Academic Fellowship starting on the 1st of February 2026 until February 2031.

You will join our well established Children's Therapy, Child Health therapy MDT and SLT 8a clinical leads who strategically manage and grow the SLT teams across all King's sites.

King's College Hospital has a large Therapy department with over 400 therapists from Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Speech and Language Therapy. Each service is organised under a Head of Profession with a Chief of Therapies heading up the service and representing Therapies across the Trust as well as externally. The department has a well-established provision of education and training, supervision and appraisal, ensuring that all staff have opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge and to reach their full potential.

Details

Location: King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 9RS

Pay and Contract: Agenda for Change, Band 8a, Salary £64,156 to £71,148 per year pro rata inclusive of HCAS, Fixed term, 5 years, Part-time

Date posted: 08 October 2025

Specific responsibilities

Clinical responsibilities:

• To work at an advanced level in neonatal speech and language therapy by receiving referrals and independently assessing and treating own caseload of patients, ensuring evaluation and progression of treatment programmes to a high standard, and in line with National and Trust clinical guidelines, protocols and pathways where they exist.
• In conjunction with the Neonatologists, Clinical Lead Therapists, and Outpatient Team, organise and manage specialist outpatient clinics for infants referred to the neurodevelopmental follow-up clinic service.
• To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients in your care. To ensure a high standard of clinical practice for patients under your management and to support more junior staff to do likewise.
• To have clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of patients as an autonomous practitioner, including those with highly complex and diverse conditions, and prioritise that work efficiently taking into account clinical and service priorities.
• To use advanced clinical assessment and reasoning skills and evidence based knowledge to assess patients with highly complex conditions, and to formulate prognoses and recommendations for the best form of intervention including e.g. Videofluoroscopy and ENT assessment.
• To formulate and deliver individual speech and language therapy treatment programmes based on advanced clinical knowledge of current practice, evidence based practice and treatment options.
• To analyse and interpret clinical and non-clinical facts which may be conflicting, and to provide expert advice and second opinion to the MDT, including peers and Consultants, and external organisations.
• With appropriate training, to request and use the results of specialist investigations (e.g. endoscopy, VF) to assist with patient assessment and to plan the most appropriate patient management approach.
• To recognise boundaries of own extended practice as it develops and to manage associated clinical risk at all times.
• To make appropriate referrals to other services and clinicians based on assessment and investigation findings, and by having an in-depth understanding of the role of others in the multidisciplinary team.
• To ensure effective discharge planning as part of a patient’s management, liaising with referrers and other members of the MDT as appropriate.
• To use advanced theoretical and practical knowledge to advise, guide and teach less experienced speech and language therapists, assistants and students in the assessment and management of patients and other aspects of clinical care, including record keeping.
• To liaise with Neurologists, Neurosurgeons, Paediatricians, ENT consultants, Radiologists, GPs, Clinical Lead Therapists to formulate protocols/care pathways for the assessment and management of patients attending the specialist clinics.
• To manage clinical risk within own clinical caseload, and provide expert advice to contribute to the effective management of clinical risk within the speech and language therapy service.
• The post requires a flexible approach to working and a 7-day working pattern may be required, also cover of statutory and public holidays, maintaining the competency required to work as the sole speech and language therapist within this clinical area.

About us

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and around 14,000 staff based across 5 main sites in South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local hospital services across its different sites, and specialist services from King's College Hospital (KCH) sites at Denmark Hill in Camberwell and at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) site in Bromley. Kings is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible. The trust-wide strategy Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we can take Team King's to another level.

Details

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.

UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Person Specification

Experience - Essential

• Experience of working at senior level in acute paediatrics
• Experience of managing complex dysphagia
• Experience of managing videofluoroscopy
• Managed children presenting with acquired language disorders

Communication - Essential

• Demonstrate good spoken communication
• Demonstrate good written communication

Education and Qualifications - Essential

• HCPC recognised Diploma, Bachelor’s or Master’s qualification in Speech & Language Therapy
• Registration with the HCPC as a Speech & Language Therapist
• Post graduate education in the assessment, treatment & management of patients with neurological disorders
• Active member of relevant clinical excellence network(s)

Desirable

• Post-HCPC registration research-focused MSc/MPhil/MRes
• Member of RCSLT
• Formal qualification in leadership and management

Compliance and Sponsorship

UK Registration and Disclosures information are provided above. This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service checks and to UK visa sponsorship requirements as described.