Clinical Pathway Lead - Therapies

NELFT NHS Foundation Trust; Barking; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A community health service provider in Barking invites applications for the role of Clinical Pathway Lead. This leadership position entails managing the Therapy team, which specializes in Speech and Language Therapy among others. The successful candidate will possess specialized knowledge in communication disorders and lead on various clinical pathways to enhance service delivery. Opportunities for flexible working arrangements are available to support a healthy work-life balance.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Employee assistance program

Health and wellbeing support

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent in Speech and Language Therapy.
• HCPC registration required.
• Experience managing a complex caseload.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership to the Therapy team.
• Manage operational delivery across health and education settings.
• Develop and innovate Therapy services for children.

Skills

Leadership skills

Communication skills

Team management

Knowledge of developmental disorders

Education

Degree or equivalent in Speech and Language Therapy

HCPC registration

MSc in Speech and Language Therapy or relevant clinical field

Job description

Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.

Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video

Job overview

The Clinical Pathway Lead will provide line management and clinical leadership to the Therapy team – which includes Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, in Barking & Dagenham, as part of the overall clinical leadership structure for Targeted Children’s Services within the borough. The Clinical Pathway Lead will manage the Speech and Language pathway with line management responsibilities for the Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Leads and pathways.

The Clinical Pathway Lead will have highly specialist knowledge in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of specific disorders, communication disorders including autism, and complex learning disabilities. The Clinical Pathway Lead will lead on the speech and language pathways supporting and delivering in mainstream (and secondary) schools, ARP’s, Early Years social communications and language, SSD, Stammering, Dysphagia, Deafness, Complex needs and DLD. This includes developing innovative practice and service redesign to contribute to the development and implementation of the clinical care pathways. The post holder will work closely with the Head of Service and give feedback on performance and contractual agreements of the Therapies Service – which includes Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy.

Main duties of the job

• Provide clinical leadership and operational management to the Therapy team in B&D (SLT / OT / PT), supporting service delivery across both health and education settings.
• To lead and develop innovative Therapy services that support clinical care pathways for children and young people
• Manage staff supervision, recruitment, and professional development to build a skilled and motivated team.
• Foster strong partnerships with Local Authorities, schools, and community stakeholders.
• To develop systems and processes to support the delivery of the service within health and education settings within the borough of Barking & Dagenham
• Engage actively with families and community networks to ensure services are responsive, inclusive, and outcome-focused.
• Maintain a specialist clinical caseload, providing expert assessment, diagnosis, and intervention.
• Promote ongoing service evaluation, quality improvement, and compliance with Trust policies.
• Drive forward innovation in service delivery, including digital resource development and embedding research within clinical practice.
• Champion culturally sensitive approaches and contribute to reducing health inequalities within the diverse communities we serve.

Working for our organisation

Our Values 2025 - 2030

Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co-produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.

They are :

We are kind.

We are respectful.

We work together with our communities.

These three values help us to strive to provide the best care by the best people.

Starting with NELFT

NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period.

High Cost Area Supplement - Outer London

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15%of the basic salary (minimum payment of £4,714 and a maximum payment of £5,941 - per annum, pro rata for part time).

Use of AI

Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Our service is passionate about addressing health inequalities and delivering equitable care across a multicultural community where over 130 languages are spoken. If you’re ready to combine clinical excellence, leadership, and innovation in a supportive and dynamic environment, this role is for you.

Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer to this when completing your application.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Degree or equivalent in Speech and Language Therapy
• HCPC registration
• Successful completion of leadership courses or evidence of management skills.
• Show active interest in CPD – specifically in the areas of complex communication - in line with RCSLT guidelines

Desirable criteria

• Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy
• MSc in Speech and Language Therapy or a relevant clinical field

Experience

Essential criteria

• Ability to organise and chair meetings at a departmental and MDT level
• Ability to manage a high number of referrals and an ongoing complex caseload
• Understanding of the roles of other professionals and the principles of partnership working with key stakeholders in the service areas
• Experience of paediatric therapy and management of communication difficulties
• Developing CPD programme for service / team with experience of offering clinical supervision
• Working with multi-agency and / or within an MDT
• Working with clients who have a range of speech, language, and communication needs

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• An in-depth knowledge of theory and practice in child development and its applications to speech and language therapy
• Advanced clinical knowledge of the impact of specific developmental disabilities on the development of the child or young person
• Knowledge of developmental and acquired communication disorders
• In depth knowledge of a range of therapeutic interventions and ability to compare and contrast relative benefits and outcomes
• Knowledge of a broad range of assessment tools relevant to the specialist patient group, treatment techniques and therapeutic interventions
• Understanding of safeguarding

Benefits

We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer at NELFT :

• A long-standing and award-winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long term / chronic conditions and LGBT staff.
• A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our effortsto support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a ‘Top 10 Family Friendly Employer’ from the Working Families Charity.
• Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors.
• Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.

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 whether that’s a job share, part time hours or another flexible pattern.