Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist | Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust; Crawley; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in West Sussex is seeking a Clinical Lead for its Complex Needs Team in Crawley. Applicants will lead a dedicated team of Speech and Language Therapists, providing specialist care to children. This role requires strong clinical skills and at least 2 years of experience in complex needs, with opportunities for professional development and leadership training. The ideal candidate will embrace diversity and contribute to a positive work environment.

Benefits

Extensive Leadership Programme

Flexible working options

Cost-effective workplace nurseries

Qualifications

• At least 2 years experience in complex needs, dysphagia experience desirable.
• Ability to contribute to projects and strategic developments.
• Willingness to take on leadership duties.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of Speech and Language Therapists.
• Provide assessment and management to children with complex needs.
• Organize caseloads and support team members.

Skills

Excellent clinical skills

Ability to write complex clinical reports

Supervision and management experience

Understanding of service management in special schools

Education

Band 7 qualifications

Job description

Overview

Based at a large Special School in Crawley, we are looking for an enthusiastic and committed Band 7 to lead our Complex Needs Team of Speech and Language Therapists and Speech and Language Therapy Assistants.

The role has a high clinical component and requires excellent clinical skills with at least 2 years experience in complex needs. Experience in dysphagia is desirable, and training in this area could be funded and supported. Some previous experience of supervision and management would be an advantage.

This is a Clinical Lead role for Complex Needs in the Central Area of West Sussex; the applicant would work in conjunction with the Clinical Leads from neighbouring Brighton and Hove, as well as West Sussex. There are regular county-wide meetings to review cases and opportunities to be part of a wider multi-disciplinary team ensuring a high-quality service is delivered to children across the CDCs.

Responsibilities

1. To provide assessment, diagnosis and management to children within the designated caseloads, providing highly specialist care plans.
2. To provide advice to other professionals and parents in order to support the needs of children with speech, language and communication delay and disorder in a specialist area.
3. To provide advice to other professionals and parents in order to support the needs of children with Eating and Drinking difficulties.
4. To organise caseloads within the scope of the highly specialist post, advising the Team Lead of shortfalls and difficulties as they arise.
5. To negotiate with parents, carers and other Multi-Disciplinary team members around individual case management, demonstrating compassion and empathy alongside well-developed negotiation skills and management of conflict.
6. To be responsible for administration and record keeping conforming to Departmental and Trust regulations concerning the format and security of patient records and the Data Protection Act.
7. To be aware of, and adhere to, legal requirements relating to the provision of a Speech and Language Therapy Service and of procedures relating to Child Protection.
8. To recognise own professional boundaries and seek advice and support as appropriate.
9. To lead in the development of innovative practices, projects and therapy packages in the specialist area in collaboration with the SLT management team.
10. To participate in the development of Team and Service clinical policies and plans as directed by the SLT management team.
11. To provide timely and accurate statistics as required by the Department.
12. To provide appropriate and timely reports and other client-related correspondence, according to service standards and requirements of other agencies.

Qualifications and Experience

• Band 7 with clinical lead responsibilities or willingness to take on leadership duties.

• At least 2 years of experience working with complex needs; dysphagia experience is desirable.

• Some experience of supervising or managing a small team would be advantageous.

• Ability to write complex clinical reports based on assessment findings; ability to contribute to projects, data collection and strategic developments within the Complex Needs Pathway.

• Understanding of universal, targeted and specialist service offers and how this is managed within a special school environment.

About the Trust and Benefits

• The Trust has an extensive Leadership Programme and supports staff training and development; opportunities for CPD: in-house management skills, access to colleagues across West Sussex and Brighton & Hove, and an Education and Training Department for funding external courses.
• We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people, delivering essential care to adults and children.
• Trust vision: to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. Opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.
• Benefits: positive 2023 NHS Staff Survey results; varied environments; flexible working options; excellent training and development opportunities; cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton; networks for EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief; Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware status; location in beautiful Sussex near the South Downs and coast.

Equality, Inclusion and Recruitment

Our values—Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence—guide everything we do. We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.

This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.

This advert closes on Sunday 21 Sep 2025.