Regional Lead Speech and Language Therapist Cleft Lip & Palate

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 76,000 - 89,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in Nottingham is looking for a Regional Lead Speech and Language Therapist specializing in cleft lip and palate. You will oversee clinical expertise within the Trent Regional Cleft Network, leading a team to ensure high standards of care. Candidates should have a Speech and Language Therapy degree, be HCPC registered, and have a track record of leading services in this specialty. Flexibility is required to work across outreach services, and excellent communication skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience leading SLTs and managing a cleft palate caseload.
• Significant postgraduate experience in cleft palate dysfunction.
• Published clinical papers and experience in research.

Responsibilities

• Act as lead clinician for SLT within Trent Regional Cleft Network.
• Oversee integrated care pathways and multi-disciplinary team interactions.
• Develop and implement research and clinical governance activities.

Skills

Expert knowledge in cleft palate and related disorders

Excellent communication and organisational skills

Leadership skills

Ability to motivate and influence others

Education

Recognised Speech & Language Therapy Degree

HCPC Registered

MSc in Advanced Studies (Cleft Lip and Palate)

Management/leadership qualification

Job description

Regional Lead Speech and Language Therapist Cleft Lip & Palate

The closing date is 25 January 2026

An exciting vacancy has arisen in Trent Regional Cleft Network for the Regional Lead / Consultant Speech and Language Therapist for cleft palate and related disorders.

The post holder will be employed by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to contribute to a service level agreement to deliver SLT services to Trent Cleft Network hosted by Nottingham University Hospitals. The post will be based at the Trent Regional Cleft Centre, situated on the Nottingham City Hospital Campus.

Trent Regional Cleft Network supports children and adults with cleft lip and palate and related disorders across a large geographical area covering Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster, Scunthorpe and Grimsby. The service supports approximately 80-100 new cleft births per year.

Nottingham SLT Service (hosted by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust) is a large paediatric department with a range of specialist therapists, training opportunities & professional support.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will act as lead clinician for SLT within Trent Regional Cleft Network providing a very high level of clinical expertise and working with the 12 SLT services across the region to oversee the maintenance of integrated care pathways to this client group.

They will lead the regional team of specialist SLTs and co‑ordinate the network of link SLTs across the 12 SLT services in the Trent region. This includes leading development of protocols of care, providing clinical training, leading audit, disseminating research and providing expert advice.

The post‑holder will oversee the complex and specialist SLT caseload for cleft lip & palate and related disorders in Trent, managing the caseload in Nottingham and working closely with all local SLT services across the region to ensure clients with cleft receive the highest possible standards of care.

The post‑holder will also work closely with the Clinical Director for Trent Regional Cleft Service and the multidisciplinary Lead Team in the strategic development and management of cleft services across Trent Region.

The post‑holder will be an integral member of the multidisciplinary cleft team working closely with the surgeons, orthodontists, nurses and psychologists to ensure holistic care‑planning.

The post holder will lead the development and implementation of research, teaching, audit and clinical governance activities in cleft across Trent region in response to national, trust and professional directives.

About us

#TeamNottsHC comprises over 11,000 dedicated colleagues who #MakeADifference every day. We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic, and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 200 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings, and secure environments, including prisons.

We are one of the largest mental health and community Trusts in the East Midlands and one of Nottinghamshire's biggest employers. We also host national and regional services, such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health.

We offer a variety of employee‑led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, the Freedom to Speak Up network, the Health and Wellbeing Champions network, and the Menopause Champions network. These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity.

The health and wellbeing of colleagues is a top priority. We invest significantly in this through our in‑house occupational health and staff counselling services, supported by a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team.

The Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, with a specialised Energy and Environmental team working to ensure compliance with environmental legislation, enhance our environmental performance, and achieve our net‑zero commitment.

Job responsibilities

The successful applicant will need expert knowledge & skills in the area of cleft palate and related disorders, excellent communication and organisational skills, good leadership skills, and an ability to motivate and influence others.

The post is likely to require working on an outreach basis across the region for up to 50% of the time. A current driving licence and a willingness to travel and work away from the base is therefore essential.

Owing to existing clinic arrangements across the region, a commitment to working on Friday will also be essential.

Please see the Person Specification and Job Description for full details of the role.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.

Person Specification

Values and Behaviours

• All colleagues are expected to demonstrate that they act in line with Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Values: Trust Honesty Respect Compassion Teamwork
• All colleagues are expected to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and how it applies to their role. The Trust's expectations are highlighted within our EDI Policy, and associated EDI and Human Rights legislation

Qualifications - Academic/Craft /Professional

• Recognised Speech & Language Therapy Degree
• HCPC Registered
• MSc in Advanced Studies (Cleft Lip and Palate) or evidence of successful completion of extensive advanced post‑graduate training in cleft /non‑cleft velopharyngeal dysfunction and speech at masters level
• Extensive portfolio including evidence of attending relevant post‑graduate courses (speech disorders, dysphagia etc) and maintaining own knowledge base through CPD and membership of appropriate local, regional and national groups such as the Cleft CEN.
• Member of cleft and craniofacial anomalies CEN
• Management/leadership qualification or experience
• Already undertaking or willing to undertake further post‑graduate study to PhD level in relevant area
• Member of RCSLT

Experience

• Significant postgraduate experience in the field of cleft palate/velopharyngeal dysfunction.
• Recognised expert / advanced practitioner in the field of cleft palate and speech disorders with regional/national reputation in the specialty
• Experience of working as a key member of a multidisciplinary team
• Significant contribution to specialist area in policy, planning and strategic service development
• Experience of undertaking and involvement of research and audit
• Experience of leading SLTs including performance management and negotiation of service provision
• Experience of providing expert second opinions in the specialist area
• Experience of organising/lecturing/ presenting at regional, national and international courses and conferences
• Evidence of post graduate teaching skills and education role within clinical area
• Experience of writing evidence‑based clinical guidelines
• Evidence of involvement in clinical governance
• Published clinical papers in peer reviewed journals
• Principal Investigator of research

Knowledge

• Extensive knowledge of the independent management of all aspects of assessment, investigations, differential diagnosis, advice and implementation of management for cleft palate caseload.
• A thorough understanding of the evaluation of velopharyngeal function in relation to speech, the treatment options available and the associated evidence.
• Knowledge of highly specialised instrumental techniques including electroplalatography, nasendoscopy & ultrasound.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the evidence base relating to the cleft caseload.
• Proficient in ICT, utilising databases (including national CRANE database) and Microsoft office
• Knowledge of National policy and protocols relevant to cleft caseload
• Extensive knowledge of current diagnostic and management issues across the multidisciplinary team related to the specialist area

Skills

• Highly developed and trained auditory discrimination and perceptual skills. Ability to transcribe speech phonetically as an integral part of assessment and plan packages of care.
• Highly expert clinical reasoning and critical evaluation skills
• Professional expert clinical leadership skills
• Ability to embrace and lead change and innovative methods of working
• Excellent team leadership and communication skills
• The ability to work innovatively and creatively, using own initiative
• Skilled at interpreting lateral videofluoroscopy, nasendoscopy and other objective assessments of VP function such as nasometry and ultrasound
• Ability to negotiate and influence at a consultative level across the MDT, trust, region and nationally
• Excellent presentation skills both written and verbal

Contractual Requirements

• Able to undertake home, school and outreach visits on a regional basis
• Flexibility regarding working days including a willingness to work on Fridays

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.

£76,965 to £88,682 a yearper annum (pro rata for part time)