Specialist Neonatal and Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist

Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust; Kingston upon Thames; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Kingston upon Thames is seeking an experienced Neonatal / Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist to independently manage feeding and swallowing difficulties. The role involves collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, service development, and mentoring junior staff. The successful candidate will be integral to the neonatal unit and paediatric wards, advocating for best practices in care.

Benefits

On-site staff nursery

Wellbeing practitioners

Employee assistance programme

Qualifications

• Experience of working with neonates and children with feeding, eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties in an acute or community setting.
• Ability to manage and prioritise a caseload of neonatal and paediatric in-patients.
• Strong collaborative skills to work with community teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide independent assessment, diagnosis, and discharge planning for neonates and paediatric patients.
• Collaborate to identify at-risk babies and establish effective oral feeding practices.
• Promote developmental care principles and advocate for Baby Friendly Initiative.

Skills

Experience with feeding and swallowing difficulties

Collaborative skills

Job description

Overview

At a highly specialist level, you will independently assess, diagnose, treat, and discharge neonates and paediatric patients with suspected or confirmed feeding, swallowing, eating, drinking and communication difficulties within the neonatal unit and paediatric wards. You will work collaboratively as an integral member of the neonatal and paediatric multidisciplinary team, supporting staff and families to identify babies and children at risk of dysphagia and communication challenges to establish safe, effective, and positive oral feeding and supportive communication practices.

You will provide expert clinical advice and/or interventions for complex neonatal and paediatric dysphagia cases and contribute to the development and implementation of evidence-based feeding and communication pathways. As part of the wider neonatal team, you will promote developmental care principles to support optimal neurodevelopmental outcomes for babies and support with advocation of Baby Friendly Initiative principles on the neonatal and paediatric wards.

In addition to clinical duties, you will take a leadership role in service development, audit, education, and training of staff and families, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and family-integrated care. You will also supervise and mentor junior staff and students, ensuring high standards of clinical practice.

Responsibilities

• Provide independent assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and discharge planning for neonates and paediatric patients with feeding, swallowing, eating, drinking and communication difficulties within the neonatal unit and paediatric wards.
• Collaborate with the neonatal and paediatric multidisciplinary team to identify at-risk babies and children and establish safe, effective oral feeding and supportive communication practices.
• Offer expert clinical advice and interventions for complex dysphagia cases and contribute to the development and implementation of evidence-based feeding and communication pathways.
• Promote developmental care principles to support neurodevelopmental outcomes and advocate for Baby Friendly Initiative principles on the wards.
• Take a leadership role in service development, audit, education, and training of staff and families, and supervise and mentor junior staff and students.
• Work autonomously as the sole Speech and Language Therapist for the neonatal unit/paediatric wards, with professional support from the wider MDT and supervision structures in place.
• Collaborate with community teams and, on occasion, attend paediatric outpatient clinics; participate in developing the service with the Principal SLT and neonatal/paediatric and community teams.

Qualifications and Experience

• Experience of working with neonates and children with feeding, eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties in an acute or community setting.
• The ability to manage and prioritise a caseload of neonatal and paediatric in-patients with a range of feeding/swallowing difficulties.
• Strong collaborative skills to work with the community teams and develop joint working opportunities.

Organisation and Benefits

Working for our organisation

Development and staff wellbeing

Your growth and personal happiness matters. We are committed to fostering professional and personal development within a supportive environment. We encourage involvement in research, quality improvement, and innovation across all roles.

We offer resources to support wellbeing, including an on-site staff nursery at Kingston Hospital, wellbeing practitioners, classes, a staff physiotherapist, occupational health services, an employee assistance programme, and other wellbeing activities. We recognise and reward teams through weekly shoutouts, patient feedback, and monthly/annual awards.

Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Neonatal / Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist to join the Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust team. The post is based at Kingston Hospital, predominantly on the Neonatal and Paediatric wards. You will be the sole SLT for the neonatal unit/paediatric wards, with autonomy and strong links to an AHP therapy team and supervision from the wider SLT and MDT.

Essential experience includes working with neonates and children with feeding, swallowing, and related difficulties in acute or community settings. You will manage a caseload of neonatal and paediatric in-patients, collaborate with community teams, and may attend paediatric outpatient clinics occasionally. There will be opportunities to help develop the service in collaboration with the Principal SLT and multidisciplinary teams.