Speech and Language Therapist

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust; Sidcup; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting a Speech and Language Therapist to provide a clinical and advisory SLT service to pre-school and school-age children with diverse speech, language, and communication needs across community clinics and early years settings.

You will work as part of an integrated team with SLT assistants and colleagues, manage an independent caseload, and deliver evidence-based interventions.

Qualifications

• HCPC registration is mandatory.
• SLT degree must be completed with HCPC registration by Sept 2026.
• Experience working with children in community settings preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide assessment, diagnostic and treatment services for children in community clinics.
• Manage a caseload independently with supervision.
• Deliver care in line with RCSLT/HCPC guidelines.
• Demonstrate skills in assessment of speech sound disorders and language/communication.
• Deliver individual, paired and small group interventions and parent workshops.
• Plan, deliver and evaluate evidence-based therapy interventions.
• Monitor progress and modify targets as needed.
• Work in multidisciplinary teams and coordinate training programs.

Skills

SLT qualification

HCPC registration

Pediatric assessment

Evidence-based therapy

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Parent workshops

Caseload management

Education

SLT Degree

Job description

To provide a clinical and advisory SLT service to pre-school children, some school age children and young people with diverse speech, language, and communication needs, including social communication differences/ Autism. To provide a service across community clinics, children’s centres and other early years settings. To work as part of an integrated team with Speech and Language Therapy Assistants and SLT colleagues. To participate in multi-disciplinary work with colleagues in health, education, parents / carers.

Main duties of the job

To provide an assessment, diagnostic and treatment service for children referred to the community clinic/early years’ service within the Borough of Bexley.

To manage a caseload independently, accessing clinical/managerial supervision on a regular basis and to make a differential diagnosis on the basis of evidence from assessment, seeking advice when appropriate.

To deliver care in line with the RCSLT/HCPC professional guidelines and standards.

To demonstrate clinical skills in the assessment and treatment of speech sound disorders.

To demonstrate clinical skills in the assessment of language and communication and deliver individual, paired and small group interventions and parent workshops.

To be responsible for the planning, delivery, and evaluation of evidence-based therapy interventions. To monitor and review the progress of therapy programmes implemented and facilitate modifications of interventions / targets as appropriate.

Working for our organisation

Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children’s centres, schools and people’s homes.

We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.

Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:

• We Listen
• We Care

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Bexley Children’s Speech and Language Therapy service offers a range of services with specialist teams across EYs, Autism, Deafness, Stammering, Specialist Resourced Provisions and SEMH. We work closely across teams to provide clinical support and second opinions. We also have opportunities to develop training skills to enhance skills and knowledge for staff working with children with SLCN.

There is the opportunity for professional development, and the support of a team of therapists and assistants. You will have access to administrative, managerial and clinical support. Continuing professional development is supported and the development of clinical interests is encouraged.

• To make a differential diagnosis on the basis of evidence from assessment seeking advice from supervisor where appropriate.
• To manage and prioritise a defined caseload independently accessing planned supervision to support the process.
• To manage and prioritise own workload, accessing planned supervision to support this process.
• To demonstrate the ability to reflect on practice with peers/clinical supervisor.
• To develop the ability to target training (formal and informal) appropriately to the needs of course participants, with the support of colleagues.
• To develop the ability to reflect on and evaluate training provided.
• To be aware of and adhere to service and team plans and policies.
• To maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT professional standards and local trust policies.
• To supervise the work of assistants/therapy support staff/administration and clerical staff and learning support assistants.
• To explain the role of Speech & Language Therapists to visitors, students and volunteers.
• To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries, seeking advice as appropriate through mentoring, peer support, clinical and managerial supervision.
• To work within defined departmental and national protocols/policies and professional code of conduct.
• To participate in the co-ordination, development and delivery of training programmes and information packages for colleagues in health, education, voluntary sector organisations and parents/carers.
• To maintain sensitivity at all times to the emotional needs of the client and their carers in particular when imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature of the client’s difficulties and implications of the same.
• To maintain sensitivity at all times to the emotional needs of the clients, carers and colleagues when managing distressing situations such as child protection issues and exposure to terminal illness.
• To develop the ability to manage children with challenging behaviours including the appropriate management strategies.
• To monitor stock levels in own service area and request new equipment as appropriate.
• To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained – including equipment loaned to clients.

COMMUNICATION

• To communicate effectively and with empathy with the child, parents and carers to impart information regarding diagnosis and/or prognosis, treatment plans and predicted outcomes in an understandable format enabling children, parents and carers to be involved in the decision making process at the beginning of and throughout their care. Utilize specialised verbal and non- verbal communication skills where appropriate.
• To apply advanced interpersonal skills to enable change within complex and multifaceted social/family situations regularly involving multicultural customs and language barriers.
• To impart sensitive advice/information to health, social care and colleagues in education in the overall management of the child presenting with complex problems. This will include the preparation of reports for presentation at relevant Social Care, Educational and Medical Case Conferences including child protection issues, with guidance from senior therapists.
• To respond to the requirements of relevant Education legislation by providing advice as part of any re-assessment process and taking part in Annual and Transfer Reviews as appropriate.
• To write detailed official reports regarding the child’s Speech, Language and Communication and the Speech and Language Therapy advice for Education Health Care plans with the support of an experienced therapist.
• To ensure that reports (medical, statutory and legal) adhere to standards as stated by the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists, Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) and local guidelines.
• To ensure accurate, reliable and contemporaneous documentation of client electronic and manual records and that all administrative processes are maintained according to agreed policies.
• To develop skills in motivating clients and or carers to engage in the therapeutic process.
• To deal with initial verbal complaints sensitively in discussion with your line manager, avoiding escalation and attempting to resolve, following the Trust’s complaints process.
• To ensure the Trust policies relating to absence / leave are adhered to.

Person specification

Registration

• HCPC Registration
• Royal College of Speech & Language Therapy Registration

Qualifications

• SLT Degree: If student, needs to be finished and working with HCPC by Sept '26.

Experience

• Experience of working with children in any setting
• Relevant placement / transferrable skills from previous roles

Training

• Evidence of short courses

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that welcomes and supports individuals of all abilities. Remember, if you meet the minimum criteria for this role and you have a disability, you can be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme - Please ensure you select this on your application form. We would encourage you to be open about your needs so we can work with you to design a comfortable and accessible interview experience. Any information you provide regarding a disability or a need for adjustments will be treated in confidence and will only be shared with colleagues who are supporting this request.

If you require any adjustments to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know by adding the relevant details when scheduling your preferred interview date and time. Please feel free to contact the appointing manager to discuss your needs.

We encourage applicants to contact the hiring manager before their interview, if they have any questions about the role or the process. This is a great way to get clarity and prepare effectively for the interview.

If you have declared you are part of the armed forces community, you may be asked to provide evidence during the recruitment process. If you misrepresent this information, your offer may be withdrawn. For Armed Forces specific support, see our webpage: https://oxleas.nhs.uk/armed-forces-community/

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

If you choose to use AI or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting information section. While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you’re applying for. There is also a risk that it can generate false or misleading information. AI-generated job applications can often be generic, impersonal and may not accurately reflect your qualifications, knowledge, skills, and experiences. It is crucial that you personalise your supporting statement by articulating these in your unique voice. Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting information section is not advocated by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and could negatively impact your chances of success in the application process.

We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct.Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.