Speech & Language Clinical Lead for Dysphagia | Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust; Coxheath; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A community health organization in Kent seeks a Dysphagia Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to lead dysphagia pathways and manage clinical cases for children. This role features both leadership and clinical responsibilities, allowing for a hybrid work model. Candidates should have expertise in dysphagia management and experience in providing effective supervision and training within an integrated team environment. The position offers opportunities for training and professional development.

Benefits

Opportunities for training

Supervision and support

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Experience in managing dysphagia cases with children aged 0-19.
• Ability to work both in virtual and face-to-face settings.
• Proven track record in leading clinical pathways.

Responsibilities

• Lead on dysphagia pathways across Kent.
• Ensure SLTs adhere to agreed care pathways.
• Supervise and train team members effectively.
• Manage a complex clinical caseload.

Skills

Dysphagia management

Speech and Language Therapy

Leadership

Team supervision and training

Education

Relevant Speech and Language Therapy degree

Job description

Overview

This is an exciting opportunity for a Dysphagia Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join the Children’s Therapies Team in North West Kent. This Band 7 role encompasses both leadership and clinical work in the community with children and families aged 0-19 years. The Children’s Therapies Team is an integrated therapies team providing Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Specialist Nurse Advisors and Care Co-ordinators to children and families within KCHFT.

You will be part of an innovative, cohesive and enthusiastic team of dysphagia therapists who have reimagined KCHFT’s dysphagia service. As part of our county-wide approach to the management of children with dysphagia, you will be able to offer virtual appointments to families across Kent, as well as locality-based face to face sessions.

Responsibilities

• Supporting and leading on the Dysphagia pathways across Kent
• Leading on service policy and clinical care pathways across KCHFT for dysphagia
• Ensuring team members are working to agreed care pathway within dysphagia
• Providing effective supervision, training and support to SLTs to enhance their CPD
• Reporting and advising on development requirements in dysphagia to colleagues, Professional Leads, TeamLeads, Locality Clinical Manager and Head of Service.
• Participating in reflective practice and ongoing learning within these clinical fields
• Carrying out delegated line management of staff
• Managing a complex / specialist clinical caseload across 0-19 years

What you will do and how you will work

The role will be a hybrid model of working (virtual and face to face). We offer opportunities for regular supervision, in-house and external training, and clinical governance days where all localities come together to share knowledge, skills and CPD experiences.

Working environment and values

We pride ourselves on the support and opportunities offered to staff at all stages in their career with regular meetings with a line manager and access to supervision. We are rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC and are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion.

Additional information

We welcome applications from people with varied backgrounds, perspectives and experiences. We collect information about protected characteristics as part of equality monitoring. Short listers will see two ticks to apply the guaranteed interview scheme due to disability where applicable. We may require driving to perform duties where driving is a requirement of the role; a full UK driving licence may be necessary. If you are unable to drive due to a disability, please contact the Recruitment Team for support.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we will support you to work flexibly in a way that suits us both. See where you can go with KCHFT career pathways.

Find out more about the community difference here. Good luck! We can’t wait to meet you and welcome you to #teamKCHFT, #cometocommunity.

This advert closes on Thursday 2 Oct 2025