Paediatric and Neonatal Lead Speech and Language Therapist: Sponsorship Available

Job summary

We are seeking a highly experienced Speech and Language Therapist to join our supportive and highly skilled team of22SLT’s and5 assistant practitioners. You will be working with neonate and paediatric inpatients at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire. Energy,visionand clinicalexpertise within this field is essential. The successful candidate will be joining a Trust which actively nurtures and encourages innovation and service development and you will be supported by the management team to identify and facilitate service development and quality improvement opportunities. Ongoing learning and development is a priority at UHCW and is actively supported by the Trust.

Paediatric Services:

UHCW has one of the largest paediatric units in the West Midlands. Services for children are entirely provided from a dedicated Children’s Unit. At University Hospital there are 61 infant and children’s beds including a 12-bed adolescent unit, 6 High Dependency beds, 19 infant beds and 24 beds for older children, as well as a 6 bedded medical day unit.

Newborn Services

The hospital has a purpose-built Neonatal Unit with a capacity of 16 critical carecots(intensive care and high dependency) 8special carecotsand 12 transitional carecots. The unit is one of the two designated level 3 intensive care units for the Central Newborn Network.

Main duties of the job

1. Leading, co-ordinating and delivering a high quality, evidence-based Speech and Language Therapy service to the highly specialised and complex clinical area of neonates (working alongside Coventry & Warwickshire Neonatal AHPs Integrated Service) and paediatrics, requiring a highly advanced level of knowledge, skills and experience.
2. Providing clinical supervision, training and support
3. To work as an autonomous practitioner, providing comprehensive, specialist speech and language therapy assessment, differential diagnosis and treatment of children and babies who present with feeding and swallowing difficulties.
4. Work as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team, contributing to team discussions and influencing decisions about patient care programmes, taking on the role of care coordinator where appropriate.
5. To be a source of expertise and provide clinical support, where appropriate to other MDT colleagues, Health Care professionals including students and community services.
6. To lead SLT policy development within neonates and paediatric Speech and Language Therapy.
7. Use specialist knowledge to respond to urgent requests for input and ensure that referrals are prioritised and triaged effectively to ensure that high risk patients are seen urgently, and to expedite rapid assessment and discharge planning

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• oSpeech & Language Therapy Degree Qualification or Equivalent oMasters level qualification in a relevant field or equivalent experience oMember of RCSLT oHCPC Registration – Licence to Practise oPostgraduate advanced accredited paediatric dysphagia training oEvidence of relevant postgraduate training in neonates

Desirable

• oCompletion of FINE course

Experience

Essential

• oSpecialist level of clinical skills and knowledge in the assessment, differential diagnosis and management of complex paediatric feeding, swallowing and communication disorders. oRelevant postgraduate experience in the assessment and management of neonates oRelevant postgraduate experience in the acute setting oExperience of SaLT students at student clinical tutor and supervisor levels oExperience of training staff groups at all levels oAbility to work as part of a multidisciplinary team oExperience of leading service development related to this client group oExperience of leading audit related to this client group oSignificant leadership experience including line management, managing change, workforce/service planning, governance/risk and performance/data oEvidence of delivering service improvement

Desirable

• oExperience of conducting or being involved in research in the specialist area

Knowledge

Essential

• oAdvanced knowledge of assessment tools and a range of therapeutic interventions relevant to the client group. oAdvanced knowledge of trends and best practice in the clinical specialism oGood working knowledge of national policies and procedures (relevant to the client group) and their implications for SaLT. oUnderstanding of the roles of other professionals (relevant to the client group) oUnderstanding of the impact of local cultural, linguistic and demographic factors influencing service delivery in the specialist area. oAbility to work through interpreters to gain and impart information (relevant to the client group)

Desirable

• oUnderstanding of the impact of local cultural, linguistic and demographic factors influencing service delivery in the specialist area. oCompetence in the management of complex dysphagia in infants oCompetence in the management of communication disorders oCompetence in SaLT management of tracheostomy/ventilator-dependent patients

Skills

Essential

• oExcellent written and verbal communication skills oExcellent presentation skills oAble to adapt communication style to varied listeners oDemonstrates ability to be a good team member and function effectively in the multidisciplinary team, leading where appropriate oAble to judge limits of skills/competence and recognise professional boundaries where appropriate oSupportive to other staff oDemonstrates excellent organisational and prioritisation skills oBasic IT skills oExcellent interpersonal skills oInsight into own CPD needs and appropriate strategies for addressing them oEnthusiasm for the development and promotion of the service and the ability to take initiative oDemonstrates strategies for keeping up to date e.g. oinvolvement in appropriate Clinical Excellence Group and Professional Body oAn ability to evaluate service delivery and lead service planning for this client group oAn ability to assess, identify and manage clinical risk.

Desirable

• oDemonstrates excellent analytical and reflection skills

Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours

Essential

• oMust be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust’s values. (As detailed in UHCW’s Values in Action document below) oApplicants applying for job roles with managerial responsibility will be required to demonstrate evidence of promoting equal opportunities through work experience

Closing Date: 25 October 2026