Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist – Paediatric Feeding

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Job summary

We have an exciting new position available within our redesigned and growing Complex Paediatric Dysphagia Service, working alongside our Advanced Clinical Practitioner SLT at Royal Preston Hospital and similar peer at Burnley as Lancashire Teaching Hospital now hosts this post and collaborates across the NWODN. This role offers a unique opportunity to make a real difference across our Level 3 Neonatal Unit, paediatric inpatient ward, and outpatient clinic.

In this role, you will collaborate with our Clinical Lead to deliver a highly specialised service for young children aged 0-5 with complex feeding difficulties. You will engage with a variety of cases in complex dysphagia and participate in our weekly videofluoroscopy clinic. You will conduct videofluoroscopy assessments for both inpatients and outpatients, providing expert diagnosis and tailored management plans. Training will be provided if you are not already trained in this area.

We are looking for an enthusiastic team player who thrives in a dynamic hospital environment. Training opportunities are available, and we may consider a development post for the right candidate who already have highly specialist dysphagia skills in another clinical area.

You will join a large, friendly team of speech and language therapists covering various specialist services. Our department is rated ‘GOLD’ on the STAR quality assurance framework, reflecting our strong commitment to governance and evidence-based practice.

Main duties of the job

You will provide comprehensive dysphagia assessment and intervention for a varied paediatric caseload, including infants on the neonatal unit and paediatric wards, as well as outpatients. You will regularly engage in supervision with the clinical lead, supporting clinical problem-solving and service improvement initiatives.

Your role will involve educating the multidisciplinary team within the trust on aspects of Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) relevant to your designated clinical area, thereby raising the profile of the SLT service. Working closely with other members of the multidisciplinary team, you will demonstrate excellent communication skills to ensure a cohesive approach to patient care.

You will assist in the teaching and clinical supervision of students and junior therapy staff, taking an active role in multidisciplinary teaching sessions within the paediatric speech and language therapy team.

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals comprises two hospitals providing inpatient, outpatient, and tertiary services, delivering comprehensive care to the Lancashire and South Cumbria region. We are an acute SLT service committed to excellent patient-centred care, offering a wide range of specialisms across adult services alongside our dedicated paediatric team. We actively promote training opportunities and support continuous professional development (CPD).

Person Specification

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • Highly specialised knowledge in clinical area
  • Completion of the RCSLT Dysphagia Competency Framework – Level C (Specialist level dysphagia practitioner)
  • Able to assess, diagnose and manage complex dysphagia
  • Excellent MDT working skills

Desirable

  • Completion of the Neonatal Dysphagia Competency Framework – Level C (Specialist Level Dysphagia Practitioner)

Qualifications & Education

Essential

  • HCPC registration
  • RCSLT registration
  • Graduate or post-graduate qualification in Speech and Language Therapy
  • Evidence of CPD in relevant areas working towards Masters level.

Desirable

  • Masters qualification or modules

Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Highly specialist skills in clinical area
  • Advanced diagnostic and clinical reasoning skills
  • Teaching experience
  • Good IT skills
  • Advanced communication skills
  • Ability to prioritise workload
  • Experience in audit

Desirable

  • Awareness of NHS plan and relevant national guidance
  • Experience of leading a team
  • Excel and data collation skills
  • Ability to work with tracheostomy
  • Analytical skills

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Closing Date: 23 August 2026

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.