Job summary
This role involves independently managing a specialist caseload of adults with complex swallowing and communication disorders, providing assessment, diagnosis, treatment and ongoing management using evidence-based practice.

The post holder will lead on complex case management, support patients and carers, and work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to optimise outcomes. Key responsibilities include contributing to service development and quality improvement initiatives, developing rehabilitation pathways, delivering training to staff and students, and supervising junior clinicians.

The role also includes overseeing community caseloads, monitoring service performance, producing activity reports, participating in specialist dysphagia clinics, and ensuring high standards of patient-centred, culturally responsive care.

Main duties of the job
The post holder will be a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) providing specialist assessment and intervention to a varied and complex caseload of adults with acquired and/or progressive communication and swallowing difficulties living within the borough of Waltham Forest.

The post holder will be based within the SLT team office at Whipps Cross Hospital and will deliver a community-based service across a range of settings, including the patients' own homes, nursing and care homes, and other appropriate community locations. The role will also include the provision of an outpatient service at Whipps Cross Hospital.

The post holder will work collaboratively with the acute inpatient SLT team at Whipps Cross Hospital, as well as wider multi-disciplinary teams across Barts Health NHS Trust, North East London NHS Foundation Trust and other community based services to facilitate a safe and quality service within the community.

About us
Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.

Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.

We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.

Details
Date posted: 04 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £55,524 to £62,652 a year per annum inc
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 12 months
Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number: 259-8415302WXH
Job locations: Whipps Cross University Hospital, London, E11 1NR, United Kingdom

Person Specification
Qualifications

• Essential: Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
• Essential: Registered with Health & Care Professions Council - License to Practice

Experience

• Essential: Experience in assessment and management of complex acquired and progressive communication and swallowing disorders with adult populations within a variety of settings, which should ideally include acute inpatients and community settings.
• Essential: Experience in autonomous caseload management and prioritisation of clinical and non-clinical workload.
• Essential: Experience implementing low and/or high tech augmentative and alternative communication aids with patients.
• Essential: Experience working with various multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) and relevant community agencies to deliver coordinated and patient-centred care.
• Essential: Experience and knowledge managing complex ethical issues, e.g. Eating and drinking with acknowledged risk of aspiration, safeguarding associated with the patient's best interest.
• Essential: Experience working with interpreters and bilingual Health Advocates
• Essential: Experience in identification of service gaps/issues and implementation of sustainable Quality Improvement and service development initiatives
• Essential: Experience of managing and leading a team including providing supervision, guidance, and completion of probation and/or appraisals.
• Essential: Experience of developing and providing specialist training to SLTs and other members of the MDT.
• Desirable: Experience with supporting staff through performance and/or sickness management utilising Trust policies
• Desirable: Experience of developing and conducting specialist training to SLTs and other members of the MDT at a regional or national level

Knowledge

• Essential: Demonstrates knowledge of a broad range of assessment and intervention tools relevant to complex communication and swallowing in acquired and/or progressive neurological disorders.
• Essential: Demonstrates knowledge and experience of appropriate counselling techniques with patients with acquired and/or progressive neurological conditions
• Essential: Demonstrates knowledge of national policies, procedures and up-to-date advances relevant to the clinical management of acquired and/or progressive conditions, end of life care and eating and drinking at risk.
• Essential: Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of clinical governance / Quality improvement
• Essential: Demonstrates knowledge of the importance of cultural and linguistic issues for communication and swallowing.
• Desirable: Completion of relevant Leadership training
• Desirable: Completion of relevant mentoring/coaching training

Skills

• Essential: Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills utilising observation, active listening and empathy, in order to build and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders (within SLT, wider MDT, patients and families)
• Essential: Demonstrates good organisational skills with the ability to effectively plan, prioritise, and manage clinical and non-clinical responsibilities, ensuring deadlines are met and high standards of service delivery are maintained
• Essential: Demonstrates strong leadership skills through a compassionate and WE CARE values-based approach, driving growth and development opportunities for junior staff, and fostering a positive and supportive team culture
• Essential: Demonstrates highly developed negotiation and problem-solving skills
• Essential: Demonstrates highly analytical and self-reflective of personal and professional skills
• Essential: Proficient in Microsoft 365 and ICT software/applications to support documentation, communication and admin tasks

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer contact details
Contact: Mahie Sumathipala, Clinical Lead for Speech and Language Therapy, m.sumathipala@nhs.net

Barts Health NHS Trust's privacy notice is available on the employer's website.