Job Summary
Are you looking for a role that offers clinical variety, professional growth, and the opportunity to make a real difference to children and families? If so, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Speech and Language Therapy team at Leeds Children's Hospital as a Band 7 Highly Specialist Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist 0.4 WTE. We are seeking a dynamic, innovative and skilled clinician to provide high-quality specialist care within our Paediatric Critical Care services.

This unique role offers the chance to work within a highly specialised and fast-paced environment, supporting infants, children and young people with complex feeding, swallowing and communication needs. You will be part of a dedicated multidisciplinary team, working collaboratively with colleagues across critical care and cardiac services to deliver outstanding patient-centred care.

Main duties of the job
To assess differentially diagnose and manage complex communication and swallowing breakdown relating to a wide range of conditions. Utilise highly specialist knowledge in line with local policies/protocols and professional guidelines. Provide specialist second opinions on request to other health and social care professionals. Build links with allied agencies across primary and secondary care improving local and regional care pathways across in/outpatient settings.

Diagnose, assess, treat and manage complex communication, swallowing, cognitive and emotional impairments. Ensure all patients have opportunities to improve their swallowing/communication function and decrease reliance on enteral feeds and communication aids.

Develop a rehabilitation care pathway focussing on education, enablement and empowerment of service users and their carers

Please see Job Description for further information.

About us
The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is committed to delivering the highest quality and safest treatment and care to every patient, every time.

Our vision is to provide the highest quality specialist and integrated care.

We will do this through delivery of our multi-year goals and strategic priorities, which you can read about on this page.

Central to it all is The Leeds Way our values and behaviours that are at the heart of everything we do.

Date posted
10 July 2026

Pay scheme
Agenda for change

Band
Band 7

Salary
£49,387 to £56,515 a year

Contract
Permanent

Working pattern
Part-time

Reference number
001547

Job locations
Leeds General Infirmary
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS1 3EX
United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
For questions about this job, contact:
Name: Victoria Watson Position: Clinical Service Manager Email: vickywatson@nhs.net Phone number: 0113 3920620

Job Summary
We offer a supportive, stimulating and forward-thinking environment where you will have opportunities to develop and enhance your advanced clinical skills, contribute to service development and quality improvement initiatives, and become involved in research activity.

If you are passionate about paediatric speech and language therapy, thrive in multidisciplinary team working, and are looking to further develop your expertise in a highly specialised acute setting, we would love to hear from you.

Why you should join our Team
Leeds Children's Hospital is one of the largest and most specialised children's hospitals in the UK, providing world-class care for children and young people across Yorkshire and beyond. As part of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust you will have the opportunity to work within a nationally recognised teaching hospital at the forefront of clinical excellence, innovation and research.

Our diverse caseload spans a wide range of highly specialised services including Paediatric Intensive Care (PICU), Neonatology, Neurology, Neurorehabilitation, Cardio-Respiratory Medicine, Gastroenterology, Oncology, Haematology and Surgical specialties.

Joining our highly skilled and supportive Speech and Language Therapy team will allow you to work alongside colleagues with expertise in acute paediatric specialisms including critical care, tracheostomy management, long-term ventilation, neonatal care and instrumental swallowing assessments.

We are committed to investing in our staff and offer a comprehensive induction programme alongside a well-established supervision and mentorship structure. This includes regular individual and group supervision, dedicated opportunities for joint working and shadowing across both Speech and Language Therapy and the wider multidisciplinary team.

Continuous professional development is a key priority within our service. Our monthly Clinical Hour provides protected time for therapists to share knowledge, discuss complex cases, explore emerging evidence and contribute to service innovation.

You will be based in modern, well-equipped clinical and office environments designed to support a variety of working styles. Located in the heart of Leeds, one of the UK's fastest-growing and most vibrant cities, the hospital benefits from excellent transport links and a thriving cultural, retail and social scene.

Most importantly, we pride ourselves on being a friendly, inclusive and supportive team. Staff wellbeing is at the heart of our culture, with access to Trust-wide wellbeing resources, staff support networks, wellbeing champions and Mental Health First Aiders within the SLT team.

What you will bring to the role
To thrive in this highly specialist role, you will bring experience in the assessment, instrumental evaluation, differential diagnosis, treatment and management of children and young people with complex Eating, Drinking and Swallowing (EDS) difficulties, alongside communication needs arising from acute and complex health conditions.

As a core member of the multidisciplinary team, you will work alongside Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Dietitians, Nurses and Therapy Assistants to deliver outstanding, family-centred care.

The role offers exposure to a diverse and rewarding caseload across acute paediatric services, including the paediatric wards and Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).

Experience in paediatric instrumental assessment and tracheostomy management would be advantageous.

About Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust
Our Trust values
The Leeds Way is working together to support each other and deliver the best possible care to patients.

We are….
Responsible Open and Honest One Team Kind

Our Trust priorities
Our purpose: Excellent, safe and sustainable care for every patient every time

Our priorities:
People Improvement and Innovation Partnerships Outcomes

Sponsorship Eligibility
To comply with UK Government regulations on Skilled Worker sponsorship, Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust is unable to provide sponsorship to applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria or the salary threshold concessions set out under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please take this into consideration before submitting your application. Full guidance on these concessions, including details of who may qualify, can be found here.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high number of suitable applications.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

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Desirable

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Experience
Essential

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Desirable

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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.