Specialist SLT Preschool Complex Needs​/Dysphagia

Highly Specialist SLT Preschool Complex Needs/Dysphagia

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust's Children and Young People's Therapies (CYPT) Service is excited to be able to offer a rare Band 7 opportunity within its Speech and Language Therapy Team. Due to imminent maternity leave we are looking to recruit an SLT with specialist level dysphagia competencies, who has experience working with infants and children aged newborn to five with complex dysphagia and communication needs associated with a range of medical conditions.

Experience of hospital working and videofluoroscopy would also be of benefit.

This post is available for 9 months to support the clinical caseload across East and North Hertfordshire.

You will be expected to work autonomously undertaking specialist assessment to differentially diagnose feeding and swallowing difficulties, identify risk and implement a management plan of infants and children, including children with highly complex medical conditions.

Proposed interview date: 22nd July 2026

As a Band 7 you will:

• Triage and prioritise referrals based on identified risk and ensure assessments are completed with required time frames.
• Have overview and overall responsibility for the dysphagia and complex needs caseload within the locality
• Be the lead therapist in a multi professional feeding clinic
• Provide professional supervision to less experienced colleagues and supporting development of dysphagia competencies as indicated / appropriate.
• Work with children and families within their home; or in children's centres, early years specialist development centres, nursery and clinic settings
• Complete communication assessments as part of EHCP process and provide second opinions for children with complex needs
• Work collaboratively with the highly specialist SLTs to ensure best practice and evidence based delivery of high quality care systems are in place

We offer:

• Regular group professional supervision and peer support
• Working as part of a supportive team of highly specialist SLTs
• Regular managerial supervision and a well-established appraisal system
• Internal and external CPD opportunities such as bitesize tutorials, peer review, CENs
• A 2 week induction period where you will have the opportunity to observe and shadow colleagues across a range of clinical areas / settings
• Regular meetings with Clinical Quality Leads and Operational Leads to plan and implement service delivery and service development

Successful candidates will be enthusiastic and motivated. Advanced communication, clinical reasoning and organisational skills are essential. You must be a team player but be able to work autonomously and have the ability to champion the needs of children and young people through upskilling the wider workforce. As a highly specialist SLT, there will be opportunities for you to facilitate professional supervision groups and provide managerial supervision to less experienced colleagues.

You will be joining a well-established, supportive team of therapists and assistants. CYP Therapies at HCT pride ourselves on the support we provide to staff. CYP Therapies at HCT provide Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Services for families across the county. Our service is jointly commissioned by health and education, allowing us to provide a seamless pathway of care from early years through to schools, specialist provisions and further education settings.

A full valid driving licence and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

In addition to the basic salary, this post attracts a High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of basic salary subject to a minimum payment of £1,034 and a maximum payment of £1,791 per annum (pro rata where applicable and dependent on base location).

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• Highly specialist knowledge acquired through degree or equivalent qualifications, including further theoretical training and…