Highly Specialist Speech and LanguageTherapist Dysphagia&Complex Needs

A Vacancy at East London NHS Foundation Trust.

To provide a highly specialist Speech and Language Therapy service to children (predominantly from birth to 18 years) with multiple and complex needs, including speech, language and communication, and eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties.

Deputise for the Clinical Lead & other Highly Specialist SLTs (Complex Needs) when appropriate.

Provide a service which takes account of the needs of clients from a range of ethnic and linguistic backgrounds.

To take a lead role in developing the Speech and Language Therapy service to children with complex needs & dysphagia, including developing care pathways and packages, developing assessment, therapy and training materials specific to this client group alongside the Clinical Lead for Complex Needs and the well-established Complex Needs team.

To provide specialist assessment and therapy for 0-18 children and young people in the areas of complex needs communication and dysphagia. This will likely include multidisciplinary working and liaising closely with hospital teams within Newham and larger referring hospitals.

To liaise with specialist teaching staff, classroom teachers and education support staff to provide highly specialist Speech and Language Therapy input to curriculum and programme planning.

Provide a consultative service when appropriate for Speech and Language colleagues around best practice in the field of complex needs & dysphagia.

Based at the child development centre, in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham, close to the Olympic Park in the heart of London’s East End (with excellent transport links with the rest of London and Essex). The children’s speech and language therapy service has a strong multi-agency work ethic with other services both within the trust and with partner agencies, and offers services across a wide range of care groups in the borough.

we can offer you:
• An amazing working environment, with a warm, welcoming and supportive team of SLTs and colleagues who bring experiences from all over the world.
• 1:1 monthly supervision, appraisal and CPD
• Team learning programme
• Protected service development time and regular team away days
• Opportunity to supervise and develop junior staff
• Monthly team meetings and band 7 leadership meetings
• On-going clinical skills development, MDT working
• Opportunity to lead service improvement
• Involvement in audit and quality improvement

To take a lead role in developing the Speech and Language Therapy service to children with complex needs & dysphagia, including developing care pathways and packages, developing assessment, therapy and training materials specific to this client group alongside the Clinical Lead for Complex Needs and the well-established Complex Needs team.

To provide specialist assessment and therapy for 0-18 children and young people in the areas of complex needs communication and dysphagia. This will likely include multidisciplinary working and liaising closely with hospital teams within Newham and larger referring hospitals.

To liaise with specialist teaching staff, classroom teachers and education support staff to provide highly specialist Speech and Language Therapy input to curriculum and programme planning.

To maintain close links with Speech and Language Therapy staff working in Early Years, School Age and Adult Teams within the trust to ensure smooth transition between phases as required.

Provide a consultative service when appropriate for Speech and Language colleagues around best practice in the field of complex needs & dysphagia.

Provide colleagues with the opportunity to extend their knowledge in the field of complex needs & dysphagia, encouraging staff development and advising service managers of specific needs.

To provide specialist training to Health and Education colleagues on a range of topics e.g. ‘Supporting Children with Complex Needs & Dysphagia in the Mainstream Classroom’.

This advert closes on Sunday 21 Jun 2026