Clinical Lead SLT - 17 hpw - 12 mths

Job overview

Closing Date: 26.10.26 (this may change dependent on response).

Shortlisting to take place following closing date commencing 27.10.26

Interview expected to take place in the week commencing 02.11.26

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced, enthusiastic and innovative Band 8a Speech and Language Therapist to join our Children’s Therapy team as the Clinical Lead for Neonatal Speech and Language Therapy.

This is a unique opportunity to provide clinical leadership and highly specialist Speech and Language Therapy input across our neonatal service, working with infants with complex feeding, swallowing, communication and developmental needs. You will be joining a supportive and forward-thinking service and will play a key role in shaping and developing neonatal SLT provision across Bradford Teaching Hospitals.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will provide expert assessment, differential diagnosis and management of infants presenting with complex neonatal dysphagia and feeding difficulties, as well as early communication and neurodevelopmental needs. You will work closely with neonatal consultants, paediatricians, nursing colleagues, dietitians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and wider multidisciplinary teams to provide family-centred care and support positive outcomes for infants and their families.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You will have a key role in leading the development of neonatal SLT pathways, clinical standards and competencies, as well as providing specialist advice, second opinions, supervision and education to SLTs and the wider MDT. The role also provides an opportunity to contribute to service development, quality improvement, clinical governance, audit and research.

We are looking for an SLT who has significant postgraduate experience within acute neonatal care and infant dysphagia and who can demonstrate highly specialist clinical skills, excellent clinical reasoning and the ability to manage complex clinical situations. Experience of developmental care, Family Integrated Care and the Baby Friendly Initiative is essential, alongside experience of working across professional and organisational boundaries.

You will be an experienced clinician and confident leader, with a passion for developing services and supporting others. Experience of leading change, innovative practice, service development, audit/research and providing training and supervision to SLTs and the wider MDT is essential.

The role offers an excellent opportunity for someone who is passionate about neonatal feeding and swallowing, early communication and neurodevelopmental care, and who wants to make a real difference to the quality and continuity of care provided to babies and their families.

You will also have the opportunity to develop strong links with the Yorkshire and Humber Neonatal Operational Delivery Network, representing Bradford Neonatal Services and working collaboratively with the Network AHP team.

We are a well-established and supportive Speech and Language Therapy service Trust wide with a strong focus on clinical excellence, professional development, service improvement and staff wellbeing. We value collaborative working and encourage our staff to develop their specialist skills and contribute to the ongoing development of our services.

If you are an experienced neonatal SLT looking for an opportunity to combine highly specialist clinical practice with clinical leadership and service development, we would love to hear from you.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.