Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Advanced Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (Band 7) to join our Mental Health services at Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust.
This is a rare and rewarding opportunity to work at the forefront of specialist mental health speech and language therapy, providing expert clinical input and leadership across the trust. This will initially be 1.5 days in Phoenix High Dependency Rehab Unit and 3 days in other acute / older peoples mental health wards across the trust. We will work with the post holder to develop a working pattern which means that all of our wards will benefit from speech and language therapy input.
We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated clinician who is passionate about improving outcomes for people with severe and enduring mental health needs, and who is ready to shape practice, influence services and develop others at an advanced level. This will be one of the first roles in Speech and Language Therapy in mental health at RDaSH and we are invested in this being a success. You will be supported through peer networks, cross trust supervision and support from senior clinical leadership including the Chief Allied Health Professional in the trust.
Main duties of the job
As an Advanced Specialist / Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist, you will:
- Provide advanced specialist assessment, diagnosis and intervention for adults with highly complex communication and dysphagia needs within mental health settings.
- Act as the clinical lead for speech and language therapy within the MDT, influencing care planning, risk management, discharge and service delivery.
- Manage the most complex and high‑risk cases, using advanced clinical reasoning and high levels of professional autonomy.
- Provide expert advice, consultation, supervision and leadership to SLT colleagues, students, assistants and the wider multidisciplinary team.
- Lead and contribute to service development, quality improvement, audit and research, helping shape the future of mental health SLT within the Trust.
- Play a key role in developing communication‑enabling environments and promoting parity of esteem for speech and language therapy within mental health services.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please view the attached job description and person specification to view the full details about the role
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if there are a high amount of applications
Person specification
Skills
Essential
- Highly developed communication skills, able to convey complex, sensitive or contentious information in emotionally charged and challenging environments
- Ability to persuade, negotiate and influence practice change across professional boundaries
- Confidence in providing expert clinical advice, supervision and challenge, including managing disagreement and professional risk
- Ability to support patients, carers and staff in situations involving distress, trauma, aggression or highly emotive content
- Demonstrated leadership behaviours: resilience, accountability, professional authority and role modelling
- Strong commitment to equality, anti oppressive practice and reducing health inequalities
- Ability to plan, prioritise and review complex clinical and service activity, balancing competing demands and risk
- Advanced analytical and clinical reasoning skills, including management of uncertainty and non standard situations
- Ability to lead service activity, delegate effectively and support others in workload management
- Experience of contributing to or leading governance activity, audits or policy implementation
- Highly developed time management and decision making skills Highly developed communication skills, able to convey complex, sensitive or contentious information in emotionally charged and challenging environments
Experience
Essential
- Substantial post‑qualification experience as a speech and language therapist, including advanced specialist experience within mental health services
- Experience of independently managing a highly complex, high‑risk clinical caseload involving diagnostic uncertainty, safeguarding, capacity, and ethical dilemmas
- Demonstrable experience of providing clinical leadership within an MDT, influencing care planning, risk management and discharge
- Formal experience of supervising qualified staff, assistants and/or students, including responsibility for developing others’ practice
- Lead or significant contributor to clinical audit, service evaluation, research or quality improvement initiatives
- Experience of delivering specialist training to SLT colleagues and wider MDT
Desirable
- Experience of leading service development or redesign within mental health or specialist services
- Experience of appraisal, performance development review or workforce development
- Experience of representing SLT at Trust wide or system level forums
- Involvement in regional or national professional networks, projects or working groups
Qualifications
Essential
- HCPC Registered Speech and Language Therapist
- Undergraduate qualification in Speech and Language Therapy
- Understanding and knowledge of clinical governance issues within own clinical practice and wider implications for delivery of patient services.
- Portfolio evidence of reflective practice, relevant experience, and CPD.
- Evidence of relevant post-graduate courses.
- IT skills.
- Post Graduate qualification in dysphagia management
- Extensive portfolio evidence of reflective practice, advanced competencies, and continuous professional development
- Demonstrable understanding and application of clinical governance, risk management, and professional accountability at service level
- Advanced IT skills, including data collection for audit and service evaluation Management/leadership courses
- Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
- Relevant Masters level postgraduate modules or equivalent experience
- Evidence of advanced specialist training in mental health speech and language therapy, including complex communication needs, dysphagia, neurodevelopmental conditions and capacity / consent
- Training in quality improvement, service redesign or research methods
Desirable
- Management/leadership courses
- Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
- Evidence of advanced specialist training in mental health speech and language therapy, including complex communication needs, dysphagia, neurodevelopmental conditions and capacity / consent
- Relevant Masters level postgraduate modules or equivalent experience
- Training in quality improvement, service redesign or research methods
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Speech & Language Therapist Mental Health Acute & High Dependency Ward with Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust in Doncaster, North East and Yorkshire, England. It is listed as a Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist role. The advertised salary is £49,387 - £56,515 per annum, pro rata. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 06 Aug 2026.
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