Team Lead Speech & Language Therapist Acute Frailty & Elderly Pathway
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Orpington, BR6 8ND
Salary
£55,524 to £62,652
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Not specified
Closing date
1 September 2026
1 days left
Job description
The Speech and Language Therapy post is based within the Acute team at King's College Hospital, PRUH site. The post holder will provide a highly speci...
To autonomously manage and provide highly specialist intervention, which will include assessment, contribution to differential diagnosis, and highly specialist SLT management for patients with acute, acquired communication and swallowing disorders, following King's College Hospital (KCH) Speech and Language Therapy evidence-based guidelines and abiding by KCH Speech and Language Therapy service standards.
Clinical Responsibilities
1. To autonomously manage and provide highly specialist intervention, which will include assessment, contribution to differential diagnosis, and highly specialist SLT management for patients with acute, acquired communication and swallowing disorders, following King's College Hospital (KCH) Speech and Language Therapy evidence-based guidelines and abiding by KCH Speech and Language Therapy service standards.
2. To provide highly specialist input into policies and protocols regarding the management of patients on the Speech and Language Therapy Acute Team and wider service.
3. To act as a link between all SLTs involved in treating patients in Acute and Frailty beds to ensure the patient receives treatment from the most appropriate therapist and that knowledge and resources are shared across the service.
4. To act as a link with the other therapy professions to develop the process for planning rehabilitation goals and programmes for relevant patients on these acute wards.
5. To provide accurate appropriate and current information for clients and their carers to enable autonomy and choice where possible.
6. To carry out instrumental assessments (VF/FEES) and assist in the training and supervision of other SLT staff in these assessments.
7. To liaise effectively and work collaboratively with the relevant multidisciplinary teams to plan and facilitate appropriate management.
8. To attend clinical meetings/ward rounds/case conferences where appropriate.
9. To maintain an active liaison role, including SLT colleagues in the acute and community sector, members of the in-patient and community multidisciplinary teams, GPs, other members of the primary health care team, local authority services and voluntary organisations, ensuring consultation and feedback.
10. To carry out joint assessments with other members of the multidisciplinary team where appropriate.
11. To identify barriers to effective communication within the environment and suggest and implement solutions where feasible.
12. To co-ordinate and promote communication developments e.g. mental capacity act issues, developing and delivering training on supporting communication, advising on environmental changes that support those with communication difficulties.
13. To provide complex and sensitive clinical information to patients and carers in clear, accessible and empathetic format, both in written and verbal form.
14. To develop and deliver training regarding communication and swallowing to carers, relatives and staff.
15. To instigate referrals, when appropriate, to internal/external agencies and to liaise with other agencies to ensure appropriate follow up and care arrangements for patients.
The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King's to another level.
We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.
King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Significant experience of adult acquired neurological and medical disorders in a medical, health & ageing and acute care setting, including managing own swallowing and communication caseload and using a range of assessment and therapy techniques
- The management of patients presenting with dementia and disorders which impact on communication, cognition / behavioural feeding
- Experience of risk identification and management including multidisciplinary liaison and decision making.
- Experience of audit within specialism
- Experience of specialist assessment and differential diagnosis with a complex caseload
- Previous experience of clinical supervision of others, including supporting approaches with appropriate theoretical models of management
Education and Qualification
Essential
- BSc or recognised post graduate MSc or diploma in speech and language therapy
- Registration with the Health Professions Council
- Postgraduate training in dysphagia
- Postgraduate training in communication disorders and aphasia therapy
- Active member of RCSLT CEN or equivalent
- Postgraduate short courses in language, cognition and motor speech disorders and swallowing specifically to frailty assessment and management
- Postgraduate training in management of dysphagia, including training and experience in instrumental assessment of swallowing skills (Videofluoroscopy and / or FEES)
Desirable
- Member of RCSLT
- Attended leadership & management training course(s)
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- Excellent communication skills - written and spoken
- Highly motivated and able to demonstrate ability to lead designated clinical area
- Clinical supervision and line management skills
- Good presentation and teaching skills and ability to devise appropriate training and information packages
- Ability to work at a senior level in partnership with other professionals and agencies
- Ability to plan and implement appropriate highly specialist treatment packages
- Excellent observational and analytical skills
- Ability to undertake complex assessment and make differential diagnoses
- Ability to communicate complex and emotive information, including where there are barriers to understanding
- Ability to plan and implement treatment programmes
- Good organisational and time management ability
- Ability to plan and prioritise own autonomous caseload within professional guidelines and policies
- Able to work flexibly, under pressure and to use appropriate conflict resolution skills
- Able to demonstrate awareness of current NHS changes and professional issues
- High level of motivation and initiative
- Good auditory and perceptual skills
- Interest in developing research audit skills
- Excellent IT Skills including data and presentation packages
- Evidence of professionally written and spoken public presentation skills
How to apply
Applications are handled entirely by the employer on the original advert. We do not collect CVs, supporting statements or application data.
Provenance
Source
NHS Jobs
First seen
18 August 2026
Last checked
20 August 2026
Salary, closing date and description are taken from the employer's advert. The original advert always takes precedence.
About the employer
NHS organisation
This listing was structured from NHS Jobs. Vacancy details and the application process remain the responsibility of the original source.
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