Band 7 Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist

Lead Speech & Language Therapist - Urgent Care Pathway (Fixed Term - Maternity Cover) We are seeking an experienced and motivated clinician to work alongside the Speech and Language Therapy Lead and wider multidisciplinary team (MDT) to review, plan, and coordinate SLT provision across the urgent care pathway. This is a fixed-term opportunity to cover maternity leave, offering an excellent chance to step into a key leadership role within a developing and dynamic service. It provides valuable experience in service development, operational leadership, and pathway redesign, ideal for clinicians looking to broaden their skills and advance their career. The role is designed to support patient flow across the organisation, and the successful candidate will play a central role in driving service development and change, becoming an integral member of urgent care teams. Introduction to the Therapy Department at The Dudley Group on Vimeo, Job Overview Continued A core element of the role will be to develop and deliver education and training to the wider MDT, supporting timely and appropriate referrals into Speech and Language Therapy and enhancing the overall quality of care. You will provide clinical and operational leadership for the acute inpatient SLT service, including elements of staff management, service development, and day-to-day coordination of SLT provision. As a senior member of the clinical team, you will also maintain a visible and active clinical presence. The role will focus on improving early assessment and intervention for patients with communication and swallowing needs, particularly within urgent care areas. You will also support continuity of care by following patients admitted via urgent care through to other acute wards, working collaboratively with ward teams as part of the wider caseload To work as a Highly Specialist SLT in dysphagia and communication across all Emergency clinical areas and
Acute Adult inpatient wards, supporting the Acute Team of Speech and Language Therapists. To develop strong links with key members of the multidisciplinary team, providing training as required.

At the Dudley Group our patients and staff are at the heart of all that we do and that is to provide a world class service that aligns with our vision of "excellent health care, improved health for all". We are seeking to recruit staff who share our vision and values of making Dudley Group an incredible workplace.

As part of the NHS People Promise, your wellbeing is our priority, and we are committed to ensuring our employees achieve a healthy work-life balance supported by our flexible working options and by making reasonable adjustments where possible. We believe no-one should have to sacrifice family, friends, or their personal interests for work. We are a modern employer able to attract and retain high quality staff through our commitment to the NHS People Promise.

As an employer, we foster an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to contribute their best. We want to ensure that our workforce is representative of the population we serve. More information - inclusive practice people promise.

Dudley Group offer many opportunities for our staff to develop and grow within their roles through our Learning & OD Team. These include topics such as communication, wellbeing, team development, cultural competency, and values.