Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist - Neuroscience Inpatients

Overview

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals: John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and Horton General Hospital in Banbury. Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.

These values underpin all recruitment programmes. Many of our recruitment programmes use Value Based Interviewing to identify those who have the skills we seek, who share our values and who are able to deliver compassionate excellence from the outset.

For more information about our Values and Value Based Interviewing please visit

Job details

Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist - Neuroscience Inpatients - Band 7, Permanent, Part time (0.8 WTE, 30 hours per week)

Main area: Speech and Language Therapy

Site: John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford

Salary: £47,810 - £54,710 p.a. (Yearly)

Closing date: 23:59 on 11/11/2025

Job overview

We have an exciting opportunity for a motivated, highly skilled, creative, and leadership oriented SLT to join the Inpatient Adult Team at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. The post is a Band 7 grade, on a permanent part time (0.8 WTE, 30 hours per week) contract.

The successful candidate will be directly responsible for supporting and managing the Neuroscience Inpatient Speech and Language Therapy workstream, which currently provides clinical cover for Neuroscience inpatient wards, the 15 bed Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit, and Specialist Surgery Inpatient Unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital. They will develop FEES, VFS, and tracheostomy services alongside peer Clinical Lead SLTs and supervise and support professional development of SLT colleagues.

They will receive routine support from the SLT Service Manager and be encouraged to work with Band 7 Clinical Lead SLTs for peer support across other SLT workstreams (inpatient and outpatient).

If you are a proactive, skilled professional looking for a new challenge, please get in touch to discuss the role further. Best wishes, Charlie, Service Manager for Adult Speech & Language Therapy

Main duties of the job

Patient/client care

1. To assess, develop and implement highly specialist speech and language therapy treatment, make clinical decisions following assessments, and develop specialist care plans based on best practice and expert knowledge.
2. To produce written reports reflecting specialist knowledge and to provide specialist intervention and evaluative outcome measures.
3. To advise on management and care of patients/clients with communication, feeding and swallowing difficulties or tracheostomies, and to work collaboratively across professions and locations.
4. To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice and outcome measures, and to manage complex caseloads.
5. To supervise and support SLT colleagues and contribute to the development of the service.

Leadership and service development

1. Lead on implementing team objectives or projects in liaison with peers.
2. Develop care protocols for specific clinical issues and advise on service delivery improvements.
3. Participate in policy development groups and interagency/multi-disciplinary team building.
4. Contribute to service governance and policy development within the specialty.

Financial and resource management

1. Monitor stock levels and equipment, ensure infection control and safety standards, including equipment loaned to clients.

Human resources

1. Provide specialist training and mentoring to junior SLTs, assistants, students and volunteers; supervise unregistered staff and participate in recruitment and placements.
2. Appraise junior SLTs and ensure equitable service delivery.

Information, research and development

1. Maintain up-to-date case notes per HCPC/RCSLT standards and data protection guidelines.
2. Participate in research, clinical governance, audits, and national trials as required.

Knowledge, skills and qualifications

• Recognised Speech & Language Therapy degree; HCPC Licence to Practice; Registered with RCSLT
• Evidence of specialist short courses and training as a clinical supervisor
• Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study competencies (Level 2+)
• Excellent interpersonal, problem solving, time/workload management, team leadership skills
• Tracheostomy competencies (critical care advanced)

COVID-19: Vaccination remains the best protection; vaccination is not a condition of employment, but staff are encouraged to get vaccinated.

Other information: Vacancy closures, probation period (6 months; some exceptions for Medical staff or Executive Appointments), references and next steps are as described in the original job content.

Applications and compliance: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exclusions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and a Disclosure to be submitted to the DBS. This post requires UK professional registration and adherence to professional guidelines.

Employer certification / accreditation

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

Application numbers: This advertisement may close early if a high volume of applications are received.