Job summary
- Main area
- Speech and Language
- Grade
- Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 222-HCH-010-A
- Employer
- West London NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Heart of Hounslow Health Centre
- Town
- Hounslow
- Salary
- £55,524 - £62,652 Per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 29/07/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 06/08/2026
Employer heading
Lead Paediatric Speech & Language Therapist (AAC)
Band 7
West London NHS Trust provides a full range of mental health, community and physical healthcare services for children, adults and older people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow.
We also provide some specialist services that are commissioned regionally, such as our medium secure services; and nationally, such as the Cassel Hospital for people with complex and severe personality disorder and our high secure services at Broadmoor Hospital.
Job overview
Are you an experienced Speech and Language Therapist looking for your next leadership opportunity? Join West London NHS Trust's Hounslow Children's Therapies Service as our Lead for Complex Needs and Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) and play a key role in shaping specialist services for babies, children and young people.
This is an exciting opportunity to combine clinical expertise, leadership and innovation within a highly respected multidisciplinary team. You'll lead the development of our Complex Needs pathway, provide expert support to colleagues, influence service improvement and hold a small clinical caseload working closely with Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Community Paediatrics, Education and partner organisations to deliver outstanding, family-centred care.
Post graduate dysphagia training is desirable, and a small clinical caseload could be included in the role.
Main duties of the job
As our Lead for Complex Needs, you'll have the opportunity to:
Provide highly specialist assessment, intervention and expert clinical advice, including supporting children who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
Supervise, mentor and develop Speech and Language Therapists, assistants and students through clinical supervision, teaching and coaching.
Drive service improvement, quality initiatives and innovation, helping shape the future of Children's Therapies across Hounslow.
Work collaboratively with colleagues across Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Community Paediatrics, Education, Health Visiting and wider partner organisations to deliver joined-up care.
Continue developing your own specialist practice through protected CPD, leadership opportunities and participation in research, audit and evidence-based practice.
Join a friendly, supportive and ambitious team committed to improving outcomes for children, young people and their families.
Working for our organisation
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ 4,500 staff, of whom 56% are BME. Our turnover for 2023-24 is £426m.
The Trust is rated as ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as ‘Outstanding’.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Degree / diploma or other professional Speech and Language Therapy qualification
- Registered with HCPC
- MSc or equivalent post graduate study and training in specialist area (e.g. complex needs / AAC)
Desirable criteria
- Post graduate training in dysphagia
Experience
Essential criteria
- Significant experience as a Speech and Language Therapist working within specialist field (e.g. complex needs / AAC)
- Experience of carrying out specialist assessments and intervention relevant to the client group
- Extensive experience of assessing and implementing the use of AAC (A total communication approach)
- Extensive experience of supervising less experienced SLTs
- Experience of training others including parents/ caregivers in specialist area
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Extensive knowledge of assessing and using paper based and power based AAC
- Fully embedded understanding of the roles of other professionals relevant to the client group
- Leadership skills, including self-leadership
Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to communicate highly complex or sensitive advice and information to others
- Highly developed negotiation and problem-solving skills
- Able to manage competing demands/ priorities. Be flexible and organised.
- Highly developed analytical, evaluation and reflection skills
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Uma Saimaruhan
- Job title
- Clinical Services Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
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