Job overview

This post is an important senior position within the Therapies Directorate. The post holder will report to the head of therapies and work closely with Consultant/Professional Lead/Head of Service peers, delivering strong speech and language therapy leadership, high standards of care and quality outcomes and contribute to oversight and assurance. They will provide direct operational support and clinical supervision to Clinical Lead SLTs in adult services and provide clinical expertise in specified areas of clinical practice while demonstrating/developing expert knowledge across the wider range of Trust services and an ability to signpost to other experts within the system. Providing strong, positive and visible professional/clinical leadership and using a collaborative, motivational, and problem solving approach, the post holder will be a role model for the Trust values and drive a culture of continuous quality improvement in clinical outcomes and patient experience. The post holder will lead the development of evidence-based speech and language therapy best practice, including innovative and evolving roles ensuring that the workforce has the right skills and support, in support of the Trust’s and SWL system strategic direction and commitment to outstanding standards of quality governance.

Main duties of the job

- To provide strategic and professional leadership across the Speech and Language Therapy services for St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, working with the Clinical Lead SLTs to plan, implement and monitor service delivery of highly specialist, evidence based care across the Trust.

- As Professional Head of Speech & Language Therapy within the Trust to have Professional responsibility and accountability for all Speech & Language Therapists including providing oversight and support as required to those clinically and operationally managed within Children’s Services in conjunction with the Head of Children’s Therapies and Children’s management team.

- As Professional Lead to represent Speech and Language Therapy in all relevant internal meetings with Senior Managers, Clinical Directors and externally including partner organisations, HEIs, and in the wider SWL ICS.

- To maintain a clinical role as an expert practitioner in their specialist clinical area and level of practice (specialist, advance practice, consultant level).

Working for our organisation

The post holder is expected to have a clear understanding of how this post contributes to the achievement of the trust vision of: A thriving Foundation Trust at the heart of an integrated healthcare system. One that delivers improved patient care at a community, hospital and specialist setting, supported by a unique and nationally recognised programme of research, education and employee engagement. We expect all our staff to share the values that are important to the Trust, being Excellent, Kind, Responsible & Respectful, and behave in a way that reflects these. St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and expects that all staff will share in this commitment. The Trust is clear that all staff have a responsibility to be aware of children and adult safeguarding policies and procedures and that each member of staff, clinical and non-clinical, will attend child or adult safeguarding training that is provided at an appropriate level to suit their role. The Trust has the additional expectation that all staff will be able to identify concerns and know what action to take.