Advanced Speech and Language Therapist, Clinical Lead for StrokeNHS

Job summary

Clinical Lead - Adult Speech and Language Therapy (Stroke Services)

This is an exciting opportunity to provide clinical leadership within our adult stroke service, supporting the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care for people with stroke and acquired brain injury.

Working as a key member of the multidisciplinary stroke team, you will lead the Speech and Language Therapy team for acute stroke and support the wider stroke pathway, ensuring excellence in the assessment and management of communication and swallowing disorders. You will play a central role in driving service development, promoting evidence-based practice and maintaining high standards of care.

You will provide professional and clinical leadership to a skilled team of Speech and Language Therapists and support staff, offering day-to-day guidance, supervision and support. Responsibilities include workforce planning, caseload management, rostering, training and the development of staff and services.

Alongside your leadership responsibilities, you will maintain a clinical caseload, managing patients with a range of complex communication and dysphagia needs.

Working 22.5 hours per week (0.6 WTE), you will report to the Team Lead for Acute Speech and Language Therapy Services.

Proposed Interview date : 28th August 2026

HCT will prioritise recruitment of workers living in England under the new immigration rules for care workers effective from 9 April 2025. Employers must first prove that they have attempted to recruit a worker from within England who needs new sponsorship. This ensures that those who came to the UK to pursue a career in adult social care can do so.

Main duties of the job

Provide clinical and professional leadership to the acute stroke SLT team.

Lead high-quality, evidence-based care for patients with stroke and acquired brain injury, including assessment and management of communication and swallowing disorders.

Support and develop staff through supervision, training and clinical leadership.

Provide specialist input for patients with complex communication and dysphagia needs, working closely with the multidisciplinary team.

Oversee caseload management, service delivery and workforce planning to ensure safe and effective care.

Contribute to service development, quality improvement, audit and clinical governance.

Support the wider Adult SLT service, working with colleagues across specialist areas including Progressive Neurological Conditions, Head and Neck, Voice, Dysfluency and Mental Health.

Support students, apprentices and less experienced staff through supervision and training.

We also offer:

• Regular appraisal and supervision
• Regular Team and Service meetings
• Training and CPD opportunities
• Regular service development projects
• Excellent links to regional Hubs for AAC provision
• Electronic patient records and mobile working
• 27-33 days holiday (depending on NHS service) plus bank holidays (pro rata)
• One of the UK's best pension schemes
• Special Leave for personal reasons
• NHS Car Lease Scheme
• Eye Care Vouchers
• Employee Assistance Programme
• NHS Discounts
• Hertfordshire has good transport links to London and the surrounding areas

Job description

The SLT service offers the following:* Regular whole service and local team meetings* Structured in-service training and support for external courses* Multidisciplinary team working* Regular clinical supervision and annual appraisal* Access to clinical leads for advice/support ENT/Head and Neck Cancer, Fluency, Dysphagia, Progressive Neurological disorders, Stroke, Dementia.

We value our staff and see clinical supervision as a priority both through senior supervision and peer support models. Annual appraisal and personal objective setting are Trust priorities.

A full valid driving licence and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust encourages and supports all staff to be vaccinated as this remains the best line of defence against COVID-19.

We are committed to supporting flexible working options for staff, wherever possible, and welcome discussions on flexible working patterns to support our staff to maintain a healthy work life balance.

The use of AI is monitored and if you have used it then you are required to declare this, as well as what type of AI tools you have used and for what purpose. We reserve the right to further test your individual knowledge and skills in relation to the requirements for the post through robust and thorough interview and assessment.

About us

A big thank you for considering joining us at Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust. You'll find it a great place to work with many benefits offered to you as a member of our staff. We put our patients, their families and carers at the centre of our vision - Outstanding care for healthier communities.

Our staff are proud to be Caring, Pioneering and Inclusive in their work to help achieve the Trust vision. We welcome diversity in our workforce and are interested in applicants from all backgrounds and ages

We don't want you to miss out so we'd like you to know that if we have a high level of interest in this role, the vacancy may close prior to the advertised closing date, so please make your application as soon as possible - Apply now

You've made a great decision to apply to join to HCT - we're looking forward to taking the next steps of the journey with you.