County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
Locality Lead Speech and Language Therapist - Locality/voice
The closing date is 26 March 2026
We are looking for an experienced therapist to join our friendly Children's SLT leadership team in County Durham. This is an exciting new role that offers the variety of being a Locality Lead with the opportunity to lead on our pathway for children with voice disorders. Support and training will be available for the successful candidate, depending on experience. As a locality lead you will hold a varied caseload, offer day to day support, supervision and line management to a locality team. Alongside, you will have time to manage a small caseload of children with disorders of voice and to develop the pathway for the service.
In April 2025, Children's Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy came together to create a wider children's therapies team within CDDFT. This is an exciting time to join our team as we move towards an integrated therapies service for children within County Durham.
Main duties of the job
* Partnership working with both professionals and families.
* The opportunity to work with children with a range of different speech, language and communication needs.
* Opportunity to develop skills working with children with voice disorders and to support pathway development work within the service
* Work within a designated locality, being part of a close-knit team.
* Development of leadership and line management skills
* Joining an established leadership team within the service and also within the wider childrens therapies.
* Work within a range of community settings including clinics, homes and education settings.
* Provide supervision and support to assistant practitioners, generalist therapists and students
About us
If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager.
You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks.
We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.
We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.
Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents.
Over reliance onAI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.
For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.
From April 9th 2025 - Healthcare assistants - You must have been employed for a minimum of two years as a HCA Band 3 within the NHS for the Trust to consider sponsorship (we will only consider sponsorship if you meet this criteria and have a current visa expiring within 3 months).
Job responsibilities
* Independently manage and negotiate the management of complex cases with others e.g. onward referral to highly specialist clinicians or other specialist support agencies e.g. consultants, Educational Psychologists.
* Day to day leadership within the childrens SALT service
* Continually evaluate the effectiveness of care protocols and packages of care, audit and implement changes as appropriate in conjunction with lead clinician/line manager
* Evaluate the effects of the communication difficulty on the psychological health of the client.
* Contribute to the planning, implementation and evaluation of teaching and training in the specialist area to parents, carers, volunteers and professionals involved in the care of the client group with support from the lead clinician.
* Undertaking all aspects of clinical duties as an autonomous practitioner.
* Liaising with parents/carers, multi-disciplinary/multi-agency teams, in the assessment, reporting and treatment programming, ensuring a holistic approach.
* Contributing to and actively participating in In-Service training, supervision, C.P.D. and appraisal.
* Maintaining clinical and statistical records, including high quality written reports for a variety of required purposes.
* Work with the operational lead to develop and coordinate service provision and policy development for children with speech, language and communication difficulties
* Provide supervision to assistant Speech and Language Therapy staff, generalist therapists and students
Person Specification
Special Requirements
* Driving posts must have valid Full UK driving licence
Special Skills & Knowledge
* Well developed leadership skills Planning, organisation and evaluation skills
* Flexibility in approach
* Ability to work under pressure
* Knowledge of NHS, National and Education policies
* Able to motivate others
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
* Knowledge of clinical guidelines relating to voice disorders
Statutory Registration
* HCPC registered
* Member of RCSLT
Experience
* Significant Experience of working as a SLT, which must include working with children with a wide range of speech, language and communication difficulties
* Working in partnership with children and parents
* Supporting less experienced staff
* Experience of working in a range of environments, including schools
* Experience of working with children with voice disorders
* Experience of planning across a clinical or non clinical area of service
* Experience of planning and delivering teaching and training
Qualifications
* Degree or equivalent qualification in Speech and Language Therapy
* Certificate to practise as a Speech and Language Therapist
* Evidence of post graduate experience within the clinical area relevant to the post
* Counselling qualification
* Evidence of leadership training
* Training in clinical supervision
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
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