Company Description
Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust is proud to provide expert, compassionate care for our local population. Ranked third in the country for research, we embed education and training across the organisation. Our main hub is Queen Alexandra Hospital, one of the largest hospitals on the south coast, employing over 8,700 staff.
Job Description
Band 7: £49,387 - £56,515
Hours: Full time, 37.5 hours
Contract: Permanent
About The Role
This is a unique and rewarding position where you will:
- Provide highly specialist assessment and management of feeding, eating, drinking, and swallowing (dysphagia) in neonates, infants, and children
- Work as a core member of the Neonatal MDT, embedding SLT within neonatal care pathways
- Support advanced diagnostics including paediatric video fluoroscopy (VFSS) and deliver expert clinical recommendations
- Deliver family‑centred care, supporting parents through complex and sometimes emotional journeys
- Contribute to service development, innovation, and transformation within a growing neonatal and paediatric service
Why Join Us?
- A progressive, forward‑thinking therapy service with strong leadership
- Opportunities to lead, innovate, and influence neonatal SLT practice
- A supportive environment with CPD, supervision, and leadership development
- The chance to be involved in audit, research, and service improvement
- Working within a Trust that values compassion, teamwork, and continuous improvement
Make a Difference Where It Matters Most
You’ll support vulnerable patients, premature babies and children with complex needs, while empowering families and shaping lifelong outcomes. We would love to hear from you. Informal enquiries and visits are warmly encouraged. Please contact the Therapy Pathway Lead at kerry.herriott2@nhs.net.
About You
- Specialist expertise in neonatal and paediatric dysphagia
- Proven experience working with complex feeding and communication needs
- Strong skills in clinical leadership, supervision, and MDT collaboration
- A passion for evidence‑based practice and high‑quality patient care
- The ability to manage sensitive conversations and emotionally demanding situations with compassion and professionalism
Qualifications
Essential:
- HCPC‑registered SLT with RCSLT membership
- Strong clinical experience in neonatal and/or paediatric feeding and swallowing
- Evidence‑based specialist skills in infant and child feeding, including premature and medically complex babies
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and clinical reasoning skills
- Ability to work autonomously within demanding and emotionally sensitive environments
- Commitment to MDT working and inclusive, family‑centred practice
- Experience supporting junior staff/students and leading training
Desirable:
- Advanced competencies in neonatal and paediatric feeding (RCSLT EDS frameworks)
- Experience participating in or leading VFSS (training can be supported)
- FICare, FINE, NBO, IBCLC or recognised infant feeding training
- Experience in neonatal or acute paediatric inpatient settings
- Involvement in service development, audit, or research
Additional Information
The health and wellbeing of our staff is at the forefront of everything we do. We are proud to offer on‑site nursery, free beach hut access, on‑site wellness centre including gym and swimming pool, and staff networks including LGBTQ, Race Equality and Disability. We celebrate achievements with awards ceremonies.
We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs.
For more information, please see our People and OD Strategy 2026.
