Employer Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Doncaster Royal Infirmary Town Doncaster Salary £47,810 - £54,710 Pro Rata Per Annum Salary period Yearly Closing 21/11/2025 23:59
Speech and Language Therapy Team Lead – Early Years Complex Needs
Band 7
Job overview
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Speech and Language Therapist to join one of our innovative and enthusiastic paediatric teams serving the Doncaster and Bassetlaw communities.
The Doncaster and Bassetlaw Children’s Speech and Language Therapy service is currently looking to recruit an enthusiastic Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist who is passionate about working with pre-school aged children with complex needs, working across patients homes, clinic, nursery and school settings.
The successful candidate will also be involved in supporting the Doncaster under 5s Autistic Spectrum Disorder assessment pathway.
A Band 6 Speech and Language Therapist with experience who wants to develop into a Band 7 Specialist role would be considered and very much encouraged to apply for this position.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be required to:
* To provide highly specialist support for pre-school aged children with communication difficulties, and their families
* To contribute to the delivery, development and organisation of the Early Years Complex Needs team
* To contribute to assessment and advice for pre-school aged children on the Autistic Spectrum Disorder assessment pathway
Working for our organisation
DBTH is one of Yorkshire’s Leading acute trusts, serving a population of more than 440,000. Our services are based over three main hospital sites and several additional services employing over 7,000 colleagues.
At DBTH we have a comprehensive framework of behaviours that guide us in our daily working lives, these form the DBTH Way. We pride ourselves on our commitment to the values of We Care and now the DBTH Way builds upon these foundations, providing further clarity on what it means to embody these values in our everyday interactions.
As an organisation that supports flexible working, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applicants from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including those with disabilities, members of our ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ communities.
We offer a range of benefits to support our people including:
* Extensive range of learning opportunities
* NHS Pension Scheme
* Generous holiday entitlement in line with Terms & Conditions
* Comprehensive health and wellbeing support
* NHS Car Lease schemes and a range of salary sacrifice scheme
* Discounts on restaurants, getaways, shopping and finance through external providers.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see attached to the advert a job description and person specification for further details. Please ensure you read this document carefully.
Please note, if your application is successful you will be required to present original certificates of qualifications that are listed in the person specification under essential.
Certificate of sponsorship
Applications from individuals who require a Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applicants. For further information and to check your eligibility for this post please following the link UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK. Please note that from April 9th 2025, band 2 & 3 entry roles are no longer eligible for sponsorship.
Person specification
Qualifications & Training
* Professional specific degree i.e. BSC speech sciences or Masters in medical sciences
* Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
* Member of the Health and Care Professions Council
* Recognised informal/formal training in specialist area
* Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses up to Master’s degree equivalent
* Evidence of completion of dysphagia competencies
* Member of Clinical Excellence network, regionally or nationally
* Member of specialist interest group/network, regionally or nationally
* Prepared to undertake or hold an accredited leadership qualification
Knowledge and Experience
* Significant relevant experience post qualification, including demonstrable evidence working as a Speech & Language Therapist with children with complex communication difficulties
* Experienced in the assessment and treatment of children with speech, language, and communication needs who have an associated medical diagnosis
* Experience of research and/or project management/service development
* Experience of supporting children with Augmentative and Alternative Communication
* Experience of managing change
* Experienced in providing student placements
* Advanced understanding of relevant clinical practice, standards and protocols within identified clinical area
* Experience of developing others through education, mentorship, coaching, teaching, assessing, presentations
* Experience of clinical audit and service evaluation
* Experience of working with children with a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder
* Experience of working with children with eating and drinking difficulties
Personal Attributes & Skills
* Excellent communication skills and ability to interact with other non-health agencies
* Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy skills
* Highly developed negotiation and problem solving skills
* Ability to work in a team
* Good organisation and prioritisation skills
* Ability to lead, motivate and inspire others
* Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal
* Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance/audit
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Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) when writing job applications
If you choose to use AI or other tools to assist in writing your application, its essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting statement.
While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you’re applying for, nor can they accurately reflect your skills, knowledge, and experience. It is crucial that you personalise your supporting statement by articulating these in your unique voice.
Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting statement is not advocated by DBTH and could negatively impact your chances of success in the application process.
1. Usually lack relevance and fail to address the key criteria outlined in the job description and person specification. may come across as generic and fail to distinguish you from other applicants.
2. May be ambiguous or open to misinterpretation. Without careful review and editing, the supporting statement could convey messages that are unclear or misconstrued by hiring managers.
3. May include qualifications, skills, knowledge or experience that you do not possess, potentially leading to misrepresentation.
* Please note that all correspondence will be sent you to via email. If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. In submitting an application form, you authorise our Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the ESR IAT process should you be appointed.
* We reserve the right to close down this advert early should there be a high number of applicants.
* The Trust is committed to its obligations in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, and we positively encourage applications from all sections of the community.
* All employment with the Trust is subject to a number of NHS Employment Checks being met to a satisfactory standard including verification of identity, eligibility to work in the United Kingdom, references and qualifications in addition to professional registration, a disclosure and barring records check and occupational health check if these are deemed to be a requirement for the position to be undertaken. The Trust is now passing the charge for undertaking a DBS check on to candidates in the event that they have been successfully appointed into the post for which they have applied. Please note that this check will be charged for in two instalments when you commence employment with Doncaster & Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. By applying for this vacancy you are agreeing to this undertaking in the event you are successfully appointed.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.
Name Harriet Heffron Job title Childrens Speech and Language Therapy Manager Email address harriet.heffron1@nhs.net Telephone number 01302 642633
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