Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Speech and Language Therapy Pathway Lead - Outpatients and PND
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North Bristol NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust Merger
North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This creates an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.
We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.
Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Considering this, if you are interested in this role, please do apply as soon as you can.
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Job Overview
We are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Speech and Language Therapist to join our leadership team as Pathway Lead for Outpatients and Progressive Neurological Disease on a secondment basis. This is an exciting opportunity to lead and shape specialist outpatient services, provide expert clinical leadership for adults with progressive neurological conditions, and contribute to the strategic development of Speech and Language Therapy services across the Trust.
The successful candidate will provide professional, clinical and operational leadership within the outpatient pathway, manage a highly specialised clinical caseload, lead service improvement and quality initiatives, and support workforce development through supervision, coaching and education. They will also work closely with the Head of Speech and Language Therapy and fellow Pathway Leads to deliver safe, effective and evidence-based services.
We are looking for a highly specialist clinician with substantial experience working with adults with complex communication and swallowing difficulties in an outpatient pathway, strong leadership skills, and a passion for service development and innovation.
This role is based at Southmead Hospital with cross-site working across Bristol NHS Foundation Trust as required.
Main Duties of the Job
The Speech and Language Therapy Pathway Lead for Outpatients and Progressive Neurological Disorders provides professional, clinical, operational and performance leadership for Speech and Language Therapy services within the outpatient pathway. The post holder is also the named lead for SLT services to adults with a diagnosis of progressive neurological disease, ensuring the provision of best practice within inpatient and outpatient pathways in the Southmead Hospital Operating Unit.
Working closely with the Head of Speech and Language Therapy and other Pathway Leads, the post holder will provide expert clinical leadership, lead service development, quality improvement, audit and research activity, and maintain responsibility for a highly specialised clinical caseload. The role supports the delivery of safe, effective, evidence-based and cost-efficient services through collaborative working with multidisciplinary teams and key stakeholders both within and beyond the Trust.
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The post holder will contribute to the strategic development of adult Speech and Language Therapy services and deputise for the Head of Speech and Language Therapy as required.
Working for Our Organisation
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.
With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
Provide expert clinical leadership in outpatients and progressive neurological disease related to Speech and Language Therapy
- Lead planning and organisation of SLT services across the outpatient pathway.
- Coordinate outpatient provision, workforce competencies and service development activities related to this pathway.
Organise and prioritise a complex workload across clinical, leadership and service responsibilities
- Demonstrate highly specialist knowledge of communication and swallowing disorders associated with neurological, surgical and medical conditions
- Maintain up to date knowledge of progressive neurological disease and act as a clinical leader for the SLT service provision to this caseload.
- Hold responsibility for a highly specialised caseload including patients with severe and complex communication and swallowing difficulties.
Build and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders across the Trust, Integrated Care System and external organisations
Person Specification
Education And Qualifications
Essential criteria
- HCPC Registration/Licence to Practise
- Postgraduate Advanced Training in Dysphagia
- Masters level qualification or equivalent experience relevant to progressive neurological disorders and general medical caseload
Desirable criteria
- Recognised leadership qualification
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of national and local policy drivers relevant to the post
- Highly specialist knowledge of swallowing and communication difficulties related to neurological, surgical and medical conditions
- Ability to independently manage highly complex caseloads
- Skills in conflict resolution and complaint management
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Desirable criteria
- Proven ability to represent Speech and Language Therapy across patient pathways and clinical divisions
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of leadership, line management and clinical supervision of SLT staff
- Experience leading service development, protocol development or service improvement initiatives
We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.
As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.
BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.
If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.
Important
Please note that if you apply for a position with this Trust, you may be contacted via Trac or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your Trac account and email accounts. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.
Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date. Therefore, please apply for this post as soon as you can, if you are interested and you meet the requirements of the Person Specification
Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.
As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.
When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work-related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.
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