Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Band 7 Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

The closing date is 24 October 2025

Job summary

Barnet Hospital, part of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, is seeking a highly specialist Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist to join our dedicated Stroke + Neurology Team. The post is a 12 month fixed-term / secondment opportunity to cover a maternity vacancy within the team.

You will join a friendly, well-established integrated therapy service, working alongside experienced colleagues. The post will be based on the 24 bed Acute Stroke Unit, where you will be working alongside a cohesive, supportive and forward-thinking multidisciplinary team. You will play a crucial role in supporting patients with complex communication and swallowing disorders, contributing to their care and improving their quality of life. Person-centred care and an approach which promotes self-management are at the centre of our philosophy.

Main duties of the job

Conduct specialist assessments and evidence-based interventions for patients with stroke-related communication and swallowing difficultiesWork collaboratively within the multidisciplinary stroke team to deliver integrated care, ensuring effective communication and continuity across services.Provide clinical leadership as part of a team of dedicated and experienced senior SLTs working within specialty groups that include Health Services for Elderly People, General Medicine, Head and Neck Cancer, Voice / ENT and Critical Care / Respiratory.Participate in videofluroscopy and FEES services to provide comprehensive dysphagia assessment and rehabilitationProvide expert advice, training, and support to patients, their families, and healthcare professionals regarding the management of speech, language, and swallowing disorders.Participate in clinical supervision, continuing professional development, and research activities to maintain and enhance clinical skills and service quality.Ensure compliance with clinical governance frameworks, health and safety regulations, and safeguarding policies.

The role plays a key part in supporting the service to maintain its SSNAP standards, working closely with other therapy specialties and stakeholders. The team has strong links across the North Central London stroke network including with local ESD, community and rehab services.

About us

The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's biggest and most innovative trusts. Across three main hospitals, our dedicated army of staff care for over 1.6million patients, treat more than 200,000 in A&E, deliver over 8,000 babies and carry out more than 17million tests.Our size, scale and influence offer you unrivalled career opportunities and a forward-thinking approach to working that works around your lifestyle. From flexible hours and generous benefits, to next level training, we make it easier to take your career to the topFor more information please follow link https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk

Details

Date posted

10 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£53,751 to £60,651 a year per annum inclusive of HCAS

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

391-RFL- 7483941

Job locations

Barnet Hospital

Barnet

EN5 3DJ


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description for more information about this role and working at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description for more information about this role and working at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

Person Specification

Education & professional Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree/ graduate diploma or equivalent in Speech and Language Therapy
  • Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration as a speech and language therapist
  • Certificated graduate courses or equivalent in-house training in clinical specialty areas
  • Membership of special interest group

Desirable

  • Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

Royal Free World Class Values

Essential

  • Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values

Experience

Essential

  • Good understanding of relevant clinical guidelines
  • Broad range of clinical experience at a Band 6 level or above including neurosciences/elderly care, complex swallow and communication
  • Experience with videofluoroscopy interpretation and clinical reporting
  • Experience of working in an acute, hospital-based setting, including working within an MDT
  • Presentations to a range of groups
  • Teaching/training of staff or students
  • Supervision of more junior staff, assistants and/students
  • Active participation in an audit or quality improvement project work
  • Computer literate, to include working knowledge of Microsoft Office
  • Evidence of CPD

Desirable

  • Tracheostomy management
  • Experience working with FEES
  • Line management of other AHPs

Skills and aptitudes

Essential

  • Able to work autonomously and use initiative
  • Evidence of specialist clinical skills
  • Effective clinical reasoning skills
  • Ability to reflect on and appraise own practice
  • Effective verbal communication skills with a range of patients and healthcare professionals regarding complex and sensitive issues.
  • Effective written communication skills
  • Good presentation skills
  • Able to manage clinical caseload and prioritise effectively
  • Ability to work effectively within different teams both multi and unidisciplinary
  • Ability to manage own time & meet deadlines
  • Ability to be proactive in-service development
  • Ability to critically evaluate current research & apply to own practice
  • Ability to recognise unacceptable behaviour and act on this appropriately

Others

Essential

  • Physically fit and able to comply with trust manual handling guidelines

Personal Qualities & attributes

Essential

  • Strong interpersonal skills, including assertiveness
  • Ability to negotiate
  • Positive attitude to change; able to facilitate change within teams
  • Self-motivated and able to motivate others
Person Specification

Education & professional Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree/ graduate diploma or equivalent in Speech and Language Therapy
  • Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration as a speech and language therapist
  • Certificated graduate courses or equivalent in-house training in clinical specialty areas
  • Membership of special interest group

Desirable

  • Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

Royal Free World Class Values

Essential

  • Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values

Experience

Essential

  • Good understanding of relevant clinical guidelines
  • Broad range of clinical experience at a Band 6 level or above including neurosciences/elderly care, complex swallow and communication
  • Experience with videofluoroscopy interpretation and clinical reporting
  • Experience of working in an acute, hospital-based setting, including working within an MDT
  • Presentations to a range of groups
  • Teaching/training of staff or students
  • Supervision of more junior staff, assistants and/students
  • Active participation in an audit or quality improvement project work
  • Computer literate, to include working knowledge of Microsoft Office
  • Evidence of CPD

Desirable

  • Tracheostomy management
  • Experience working with FEES
  • Line management of other AHPs

Skills and aptitudes

Essential

  • Able to work autonomously and use initiative
  • Evidence of specialist clinical skills
  • Effective clinical reasoning skills
  • Ability to reflect on and appraise own practice
  • Effective verbal communication skills with a range of patients and healthcare professionals regarding complex and sensitive issues.
  • Effective written communication skills
  • Good presentation skills
  • Able to manage clinical caseload and prioritise effectively
  • Ability to work effectively within different teams both multi and unidisciplinary
  • Ability to manage own time & meet deadlines
  • Ability to be proactive in-service development
  • Ability to critically evaluate current research & apply to own practice
  • Ability to recognise unacceptable behaviour and act on this appropriately

Others

Essential

  • Physically fit and able to comply with trust manual handling guidelines

Personal Qualities & attributes

Essential

  • Strong interpersonal skills, including assertiveness
  • Ability to negotiate
  • Positive attitude to change; able to facilitate change within teams
  • Self-motivated and able to motivate others

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Barnet Hospital

Barnet

EN5 3DJ


Employer's website

https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Barnet Hospital

Barnet

EN5 3DJ


Employer's website

https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Highly Specialist B7 Speech and Language Therapist

Ros Pawar

rosalind.pawar@nhs.net

02082165794

Details

Date posted

10 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£53,751 to £60,651 a year per annum inclusive of HCAS

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

391-RFL- 7483941

Job locations

Barnet Hospital

Barnet

EN5 3DJ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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