Adult Speech and Language Team Leader
| Company: | NHS Jobs |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £49,387 - £56,515 |
| Hours: | Full-time |
| Location: | Plymouth, PL4 7PY |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Posting date: | 3 Aug 2026 |
| Closing date: | 17 Aug 2026 |
Summary
Job Purpose The post holder will provide clinical and managerial leadership to the community Adult Speech & Language Therapy and Inpatient Dietetics Team and be responsible for day-to-day operational service planning and delivery of these services. They will work with the Directorate Manager to progress and develop strategic objectives and to further improve and monitor the success and effectiveness of the teams. The post holder will ensure a robust approach to service development and improvement in line with Livewells vision and values. Make recommendations to the Directorate Managers, for changes to practice by the team. This may lead the implementation of specific changes to practice or contribute to service protocols. The Post Holder will also undertake a specialist clinical role, with a limited caseload, involving the advanced assessment and treatment of patients within the specialty who may have complex and/or chronic presentation. Scope & Range To be responsible for the leadership and delivery of quality therapy services within the Adult Speech and Language Therapy team, as well as adult in-patient Dietitians. This will encompass the Livewell SLTs and Dietitians working in the following areas: Plym Neuro Rehab Unit, Community Neuro Rehab Team, Community Team, and the Adult Mental Health wards, but not Learning Disability teams. The post holder will take the lead in the triage and management of referrals to the service utilising the service criteria. They will work closely with other operational leads, strategic leads, professional leads and practice leads to support the delivery and development of the service. The post holder will undertake regular caseload management with staff to ensure workload is effectively monitored. They will be responsible for reviewing, monitoring, and reporting on waiting lists (if applicable to service) in line with LSW standards and national guidance. The post holder will be highly skilled and knowledgeable in their area of work and will require the use of advanced clinical reasoning, analysis, assessment and re-assessment skills; using a patient-centred goal setting approach, to develop and provide individual treatment programmes. This may be for their own patient caseload but also to support the senior therapists within their team via case discussion and joint working Responsibility for People Management: Ensure all staff are receiving Practice Supervision, line management and have an up-to-date appraisal. Ensure, as team leader, that designated staff implement policy and service development changes. Be an active member/lead of the in-service training programme by coordinating, attending and delivering presentations and training sessions at staff meetings, CPD sessions etc. Participate in the staff appraisal scheme and Personal Development Plan (PDP) as both appraiser and appraisee. Promote and develop a learning environment within area of practice, using a collaborative approach. Teach, train, supervise and performance manage more junior staff, assistants, and students, as required. Liaise with the university and local training institutions to support undergraduate and post graduate training in SLT, dietetics and other professions (e.g. nursing/ AHP roles). Responsibility for financial and/or physical resources: Be responsible for managing the community service budget and work with the Directorate manager to optimise the use of resources, support cost improvement plans and organisational priorities. Authorised signatory for staff payroll extra duty and staff expenses payments over and above their normal activities. Monitor and be second level approver for e-roster rotas as per Policy. Responsibility for administration, clinical, & professional duties: Be professional and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work including the management of patients in your care. To ensure a high standard of clinical care for the patients under your management, and support more junior staff to do likewise. Interpret and analyse clinical and non-clinical facts to form accurate clinical diagnosis and prognoses in a wide range of highly complex conditions e.g. Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease and Palliative Care, to recommend the best course of intervention, and to develop comprehensive management plans. Undertake the comprehensive assessment of patients, including those with a complex presentation, using investigative and analytical skills, and to formulate individualised management and treatment plans. Understand and contribute to specialized objective assessments such as Video fluoroscopy or FEES (Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing). Maintain accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date documentation, in line with Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists (RCSLT) Standards of Practice and local/organisational policy. Communicate assessment and treatment results to the appropriate disciplines in the form of reports and letters. Maintain skills to assess capacity, gain valid informed consent, which must be documented and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment. Comply with local confidentiality policies, and safeguarding procedures e.g. child protection and vulnerable adult procedures. Provide specialist advice, teaching and training to patients, carers, and other members of the MDT regarding relevant conditions, support strategies and management of patients. Maintain own clinical professional development (CPD) by keeping abreast of any new trends and developments, National Service Frameworks, RCSLT, BDA and NICE guidelines. Demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management and apply to work situation. To be responsible for workforce planning and delivery, manage the recruitment process, conduct interviews, and be responsible for sickness absence, disciplinary and grievance issues with support from the Matron/Directorate Manager. Report on performance targets at monthly performance meetings. Forecast, plan and develop future trends in workforce development and develop workforce plans. To be a team lead for the risk register and escalation of risk across the team. Responsibility for people who use our services: Provide specialist and highly specialist advice to therapy colleagues including those working within other clinical areas. Work jointly with other health and social care colleagues and services (for example medical, nursing, Social Services, private sector and therapy colleagues) to ensure patients identified rehabilitation and care needs are met through delivery of a coordinated multi-disciplinary service. Use an extensive range of highly developed verbal and non-verbal communication tools to communicate effectively with patients/carers; this will include patients who may have complex difficulties in understanding or communicating, e.g.: patients may be aphasic, depressed, deaf, blind or who may be unable to accept diagnosis, or have realistic expectations of therapy intervention. Work collaboratively with other service leads to develop staff and services to maintain equity across localities. Share information, learning and training with other members of the MDT, including the AHP Lead, to meet the needs of the organisation and professions. To initiate, organise and attend a variety of multi-disciplinary/multi-agency case conferences, liaison meetings and reviews as necessary and appropriate. To assess capacity, gain valid informed consent which must be documented and work within a legal framework with individuals who lack capacity to consent to treatment. To follow all recognised policies and procedures in relation to child protection and vulnerable adult cases. Ensure risks to patients/service users, carers and staff are identified, reported and appropriately managed to support patient centred care and health and safety issues. As part of your role there may be a requirement / opportunity to undertake Treatment Escalation Plan (TEP) discussion, To achieve this you will be required to be competent In advanced communication, care planning and attended appropriate training to support competence