Advanced Speech and Language Therapist: Neonates and Lactation


Company:	University College London Hospital
Salary:	£66,274 - £73,496 Per annum inclusive of HCAS
Hours:	Part-time
Location:	London, NW1 2BU
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	29 Sept 2026
Closing date:	29 Oct 2026

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Summary

A Vacancy at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Band 8a Advanced Speech and Language Therapist (SLT): neonates and lactation.

16 hours per week (0.43wte)

This post presents an exciting opportunity to continue the legacy of a part time dual role of Speech and Language Therapist and Lactation Consultant; delivering a highly specialised and bespoke service to the Level 3 Neonatal Unit, the Acute Paediatric wards and complex outpatient clinics at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

You will provide predominantly in-patient SLT and maternal lactation support, to high risk neonates on NNU, though targeted and specialised direct intervention alongside influencing best practice through teaching and strategic innovation, influencing the feeding and neurodevelopmental outcomes. You will be embedded within an innovative and expert multi-professional team within neonatal and acute paediatric specialities.

The Paediatric and Neonatal SLT team at UCLH deliver a service across the Neonatal Unit, Acute Paediatrics and the Children and Young Peoples Cancer Service (CYPCS) and as a lead you will support the Consultant SLT in overall service delivery.

You will work closely with your counterparts, drive improvement initiatives and act as an expert resource for SLT, nursing, medical and AHP colleagues.

You will be engaged with service improvement and delivery across the regional Operational Delivery Network and with appropriate national initiatives both within the profession and across wider multi-professional networks

To deliver and shape an expert SLT service to the neonatal unit (ITU, HDU, SCBU and TC) and the acute paediatric services

To deliver and shape the lactation support of mothers/birthing persons of infants on NNU, including driving quality improvement initiatives locally, regionally and potentially nationally.

To support infant feeding nursing training and support as part of breastfeeding initiatives on NNU.

To contribute to the delivery and enhancement of out-patient service to infants with complex feeding disorders

To apply expert SLT knowledge and experience to drive service improvement and quality outcomes across the NNU and the acute paediatric service

To provide expert supervision to internal and external SLT recipients within this speciality.

To provide advanced level teaching/presentations to multi-professional, multi-levelled audiences.

To support the Consultant SLT in cross-service initiatives providing excellence in care.

To use the UCLH Trust values to drive innovation and good practice in care across the paediatrics and neonatal SLT service.

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population. We provide academically led acute and specialist services, to people from the local area, from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education, and world-class research.

We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:

• University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)

• National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery

• Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals

• University College Hospital Grafton Way Building

• Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine

• University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre

• The Hospital for Tropical Diseases

• University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street

We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in women’s health and the treatment of cancer, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease. It has world class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and pathology.

We are committed to sustainability and have pledged to become a carbon net zero health service, embedding sustainable practice throughout UCLH. We have set an ambitious target of net zero for our direct emissions by 2031 and indirect emissions by 2040.

For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.

The renowned Paediatric and Neonatal SLT team at UCLH delivers high quality clinical care to high-risk neonates, acute paediatrics and children and teenagers with cancer.

The post particularly focuses on a combined SLT/Lactation service to the Neonatal Unit with additional support to the acute paediatrics service.

UCLH NNU is a recognised centre of excellence caring for acutely ill and preterm babies, working with Great Ormond Street Hospital to deliver and stabilise babies with cardiac, surgical and complex diagnoses.

The Neonatal Unit currently includes 22 NICU/ HDU cots and 12 SCBU cots. There are 12 cots on the transitional care ward.

We work closely with our parents as partners in their baby’s care and are the UK NIDCAP centre.

The Acute Paediatric Ward comprises of 15 acute inpatient beds with 4 designated High Dependency Beds and provides a service for children with a wide range of acute paediatric illnesses (including infants requiring CPAP and High Flow Oxygen therapy). It has strong links with the Paediatric Emergency Department and the adjacent Paediatric and Adolescent day care ward.

The ward works closely with NNU preparing chronically ill infants, including infants requiring oxygen and airway support, for discharge home.

At UCLH, great emphasis is placed on quality patient care and teamwork. We are committed to staff development and prioritise wellbeing. You will be working within an inclusive team environment and have access to supervision and training.

The opportunities to learn and develop are both exciting and extensive.

Come and be a part of the best NHS trust in England to work for, according to our staff*

*UCLH top trust to work at in England- In the most recentNHS staff surveyUCLH had the highest percentage of staff who said they would recommend us as a place to work, out of all general acute or acute/community NHS trusts in England – for the third year in a row.

UCLH recognises the benefits of flexible working for staff – To find out more, visit:Flexible working.

To discover more about what makes UCLH a great place to work, visit:Why Choose UCLH?

This advert closes on Sunday 18 Oct 2026

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