Band 7 Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist for SSD/Cleft

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust’s Children and Young People’s Therapies (CYPT) Service is excited to be offering a Band 7 opportunity to support CYP with Speech Sound Disorders (SSD) and Cleft lip and palate within the Speech and Language Therapy Team. We are looking to recruit to an experienced SLT with specialist knowledge and skills in these clinical areas who will join the DLD/SSD team. You will be involved in service development and will have opportunities to extend your clinical and leadership skills.

This permanent post is 0.6 WTE and will be based in our West Hertfordshire locality (St Albans and Hemel Hempstead). As well as leading on speech sound disorders in the West locality, you will provide Hertfordshire wide support for CYP with cleft lip and palate and hold your own specialist caseload.

This will include participating in joint cleft liaison clinics with Addenbrooks at Nevells Road in Letchworth, as part of the East of England cleft network, and collaborating with specialist cleft teams locally and at tertiary level. You will also lead on the clinical development of our band 6 cleft links and support the wider team across the trust including providing second opinions when required.

The postholder will be expected to work autonomously, and as part of a wider multi-disciplinary team (MDT), undertaking specialist assessment and intervention of CYP with speech sound disorders, cleft and co-occurring language needs.

• Proposed Interview date : 3rd November 2026*

As a Band 7 Highly Specialist SLT You Will

• Lead the development of evidence-based, child-centred clinical pathways and interventions for CYP with Speech Sound Disorders (SSD) and cleft lip and palate.
• Act as a key contact for specialist cleft networks, supporting multidisciplinary working and service improvement.
• Provide highly specialist assessment, differential diagnosis, intervention and clinical leadership for CYP with SSD and cleft lip and palate, working autonomously and within own professional competence.
• Develop the skills and expertise of community therapists and the wider children’s workforce through training, joint working, professional support and second opinions.
• Provide professional supervision, allocate work appropriately and collaborate with CYP, families and professionals to agree management decisions, achieve functional goals and contribute to multi-agency meetings.

We Offer

• Regular professional and managerial supervision, peer support and a structured appraisal system.
• A supportive team of highly specialist SLTs committed to high-quality care.
• Internal and external CPD opportunities including tutorials, peer review and CENs.
• A 2 week induction with opportunities to observe and shadow colleagues.
• Regular opportunities to work with clinical and operational leads on service planning and development.

We’re delighted that you're exploring a career with HCT. As an organisation, we’re committed to creating an inclusive, supportive, and rewarding work environment — one where you’ll feel valued and empowered to make a real difference.

Our staff are proud to be Innovative, Caring and Agile in their work to help achieve the Trust vision

At HCT, we put patients, their families, and carers at the heart of everything we do. Our vision is simple yet powerful: Outstanding Services and Healthier Communities.

Working with us comes with a host of benefits designed to support your wellbeing and work-life balance:

• Generous annual leave (27 days rising to 33 with long service)
• Flexible working arrangements, including up to 5 days of carers leave (pro rata)
• Employee Assistance Programme offering 24/7 confidential support
• Cycle to Work and Car Lease Schemes
• Blue Light Card and NHS Discounts
• Health and wellbeing support, including free flu jabs, Physiotherapy referrals, etc.
• Occupational Pension Scheme
• Enhanced sick pay above statutory entitlements

We celebrate diversity and actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds, ages, and communities to apply.

We’re excited about the possibility of welcoming you to our team and taking the next step in your journey with us.

If there’s high interest in this role, we may close applications earlier than the advertised deadline — so please apply as soon as possible!

For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Julie Morris Job title: Clinical Quality Lead SLT Email address: julie.morris3@nhs.net Telephone number: 07881941840

Katie Tucker

Operational Manager - CYP Therapies

katie.tucker1@nhs.net