Clinical Lead Children and Young People\'s SLT - Merton in City of London

This role sits at the heart of transforming Speech and Language Therapy for children and young people where you will lead and manage the Children's Health Speech and Language Therapy Team clinically, operationally and professionally. As the clinical lead, you'll inspire, guide, and elevate a dynamic team of therapists, shaping a service that delivers exceptional impact for families and communities. You'll be the go‑to clinical expert -- Providing clinical support and guidance and ensuring staff meet national and local standards in line with service development plans. Working closely with service managers across Merton's Integrated Complex Needs and 0-19 services, you will be the clinical lead for all local, universal and complex needs services within Merton. Your leadership will help create a service that is responsive, ambitious, and life‑changing for the children who rely on it.

Main duties of the job

• Operational and clinical management of the Merton children's health Speech and Language Therapy services in Merton
• Managing a highly complex clinical community caseload
• Education and development including collaboration with the Allied Health Professional Leads and Lead Clinicians across CLCH around service improvement initiatives

About us

We are proud to be one of the largest community healthcare providers in the country, with more than 4,500 colleagues caring for over four million people across London and Hertfordshire. Every day, our teams bring their skill, compassion, and determination to the people who depend on us. What inspires us is at the heart of who we are: when we work together, we can help people move forward in ways that truly matter. Our teams support children as they take their first steps in life, and they stand beside adults as they rebuild strength, confidence, and independence. From newborn health visiting to community nursing, stroke rehabilitation, and palliative care, we are there for people through some of life's most important moments.

Joining Central London Community Healthcare means becoming part of a community that lifts each other up. It means working in an organisation that values compassion, welcomes new ideas, and believes in the potential of every colleague. Your development matters here. Your wellbeing matters. Your voice helps shape the future of the care we provide.

We offer a competitive employment package because the work you do matters. At Central London Community Healthcare, you will join an inclusive organisation that invests in its people, supports development, and helps you thrive while delivering high‑quality care.

Job responsibilities

Successful applicants will be required to demonstrate alignment with the Trusts values - Accountability, Inclusion, Compassion, and Empowerment, alongside fulfilling the duties detailed in the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Speech and Language Therapy
• Current HCPC registration
• Member of RCSLT
• Evidence of post graduate specialist training in Paediatric speech and language therapy
• Evidence of ongoing post graduate training including SLT specific, condition specific, Clinical supervision and Child protection
• Evidence of training and experience in recruitment and selection, appraisal, service development
• Attendance to leadership training
• Demonstrate evidence of research at degree or Masters level

Experience

• Evidence of Extensive experience and knowledge working at a highly specialist level with service users presenting with a range of complex speech, language, and communication needs
• Evidence of experience of outcome measures and implementing these to evidence positive change in service users
• Experience and training in management and leadership of teams
• Substantial experience in Paediatric speech and language therapy at Band 7 level
• Knowledge and experience in the use of relevant assessment and treatment approaches and practices, including the use of standardised assessments.
• Evidence of effective multidisciplinary and multi‑agency work
• Evidence of leading service developments and change management - including audit, protocols, and pathways for service delivery
• Evidence of Presenting service data, action plans and initiative to internal and external stakeholders
• Evidence of management and supervision of staff/assistants and students
• Knowledge and experience of outcome measures and implanting these to evidence positive changes locally.
• Highly Advanced communication and report writing skills.
• Experience of provision of training internally and externally
• Experience in supervision, appraisal, performance management and fieldwork education
• Clear understanding of the changing NHS environment
• Experience of delivering and receiving supervision and safeguarding supervision
• Experience of effectively leading and managing change and reporting on outcomes of change
• Recruitment and selection training and experience
• Evidence of people management related to performance
• Experience assessing for and attending SEND tribunal cases.
• Evidence of Project management

Skills

• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Evidence of training and experience in SEND processes and Health responsibilities related to this for children and young people.
• Presentation skills appropriate for stakeholders internal and external, staff, students and multi‑disciplinary team members and service users including parents and carers
• Knowledge and experience of using clinical record keeping systems e.g. RIO/ Emis/ Systm1

Key Attributes

• Evidence of own self development through PDR, CPD and portfolio
• Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)

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.

£61,631 to £68,623 a year per annum, inclusive of HCAS (pro rata)