Principal Speech and Language Therapist

We are seeking to recruit a passionate, knowledgeable and dynamic Principal Speech and Language Therapist to provide professional and clinical leadership for Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT) across CAMHS services. This senior leadership role within Sussex CAMHS offers the opportunity to provide strategic direction, clinical expertise and professional governance for SaLT practice across the CAMHS pathway, including crisis and acute care services. The post also includes a clinical role within East Sussex CAMHS Learning Disability Family Intensive Support Service (LD FISS). 

As the CAMHS Principal SaLT, you will provide professional leadership, supervision and workforce development for SaLT staff, ensuring high-quality, evidence-based interventions are delivered consistently and safely across services. You will play a key role in service development, influencing multidisciplinary practice and embedding SaLT within assessment, care planning, risk management and crisis intervention for children and young people with complex mental health needs. 

The role includes working clinically within CAMHS LD FISS, an innovative, award-winning multidisciplinary community team supporting families whose children have moderate to severe learning disabilities and significant psychological, behavioural and communication needs. The team provides specialist assessment, intervention and intensive support to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families. 

The post holder will provide professional and clinical leadership for a small number of SaLTs across CAMHS Sussex, with responsibility of scoping unmet need and developing SaLT in CAMHS. This includes professional management, leadership and supervision of the SaLT workforce, and ensuring services are high‑quality, effective and compliant with professional, national and local standards. 

The post holder will play a key role in professional governance, contributing to the development, implementation and monitoring of the governance agenda, and ensuring a strong SaLT contribution to quality clinical care, service performance and continuous improvement across CAMHS. 

In addition to leadership responsibilities, the role incorporates a clinical component, involving complex assessment and intervention with children and young people, consultation and support to families and carers, and specialist advice and consultation to multidisciplinary and multi‑agency teams. This clinical contribution ensures the Principal SaLT maintains direct involvement in service delivery, supports best practice, and informs strategic and professional leadership across CAMHS

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation trust provide mental health and learning disability care for children, young people and adults across Sussex.  

This is an excellent time for Speech and Language Therapists to be joining Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust as the CAMHS services are going through an exciting transformation underpinned by the THRIVE model and there is a robust AHP workforce and AHP plan embedded across the Trust. The following can be offered to you:  

• Regular professional supervision  

• The opportunity to participate in a range of quality improvement work and service innovations.  

For more information around being an AHP within Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation trust please visit Allied Health Professions :: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 

See the attached ‘Partnership Perks’ document for details about our benefits package.