Assistant Practitioner in Speech and Language Therapy

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust; Telford; Hybrid; GBP 23,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust is seeking an Assistant Practitioner to join the Community Speech and Language Therapy Team. The role involves working with Speech and Language Therapists in community and outpatient settings to assess and treat adults with communication and swallowing disorders.

The post is based at Princess Royal Hospital, Telford, with cross-site work across the East of the county and potential telehealth sessions.

Qualifications

• Experience in community health settings.
• Experience working with Speech and Language Therapists.
• Ability to assess and implement treatment programmes.
• Willingness to work across multiple community settings.

Responsibilities

• Assess and implement treatment programmes for delegated patients in Community SLT.
• Hold responsibility for own caseload with supervision from senior staff.
• Provide high-standard service to communication impaired and swallow disordered patients in community/outpatient settings.
• Prioritise own work with access to supervision within the Community therapy team.
• Discharge patients when appropriate within agreed protocols.
• Assess and order appropriate specialised equipment for patients.

Skills

Community health

SLT collaboration

Caseload management

Job description

Job overview

We require a dynamic and innovative Assistant Practitioner to work within our friendly Community Speech and Language Therapy Team. You will have experience of working within community health settings and with Speech and Language therapists working in the field of acquired communication and swallowing disorder in adults.

This Assistant Practitioner post is based at the Princess Royal Hospital site in Telford within the Therapies Department but will work across the East of the county in a variety of settings to include community hospital wards, care homes and patient's own homes. There may also be the opportunity to hold clinics in person or via telehealth.

The successful applicant will work in support of and alongside our team of friendly an experienced Speech and language Therapists.

Main duties of the job

To assess and implement treatment programmes for delegated patients in the Community Speech and language Therapy department.
To hold responsibility for own caseload with access to and support from senior professional staff as part of a comprehensive process of patient assessment and management
To work as a member of the Community SLT therapy team, providing a high standard service to Communication impaired and swallow disordered patients in community and outpatient settings.
Performs assessment of delegated patients with simple presentations of physical and psychological conditions. In partnership with the patient, identifies needs, formulates objectives and provides and delivers an individual treatment programme.
Prioritises own work with access to supervision of professional staff in the Community therapy department, including a range of community settings to include, community hospitals, care homes, outpatient clinics and patient’s own homes. Clinical work is routinely evaluated
May provide day to day supervision and delegation of tasks to therapy assistants within team and to students.
Takes decisions to progress interventions according to level of competency and training within agreed protocols if required. Has the freedom to discharge patients without referring back to professional staff.
Responsible for assessing and ordering appropriate specialised equipment for patients, including demonstration and safe issue of this equipment.

Working for our organisation

Our Poppy’s Promise Commitment

We believe that compassionate care sits at the heart of everything we do. Every member of our team — clinical or non-clinical — plays a vital role in ensuring that patients, families, and colleagues are treated with dignity, empathy, and respect at all times.

We expect all staff to demonstrate compassion not only through their words, but through their actions: by listening attentively, communicating clearly and kindly, and recognising individual needs, feelings, and circumstances of those in our care.

Effective communication is central to safe and high-quality healthcare. We value colleagues who take the time to understand others, explain information in a meaningful way, and respond to concerns with patience and understanding.

By joining our team, you are committing to uphold these values — ensuring that every patient feels heard, respected, and valued, and that compassion is embedded in every interaction, every day.

Hospital Transformation Programme (HTP)

Our Service will relocate to The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital in 2028 as part of HTP. This move will bring specialist services together in a modern, purpose-built facility to improve patient care and team experience.

We are actively recruiting, and successful candidates will be expected to move with the Service in early 2028. The relocation will follow a formal management of change process, including full consultation and support for staff.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For full duties and responsibilities please refer to the attached document entitled Job Description.