B5-6 Development Speech and Language Therapist

NHS; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in the East Midlands is seeking a Speech and Language Therapist to join their team. This role involves providing specialized support for adults with mental health needs, focusing on communication and swallowing challenges. The successful candidate will have access to excellent supervision and ongoing professional development. A driving license is required, along with HCPC registration. This is a full-time, permanent position.

Benefits

Opportunities for professional development

Supportive team environment

Employee-led networks for wellbeing

Qualifications

• Experience supporting dysphagia needs is ideal.
• Training relevant to supporting people with mental health.
• Theoretical knowledge of SLT delivery and national policies.

Responsibilities

• Support communication needs in mental health settings.
• Deliver bespoke therapeutic interventions.
• Engage in multi-disciplinary assessments.

Skills

Empathetic

Excellent written and oral communication

Good reasoning

Team builder

Education

Recognised SLT Degree/diploma

RCSLT registration

HCPC registered/applied for

Job description

Go back Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

B5-6 Development Speech and Language Therapist

The closing date is 11 November 2025

Speech and Language Therapist- Band 5-6 development post. Adult Mental Health Inpatient Services and adult community mental health teams (with a focus on Dementia).

We are excited to offer the opportunity for an enthusiastic and highly motivated Speech and Language Therapist to join the older adult community SLT team and the Adult Mental Heath inpatient SLT service. This is a unique opportunity for an SLT to develop specialist skills supporting communication and swallowing needs of individuals experiencing a range of mental health conditions and Dementia. You will be supported and managed by a Highly Specialist SLT/Clinical Lead SLT and have opportunities for peer support. You will be joining a forward-thinking, supportive team working with colleagues from a range of disciplines. You will be joining the team in a period of innovation; whilst we develop the speech, language and communication and dysphagia pathways in ward based and community services. You will enjoy close links with our wider team and local SLT colleagues, and benefit from excellent levels of support, supervision, and CPD.

We would welcome SLTs from a diverse range of clinical backgrounds and recognise the transferable skills that could be beneficial to this post. We would support you to develop specialist skills within this area. You are welcome to visit our service to find out more and meet our teams.

Older adults community mental health service: 2.5 days

Adult Mental Health inpatient services: 2.5 days

Main duties of the job

The role requires clinical and professional skills in supporting communication and swallowing needs so that adults with mental health conditions and Dementia benefit from a specialist, efficient and effective SLT service in community and inpatient settings.

You will contribute to multi-disciplinary assessments as well as carrying out individual Speech and Language Therapy assessments and interventions, providing a service for individuals, the clinical team and their families. You will be responsible for contributing to the identification of speech, language and communication needs, highlighting communication risks and reasonable adjustments when formulating as a team. You will contribute directly to offering therapeutic interventions and working directly with service users, the MDT and carers to plan a safe discharge from hospital and support individuals to live well in the community.

You will be involved in making the patients' care and support accessible to engagement in their care.

The successful candidate will ideally have some experience supporting dysphagia needs, however, they will be supported to develop specialist dysphagia skills in the role. You will be involved in supporting assessment, treatment and management of dysphagia and developing the workforce's skills in understanding safe eating and drinking and dysphagia.

The service includes individual assessment, therapy and management, training, advocating, advice and providing consultation to the MDT.

About us

#TeamNottsHC comprises over 11,000 dedicated colleagues who #MakeADifference every day. We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic, and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 200 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings, and secure environments, including prisons.

We are one of the largest mental health and community Trusts in the East Midlands and one of Nottinghamshire's biggest employers. We also host national and regional services, such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health.

We offer a variety of employee-led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, the Freedom to Speak Up network, the Health and Wellbeing Champions network, and the Menopause Champions network. These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity.

The health and wellbeing of colleagues is a top priority. We invest significantly in this through our in-house occupational health and staff counselling services, supported by a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team.

The Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, with a specialised Energy and Environmental team working to ensure compliance with environmental legislation, enhance our environmental performance, and achieve our net-zero commitment.

Job responsibilities

• Supporting to undertake specialist speech, language, and communication assessments to identify what reasonable adjustments (Accessible Information Standards) should be in place to support the individuals communication needs and risks.
• To deliver bespoke therapeutic interventions working in collaboration with service users, the MDT and carers.
• Supporting to undertake dysphagia assessments and formulating dysphagia mangement plans to reduce risk, improve quality of life, and mitigate adverse physical health consequences.
• Provide support to junior members of the team/SLT students to implement SLT management plans/project work and help deliver supervision opportunities.
• Support with attendance at ward based and community mental health MDT meetings on behalf of your SLT team to plan for ongoing and accessible care.
• Support with developing and delivering SLT training to the workforce and providing bespoke training around an individuals communication and/or swallowing needs.
• Be an ambassador for the SLT team, demonstrating the value of inclusive communication environments and reasonable adjustments.

Please see the Job Description and Person Specification for a detailed overview of the roles and responsibilities of this post.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.

A full UK driving license and vehicle for business use is required for this post; however reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled individuals in line with the Equality Act 2010.

Qualifications

• HCPC registered/applied for.
• RCSLT registration.
• Working towards or completed NQP competencies.
• Working towards or completed dysphagia training.
• Recognised SLT Degree/diploma.

Training

• Training relevant to supporting people with intellectual disabilities, autism, dementia, and/or mental health.
• Portfolio of relevant post qualification CPD including specialist knowledge of Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) of service users with additional mental health diagnoses / intellectual disabilities.
• Post basic dysphagia training or completed competencies.

Experience

• Experience of voluntary, paid work or carers role with adults with mental health conditions. Or Relevant SLT student placement (eg ALD, ASC, Special School, secure setting)
• Experience of using low tech or high tech communication aids or approaches (eg Signing, visual support strategies, Voice output aids)
• Observed/ carried out a range of appropriate specialist therapeutic interventions for autistic adults/ or adults with dementia/ mental health conditions.
• Relevant experience of voluntary or paid work with vulnerable children or adults

Knowledge

• Theoretical knowledge of SLT delivery including the use of different approaches and multi-disciplinary working, across different contexts and environments.
• Knowledge of national policies and procedures (relevant to the client group).
• Undergraduate knowledge of different approaches to working with adults with learning disabilities, challenging behaviour, Autistic Spectrum conditions (ASC) and dementia/mental health diagnoses.
• Signs and symbols knowledge.
• Knowledge of the Transforming Care agenda.

Skills

• Empathetic and psychologically minded.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Good reasoning skills.
• Motivated and a motivator.
• Team builder and team member.
• Ability to manage own well being with access to supervision to sustain this.
• Experience of delivering Learning and development opportunities for others.
• Can discuss issues involved in managing a shared caseload.
• Experience of working in a team and to discuss the benefits of teamwork.

Values and Behaviours

• All colleagues are expected to demonstrate that they act in line with Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Values: Trust Honesty Respect Compassion Teamwork.
• All colleagues are expected to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and how it applies to their role. The Trust's expectations are highlighted within our EDI Policy, and associated EDI and Human Rights legislation.

Physical requirements

• Has the physical ability to perform the full range of duties.
• Physical skills in line with MVA.

Contractual requirements

• A full UK driving licence and vehicle for business use is required for this post: however reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled individuals in line wit 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.

Address

Highbury Hospital/ Sherwood Oaks/community teams

Depending on experienceDependant on experience (pro rata for part time)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

186-1291-25-MH

Job locations

Highbury Hospital/ Sherwood Oaks/community teams