Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Greater Manchester Mental Health; Horwich; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pay enhancements

Annual leave

Sponsorship for Skilled Worker visa

Job summary

Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation Trust is seeking a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (Band 7) for Horwich. The post involves 15 hours per week with a 9am–5pm schedule, offering flexible working options.

It sits within an intensive support team for young people with learning disabilities and autism. The post requires a master’s degree or equivalent, HCPC registration, and RCSLT membership, plus substantial experience in complex cases, supervision, and service development

Qualifications

• Extensive experience providing specialist assessment, formulation, intervention and evaluation.
• Supervision, training or consultancy experience.
• Experience working in multi‑agency settings with complex cases.
• Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses.
• HCPC Registration and RCSLT membership.

Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to intensive support plans for young people with complex needs.
• Provide direct and indirect work with carers and professionals to develop intervention plans.
• Work within multi‑agency teams including psychology and occupational therapy to support service users.

Skills

Specialist training

Children/young people

Assessment & intervention

Clinical supervision

Programme development

Attachment trauma

Education

Master's degree or equivalent

Postgraduate training

HCPC Registration

Member of RCSLT

Job description

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Band 7

Main area Mental Health Grade Band 7 Contract Permanent Hours

• Full time
• Part time

15 hours per week (9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. (happy to discuss flexible working)) Job ref 437-8265773

Site Horwich Health and Well being Hub Town Horwich Salary £49,387 - £56,515 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 01/10/2026 23:59

Job overview

This is not exhaustive but is intended to give an overview of the role and associated responsibilities.

This is a senior role for a specialist speech and language therapist. The postholder will form part of a multiagency team consisting of clinical psychology, learning disability nursing and occupational therapy. The team will be working with a small number young people who have learning disabilities and autism who have been identified as having complex needs that require intensive support where their home placement may be at risk of break down or an admission into hospital/tier 4 inpatient setting.

Working alongside the local short breaks services, social care, education and other agencies, the Intensive Support Team will work together to create, instigate, and support person centred positive behaviour support plans with the aim of improving the quality of life and reducing any restrictions or restraints (in accordance with NICE guidance). To work closely when required alongside trust inpatient services for children and young people.

The Intensive Support Team sits alongside community CAMHS services within GMMH

Main duties of the job

The post holder will have extensive experience working with this client group and have developed skills in specialist assessment, formulation, intervention, and evaluation. The postholder will also have experience of supervision, training, and consultation. The postholder will have the skills and experience to manage complex cases and risk and will have experience of working in multi-agency settings. The post holder will contribute to the wider support plans for young people open to the service.

Due to the level of independent working and management of high levels of risk, the postholder is expected to have considerable experience of working with this client group.

The service provided will entail both direct work with young people and indirect work with their carers and involved professionals to contribute to functional multi-disciplinary assessment and the development of intervention plans to support behaviours of distress. The post holder will also provide wider consultative support and training for colleagues in relation to speech, language and communication needs.

Working for our organisation

Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Foundation Trust employs over6,400members of staff, who deliver services from more than160locations.

We provide inpatient and community-based mental health care for people living in Bolton, the city of Manchester, Salford,Trafford and the borough of Wigan, and a wide range of specialist mental health and substance misuse services across Greater Manchester, the north west of England and beyond.

Greater Manchester is one of the world's most innovative, original and exciting places to live and work. From the beauty of the surrounding countryside to the heart of the vibrant inner city with great shopping, entertainment and dining options.

Wherever you go you will experience a great northern welcome with people famed for their warmth, humour and generosity.

Our people enjoy their work, have opportunities to learn and develop their skills and are encouraged to generate new ideas that improve care for our service users.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

See attached detailed job description and person specification:

• Pay Enhancements – 30% additional for Evenings (8pm onwards) and Saturdays and 60% additional for Sundays and Bank holidays.
• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years
• Relevant master's degree or equivalent expereince and post graduate training
• Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses
• Member of RCSLT
• HCPC Registration - Licence to Practice

Experience

• Providing specialist training to the broader MDT in relation to communication
• Working with children or young people with social, emotional and mental health needs
• Providing assessment and intervention to children and young people with neurodevelopmental conditions.
• Providing clinical supervision
• Producing programmes of intervention for delivery by others and communicating these effectively to a range of professionals and carers.
• Working with children or young people with social, emotional and mental health needs in a forensic/secure setting.
• Successful completion of Dysphagia competencies.
• Evaluating different models of service delivery and implementing change that led to service improvements.
• Working with children or young people who have recognised attachment trauma or behaviour that challenges.

Important Information about working for GMMH:
All positions within the Trust are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, for further information on the checks required please visit the NHS Employers website www.nhsemployers.org

The Trust mandates all post holders who require a DBS for their role to subscribe to the DBS Update Service. You will be required to enrol for this service for a fee of £16 per year and maintain registration throughout your employment with GMMH.

Applicants are encouraged to apply for posts at Greater Manchester Mental Health who have direct experience of mental health, learning disability or drug and alcohol services either as a service user or a carer.

The Trust is also committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We are aspiring to ensure our workforce is representative of the diverse communities that we serve, and we are strongly committed to removing barriers to employment for candidates from under-represented groups, for example BAME, Disabled and LGBT+ communities. If you would like to have an informal chat about the recruitment process for this role or would value some additional support, we’d love to hear from you.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) when writing job applications

A candidate may utilise the help of AI when writing job application.The assessment of an application is made on its entirety and most times AI-generated content does not fully grasp the context and requirements of the job one applies for thus producing inaccurate and misleading information, especially in the supporting statement section of an application that can lack real life examples of one’s achievements, success and challenges.

We have added a disclaimer to our application process advising that the use of AI is monitored. GMMH reserves the right to follow up with a candidate at the interview on specific responses and those examples used in the supporting statement to explore it further.

Sponsorship

We are proud to be an approved sponsor for the Skilled Worker visa. Applications from individuals who require sponsorship will be considered alongside all other applications. Please be aware that not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible roles and salary requirements on the UK Government’s website – click here .

If you are offered a role with us and you require sponsorship, we will check your eligibility in line with the information on the above website. Your offer of employment could be withdrawn if the role is not eligible for sponsorship, and you are not otherwise able to evidence your right to work in the UK.

The Home Office introduces new changes from 22/07/2025 that impact the health and care sector, you may wish to familiarise with it here .

Do you have experience outside the NHS?

We want to attract and retain people with diverse skills and experience, to deliver inclusive healthcare services to our communities.

We will consider relevant experience outside the NHS to calculate your salary on appointment. Please contact our Recruitment Team for more information.

Please note, this vacancy may be closed at any time if sufficient applications have been received

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name Charlotte Hodgkiss Job title Lead Learning Disability Nurse Email address [e-mail] Additional information

Charlotte Hodgkiss is available 8-18:00 Tuesdat through Friday to discuss the role, please contact via email.

As a service user, relative or carer using our services, sometimes you may need to turn to someone for help, advice, and support.