Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

NHS; Southampton; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to pioneer and develop SLT provision across forensic learning disability and mental health services. You will work across inpatient wards and community teams to assess, formulate and intervene for complex communication and dysphagia needs.

You will lead on expert assessments, provide advanced clinical care, and contribute to care planning, risk management and accessible,

Qualifications

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree qualification or equivalent.
• HCPC Licence to Practice and registration with the RC SLT.
• Active evidence of CPD in an up-to-date portfolio, up to Master’s level.
• Demonstrable knowledge of relevant legislation affecting clinical practice.

Responsibilities

• Deliver highly specialist assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of complex communication, feeding and swallowing needs.
• Provide expert written and verbal advice to patients, carers, families and multidisciplinary teams.
• Manage a complex caseload independently with thorough clinical documentation.
• Develop care pathways, protocols and contribute to service evaluation and QI initiatives.
• Influence service development and policy with specialist knowledge within the MDT.

Education

Speech and Language Therapy degree

HCPC Licence to Practice

RC SLT Registration

Evidence of CPD up to Master’s level

Legislation knowledge in clinical practice

Job description

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

The closing date is 27 September 2026

This is an exciting opportunity for a highly specialist Speech and Language Therapist to pioneer and develop Speech and Language Therapy provision across Hampshire's Forensic Learning Disability and Mental Health Services.

Working across inpatient mental health and learning disability wards, as well as the Forensic Community Learning Disability Team, you will provide specialist assessment, formulation and intervention for individuals with complex communication and dysphagia needs. Service users may have learning disabilities, autism and/or mental health conditions, and many will have contact with, or be at risk of contact with, the Criminal Justice System.

You will play a key role in identifying and addressing communication difficulties that can impact engagement, behaviour, risk and recovery. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will support the development of communication-friendly environments, contribute to care planning and risk management, and promote accessible, person-centred care.

This unique role offers the opportunity to influence service development, raise the profile of Speech and Language Therapy within forensic services, and make a lasting difference to the lives of people with highly complex needs across both inpatient and community settings.

Main duties of the job

Responsible for delivering highly specialist assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of patients with complex communication, feeding and swallowing difficulties. Uses advanced clinical skills and evidence-based practice to develop, implement and evaluate personalised therapy programmes, adapting interventions to meet individual, cultural and linguistic needs.

Provides expert written and verbal advice to patients, carers, families and multidisciplinary teams, including communicating complex and potentially distressing information with sensitivity. Demonstrates advanced skills in managing patients with severe communication difficulties, disabilities and mental health needs, while promoting engagement, shared decision-making and positive therapeutic relationships.

Manages and prioritises a complex caseload independently, ensuring timely, effective interventions and accurate clinical documentation in line with professional and Trust standards. Produces specialist reports, develops care pathways and protocols, provides second opinions, and contributes to service evaluation, audit and quality improvement initiatives.

Acts as a key member of the multidisciplinary team, influencing patient care, service development and policy implementation through specialist knowledge and clinical expertise. Provides leadership within areas of specialism, supporting service objectives and contributing to strategic developments in response to service pressures and changing needs.

About us

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides joined-up mental and physical healthcare for around two million people across our communities. With over 13,000 staff working in the community and local hospitals, we deliver care at every stage of life, helping people live their best and healthiest lives.

Our mental health services include community-based support and early intervention in psychosis (EIP) for both adults and young people, alongside a network of specialist inpatient wards covering forensic, learning disability, eating disorder and older person's care.

We deliver extensive physical health services too, from urgent community response teams helping frail and older patients remain safely at home, to hospitals at home teams providing acute-level care in familiar surroundings. Our neurological services offer rehabilitation and treatment for conditions including Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Motor Neurone Disease, Head Injury, Cerebral Palsy and Stroke. Across Hampshire, our community hospitals provide inpatient rehabilitation as a step down from acute care, and our dedicated teams also staff Treetops Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Portsmouth, offering expert, compassionate support.

Everything we do is underpinned by our CARE values of compassion, accountability, respect and excellence

Job responsibilities

Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached. It is important to us that we ensure our recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive to everyone - if as a potential candidate you are concerned a person specification may prevent or restrict your application for employment as a result of unintentional barriers on the grounds of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, religion/belief or disability please initially contact the Trust's Recruitment team - detailed in the advert. The Trust will seek to resolve this issue wherever possible.

We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree qualification or equivalent
• Health Professional Council -- Licence to Practice
• Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
• Evidence of recent professional development in an up to date portfolio with successful completion of specialist short course up to Master's degree equivalent
• Demonstratable knowledge of legislation relevant to area of clinical practice.

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.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

£49,387 to £56,515 a yearPro rata for part time hours