Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (BCH) is seeking two Band 7 Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapists to lead the Experts at Hand initiative across Warrington and Halton. You will provide clinical leadership, develop school-wide training, and supervise Band 5/6 colleagues to improve outcomes for children with speech and language needs.
You will oversee audits, data collection, and service development, with flexible working and opportunities for professional growth within a
Qualifications
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree or equivalent and HCPC Licence to Practice.
- Evidence of specialist short courses up to masters level equivalent and RCST registration.
- Membership of Relevant Special Interest Groups is desirable.
- Experience at postgraduate level in a specialist area is required.
Responsibilities
- Provide clinical leadership in the delivery of the Experts at Hand offer.
- Develop and monitor outcomes relating to the Experts at Hand delivery.
- Supervise Band 5 and Band 6 staff delivering the service.
- Lead education staff training and coaching within schools to implement evidence-based interventions.
- Carry out audits and data collection for commissioning services.
Skills
Education
Job description
North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (BCH)
The closing date is 11 October 2026
Are you anenthusiastic Band 7 Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) whois passionate about helping children and young people achieve their potential?
As part of theexciting new Experts at Hand initiative, we are looking for 2 wte Band 7Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapists to work across Warrington andHalton. You will lead the delivery and developmentof the Experts at Hand offer, delivering high-quality whole-schooltraining and coaching to education staff in implementing evidence-basedinterventions. You will oversee service outcomes, contribute to audits and collectingdata, and provide supervision and support to Band 5 and Band 6 colleagues.
In our team,you'll benefit from a supportive team culture. We are proud of our approachable andexperienced leadership team, who prioritise staff wellbeing, work-life balanceand professional growth. We offer agile working, high-quality clinicalsupervision and excellent development opportunities.
Ifyou're motivated, innovative and excited by the opportunity to lead in shapinga new initiative at a whole-school level, we'd love to welcome you to our team.
As a Band 7 Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapistwithin the innovative Experts at Hand service, you will provide clinicalleadership in the delivery and ongoing development of the Experts at Hand offer, helping schools develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to supportchildren and young people with speech, language and communication needs.
You will lead the development and delivery of engagingwhole-school training and coaching for education staff to deliver evidence-basedinterventions in targeted groups. You will also provide clinical supervision,guidance and support to Band 5 and Band 6 colleagues delivering the service.
You will provide drop-in sessions within schools, helpingstaff to identify needs early, consider appropriate next steps and navigatereferral pathways, ensuring children receive support from the most appropriateservice at a universal, targeted or specialist level. Working collaborativelywith education staff, you will promote communication-friendly approaches, embedpractical strategies into everyday practice and contribute to the developmentof sustainable support within schools.
You will lead the evaluation and continuous improvement ofthe service through the monitoring of outcomes, audit activity and collectionof data, using evidence to demonstrate the impact of the Experts at Hand model.
Flexible working will be considered for all roles.
North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM) serves more than one million residents across the Halton and Warrington boroughs and the wider North West region.
Bringing together community and out-of-hospital services (formerly provided by Bridgewater Community Healthcare) with inpatient and elective care (formerly Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals) we provide services at two hospital sites and more than 70 community hubs and facilities.
Our mission, vision and values are at the heart of North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM).
They underpin everything we do and everything we aspire to be as an organisation.
Our mission
We will be exceptional for our patients, our communities and each other
Our vision
We will be a great organisation providing excellent healthcare and opportunities to work and learn
- Kind: We are caring, supportive and respectful to everyone
- Open: We are honest, transparent and open to new ways of working
- Fair: We listen, value our differences and are inclusive to all
- One team: We work well together and with our communities
Job Purpose:
To provide clinical leadership in the delivery of the Experts at Hand (EAH) offer as stated in the Experts at Hand guidance.
Develop and monitor outcomes relating to the delivery of Experts at Hand offer.
To carry out audits and data collection for commissioning services.
To supervise B6 and B5 staff in the delivery of the Expert at Hand Offer.
To work within the core service in a specialist area to provide assessment, diagnosis and therapy in clinics/schools or specialist educational settings as required.
Duties and Responsibilities
Clinical Skills
To assess and diagnose highly specialist clinicalarea
To develop and implement highly specialist Speech and Language Therapy treatment and evaluate outcomes
To producedetailed reports reflecting specialist knowledge regarding patients' needs andsummarising proposed treatment plans.
To contribute to legal documents such as Education Health and Care Plans, Annual reviews and individual education plans.
To providespecialist advice to patients, carers and other professionals regarding the management and care of patients with communication difficulties.
To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence based practice and outcome measures.
To adapt practice to meet individual patients circumstances, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences.
To maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT professional standards and local trust policies.
To share information with carers and other professionals, observing data protection guidelines.
To contribute to multi-disciplinary and uni-disciplinary teams to ensure a patient focused approach to treatment.
To attend health panels when required.
To communicate complex information from specialist assessment and treatment, to patients, carers and other professionals.
To work closely with patients, carers and other professionals to negotiate and agree patient management.
To demonstrate empathy with patients, carers and other professionals, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where significant barriers to understanding exist.
To respond sensitivity at all times, in particular when imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature of the clinical difficulties and their implications.
To demonstrate expert skills in motivating patients, carers and other professionals to engage in the therapeutic process.
To demonstrate expert skills in managing conflict within the context of highly specialist clinical area.
To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible, inline with trust policy.
To foster productive relationships with others who have challenging communication difficulties and/or who may be under stress.
To employ excellent communication skills.
To apply expert strategies to facilitate and enhance the effectiveness of communication, both verbal, non verbal and environmental, including the use of high and low tech AAC where necessary.
To provide specialist assessment and advice on optimising the patient's communication environment, including the communication skills of carers and other professionals within the patient's environment.
To provide specialist clinical advice, support and second opinions for therapists and other professionals working with: clinical area, offering case discussions, joint assessments, joint intervention and therapy programmes as appropriate.
To demonstrate independence in dealing with complex issues associated with caseload management.
To employ counselling skills with patients and carers with highly complex needs.
To discharge appropriately, agreeing a point of closure with the client/carer, and informing other professionals.
Please see full Job Description attached.
Job Purpose:
To provide clinical leadership in the delivery of the Experts at Hand (EAH) offer as stated in the Experts at Hand guidance.
Develop and monitor outcomes relating to the delivery of Experts at Hand offer.
To carry out audits and data collection for commissioning services.
To supervise B6 and B5 staff in the delivery of the Expert at Hand Offer.
To work within the core service in a specialist area to provide assessment, diagnosis and therapy in clinics/schools or specialist educational settings as required.
Duties and Responsibilities
Clinical Skills
To assess and diagnose highly specialist clinicalarea
To develop and implement highly specialist Speech and Language Therapy treatment and evaluate outcomes
To producedetailed reports reflecting specialist knowledge regarding patients' needs andsummarising proposed treatment plans.
To contribute to legal documents such as Education Health and Care Plans, Annual reviews and individual education plans.
To providespecialist advice to patients, carers and other professionals regarding the management and care of patients with communication difficulties.
To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence based practice and outcome measures.
To adapt practice to meet individual patients circumstances, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences.
To maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT professional standards and local trust policies.
To share information with carers and other professionals, observing data protection guidelines.
To contribute to multi-disciplinary and uni-disciplinary teams to ensure a patient focused approach to treatment.
To attend health panels when required.
To communicate complex information from specialist assessment and treatment, to patients, carers and other professionals.
To work closely with patients, carers and other professionals to negotiate and agree patient management.
To demonstrate empathy with patients, carers and other professionals, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where significant barriers to understanding exist.
To respond sensitivity at all times, in particular when imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature of the clinical difficulties and their implications.
To demonstrate expert skills in motivating patients, carers and other professionals to engage in the therapeutic process.
To demonstrate expert skills in managing conflict within the context of highly specialist clinical area.
To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible, inline with trust policy.
To foster productive relationships with others who have challenging communication difficulties and/or who may be under stress.
To employ excellent communication skills.
To apply expert strategies to facilitate and enhance the effectiveness of communication, both verbal, non verbal and environmental, including the use of high and low tech AAC where necessary.
To provide specialist assessment and advice on optimising the patient's communication environment, including the communication skills of carers and other professionals within the patient's environment.
To provide specialist clinical advice, support and second opinions for therapists and other professionals working with: clinical area, offering case discussions, joint assessments, joint intervention and therapy programmes as appropriate.
To demonstrate independence in dealing with complex issues associated with caseload management.
To employ counselling skills with patients and carers with highly complex needs.
To discharge appropriately, agreeing a point of closure with the client/carer, and informing other professionals.
Please see full Job Description attached.
- The ability to travel independently across the Trust
- The ability to work flexibly in accordance with service needs
- If you are related to a director or have a relationship with a director or employee of an appointing organisation, please state the relationship.
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree or equivalent
- Health Care Professions Council Licence to Practice
- Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses up to masters level equivalent
- Registered member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
- Membership of Relevant Special Interest Groups
- Do you currently have the unrestricted right to work in the UK?
- If appointed, will you require sponsorship under a UK work visa route (now or in the future)?
- Please note that sponsorship is not available for all roles. Sponsorship will only be considered where the post meets the relevant UK immigration requirements and where the organisation determines that sponsorship is appropriate for the role.
- Relevant experience at a post graduate level
- In-depth experience within specialist area
- Knowledge of Makaton and PECS, AAC
- Awareness of Code of Practice and National Curriculum
- Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy skills
- Highly developed Negotiation and Problem solving Skills
- Demonstrates excellent analytical and reflection skills
- Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal
- Excellent organisational skills
- Highly developed auditory discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically
- Demonstrates ability to be a good team member and assume clinical leadership responsibilities
- Well established knowledge of a broad range assessment tools relevant to the specialist client group
- In-depth knowledge of national policies and procedures (relevant to the specialist client group)
- In depth knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions (relevant to the client group) and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits
- In depth knowledge of the principles of clinical governance /audit
- Understanding of the roles of other professionals (relevant to the client group)
- Knowledge of standards of record keeping
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.
North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (BCH)
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