Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust

Cambridgeshire Community NHS; Bedford; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a highly specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join their dynamic team in Central Bedfordshire. This role involves delivering high-quality support to children with complex communication needs, including AAC and dysphagia. You will work collaboratively with schools and families, providing tailored therapy and support while contributing to innovative service projects. The organization prides itself on its outstanding service delivery and commitment to staff development. If you are passionate about making a difference in children's lives, this is a fantastic opportunity to grow your career in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Full Trust and service induction

Formal and informal training

Regular clinical supervision

Excellent Continued Professional Development

Reflective clinical forums

Buddying systems

Regular team meetings

Qualifications

• Experience in managing complex speech and language difficulties.
• Ability to work flexibly and demonstrate initiative.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of children with complex communication needs.
• Collaborate with families and schools for effective support.
• Provide outreach support to mainstream schools.

Skills

Speech and Language Therapy

Complex Communication Needs

AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication)

Dysphagia

Clinical Decision Making

Interpersonal Skills

Negotiation Skills

Education

Degree in Speech and Language Therapy

Job description

We are delighted to offer this 8a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapy post based within our Central Bedfordshire Team. Delivering high quality support into special schools, providing outreach support to complex cases in mainstream schools and leading on important service projects relating to complex needs.

The post is suitable for an experienced and confident therapist with specialist skills in the area of Complex communication needs, AAC and dysphagia with demonstrable experience of effective working within schools, and of multidisciplinary working.

You should have the ability to work flexibly, and demonstrate initiative and confidence around clinical decision making.

If you have skills and experience in the areas above, then please do get in touch for an informal discussion – we would love to hear from you. We will also encourage less experience therapists who are looking to develop their skills in this area at a Band 7 level.

The service provides:

1. Full Trust and service induction.
2. Formal and informal training for the role, including shadowing opportunities.
3. Regular clinical supervision and a mentoring.
4. Excellent Continued Professional Development opportunities including in house training and external courses.
5. Reflective clinical forums and buddying systems.
6. Regular whole service and locality team meetings.

For further information or to arrange a visit please contact: Lisa Delafield, Deputy Service Manager.

Use highly specialist clinical skills to effectively manage a caseload of children with complex difficulties in speech, language, communication and/or eating and drinking (dysphagia) and AAC in line with the service delivery model.

Work closely with families and schools to provide effective SLT support.

Independently and effectively identify, assess, and diagnose and treat communication/swallowing impairments.

To make a differential diagnosis on the basis of evidence from assessment and design appropriate treatment based on analysis of profile of need.

Be responsible for developing the school’s Communication charter, identifying appropriate universal targeted and specialist levels of support.

Work with the wider special schools team, schools and parents to co-produce and implement an agreed universal, targeted and specialist SALT offer in special schools, taking responsibility for the implementation and communication of this offer.

Provide second opinions or support to junior colleagues as appropriate.

Provide outreach support to complex cases in mainstream schools in Central Bedfordshire, establishing a pathway for this provision.

Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.

There’s one reason why our services are outstanding – and that’s our amazing staff who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.

If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.

Demonstrate specific speech and language therapy support programmes and the use of equipment to specific teachers or groups of staff.

Contribute to relevant research, audit, and development work within the schools, relating to the Speech Language and Communication curriculum.

Attend relevant meetings as required within school or as part of wider SLT team.

Work collaboratively and liaise with a wide range of professions across a variety of locations and agencies.

Attend and report to case conferences/review meetings etc. for patients on the caseload with support as requested for situations where conflict management/negotiation may be required.

Use good interpersonal skills to listen well and counsel patients and carers, so providing support and empathy without prejudice.

Establish and maintain positive interpersonal relationships with other staff, which are characterised by open communication, trust, and respect.

Communicate effectively with patients with communication problems where difficulties in understanding exist, using observation, listening and empathy.

Use negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations.

Be able to plan, organise and prioritise own workload, clinical and non-clinical.

Assume delegated tasks as requested by line manager, including participation in working groups, policy development groups to contribute to interagency/multi-disciplinary team building and policy development, advising on the implementation of AAC systems and relevant areas of the curriculum.

Work within defined departmental and national protocols/policies and professional code of conduct.

Participate in the development of local clinical guidelines informed by evidence for clinical specialism.

Demonstrate knowledge of, and adhere to RCSLT Professional and Clinical and National and Local Clinical Guidelines.

Have a robust working knowledge of relevant statutory legislation and policy including: Safeguarding Children, The Children and Families Act 2014, delivery of SLT relating to SEND procedures, and other relevant legal frameworks.

Participate in the implementation of service/Trust Clinical Governance Plan.

Take delegated lead on the implementation of team objectives or projects in liaison with peers.

To advise line manager on issues of service delivery including shortfall, and service pressures, and clinical risk.

This advert closes on Monday 5 May 2025.

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