Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

NHS; Bristol; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

The NHS is seeking a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join the Sirona Adult Learning Disability Health Service. This full-time role involves managing a clinical caseload for individuals with communication and eating needs, along with providing training and support to families and care staff. The position offers a competitive salary, NHS benefits, and opportunities for professional development within a supportive multi-disciplinary team.

Benefits

27+ days’ annual leave

NHS Pension Scheme

Excellent supervision and peer support

Qualifications

• Qualification in speech and language therapy is required.
• HCPC registration is necessary.
• Experience with learning disabilities preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage clinical caseload for individuals with learning disabilities.
• Provide training and support to healthcare staff and family members.
• Conduct assessments and develop care plans.

Skills

Communication skills

Assessment skills

Teamwork

Client-focused care

Education

Recognised qualification in speech and language therapy

RCSLT approved Licence to Practice

HCPC Registration

Job description

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

The opportunity has arisen for a motivated Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) with an interest in working with people with a learning disability to take a Band 6 specialist role in the Sirona Adult Learning Disability Health Service (SALDHS).

This is a full-time permanent position. Based across North Somerset and Bristol and South Gloucestershire. The service hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

This post can be ideal for either a current Band 6 Specialist SLT looking to extend skills and experience, or to a current Band 5 SLT who has worked for more than a year and has already gained NQP and dysphagia competencies. Secondment opportunity within the organisation may be considered.

You will work within a locality multi-disciplinary team, with the opportunity to work with specialist SLTs across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire delivering person centred care, and training to care and support staff.

The post offers excellent support with opportunities to develop skills in:

• Assessment and management of communication, including lining with AACWEST
• Developing resources and accessible information
• Developing skills in Signing, using Talking Mats, and AAC
• Delivering training to carers and family members
• Opportunity to develop skills in managing eating, drinking and swallowing issues
• Excellent supervision and peer support available as well as regular Journal Club and opportunities to develop care pathways
• Regular team meetings and MDT working

Main duties of the job

You will hold a clinical caseload of people with learning disabilities who have communication and/or eating and drinking needs. Our service users have a broad range of communication needs including supporting the implementation of AAC, the use of signing, Talking mats, Social Stories and Visual support strategies. Management of complex dysphagia, including triage, prioritisation, assessment, risk assessment and the development of individualised care plans as well as care and support staff education to support understanding and implementation of guidance given.

Your work will be in the community seeing people in their homes or other familiar and appropriate environments. You will also be working collaboratively within our multi-disciplinary team which provides a holistic approach to meet the service users health needs. You will receive support from clinical specialist SLTs and the SLT Clinical lead to develop in this role. We actively encourage skill development and case discussion to ensure the team deliver a high-quality service that is innovative, safe and continuously improving for a positive and meaningful service user experience.

Alongside your clinical caseload there will be opportunities to provide advice, education and training to health staff, social care workers and family carers and information in a range of formats to meet service user needs.

About us

Ever dreamt about a career that sparks excitement and fosters your professional growth? Picture yourself waking up eager to make a real difference in our community, surrounded by teams who value your unique ideas.

We are Sirona care & health - England's largest provider of Adult's and Children's Community Services and we'd love for you to join us in Bristol, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire.

Agenda for Change Salary, full NHS benefits, 27+ days' annual leave, and participation in the NHS Pension Scheme - just a glimpse of the benefits you'll receive.

We welcome and encourage all applicants. We are committed to having a workforce that reflects the communities we support and are proactively seeking to improve the diversity of our workforce. We know diversity fosters creativity and innovation.

We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We aim to draw upon the widest possible range of views and experiences to meet the changing needs of our colleagues, partners and communities we serve.

Whether you're starting your journey in healthcare, looking for a fresh challenge within the NHS, or contemplating a career change, don't be daunted by the prospect of something different - we create development opportunities for all our colleagues and apprentices.

Interested? View our benefits leaflet which you can find attached to this vacancy.

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description for a full list of duties and responsibilities before applying for this position.

Sirona care & health currently recruit overseas nursing and therapy staff through an NHS Trust Supplier and we adhere to the NHSE Code of Practice in relation to applicants from Red List countries. We are therefore, unable to accept any direct applications to this advert from candidates who are not already based in the UK.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Recognised qualification in speech and language therapy
• RCSLT approved Licence to Practice
• HCPC Registration
• Evidence of CPD

Experience

• Experience working with adults with Learning Disability
• Working collaboratively with multidisciplinary and multiagency teams
• Knowledge and application of SLT assessments and treatment techniques relevant to learning disabilities and community areas of practice
• Recent experience relevant to community working
• Able to work autonomously, whilst able to prioritise and plan own workload
• Experience of using a broad range of augmentative and alternative communication systems
• Supervising and/or mentoring speech and language therapy assistants, students and junior staff
• Able to develop and maintain links with key agencies (day-care, college, tertiary services)

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.