Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

NHS; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A public healthcare service is offering a position for a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist within the Intensive Support Team. This role focuses on improving communication for adults with learning disabilities, offering assessments and interventions in a community setting. The therapist will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team and support complex cases, contributing to enhanced care and quality of life for clients. This is a permanent position with flexible working opportunities and strong career development paths.

Benefits

27 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Health service discounts

Incremental pay progression

Qualifications

• Experience working with adults with LD/Autism or transferable experience.
• Post registration experience in a registered Speech and Language Therapist post.
• Knowledge of assessment tools relevant to adults with learning disabilities.

Responsibilities

• Undertake comprehensive communication assessments of service users.
• Share clinical insights to support a holistic, person-centred approach.
• Evaluate outcomes and measure the impact of interventions.

Skills

Excellent interpersonal skills

Problem solving skills

Presentation skills

Organisational skills

Education

Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification

Health Care Professions Council Registration

Registered Member of Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists

Job description

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

The Intensive Support Team has an exciting opportunity for a skilled, motivated, and dynamic Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join our service and work creatively to make a meaningful difference to the lives of adults with a Learning Disability.

We are seeking a therapist with a strong value-based approach and specialist knowledge of communication and interaction needs for people with a Learning Disability.

This post is for a Band 6, Speech and Language Therapist, working 37.5 hours per week on a permanent contract. The team operates 8am-8pm Monday to Friday, and 9am-5pm Saturday-Sunday on a rota basis. In addition to the contracted hours, IST also provides an on-call provision offering telephone advice only outside of the above working hours.

Our ethos is to work intensively and creatively as a multidisciplinary team to support adults with a Learning Disability to enhance their quality of life through person‑centred practice.

Main duties of the job

The IST is a dynamic, responsive team supporting adults with Learning Disabilities across Derby City and South County. We work intensively with people in crisis to prevent placement breakdown or hospital admission.

As the Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, you will provide specialist communication assessment and intervention, contribute to MDT formulation and crisis planning, and develop communication‑support strategies. You will offer training and coaching to families, carers and providers, support colleagues to use communication‑informed approaches within Positive Behaviour Support, and identify communication factors contributing to distress or behaviours of concern. You will also support transitions and community reintegration through communication‑focused plans.

The role is mainly community‑based with some hospital in‑reach. Flexible working is embedded, and smaller caseloads allow focused, short‑term intervention. The post offers strong opportunities for development within an integrated MDT focused on real‑life change.

About us

Join 'Team Derbyshire Healthcare' and become part of a talented, compassionate and enthusiastic workforce committed to a vision of 'making a positive difference in people’s lives'.

CQC rated us as 'GOOD' overall, commenting on how our colleagues "treated patients with compassion and kindness" and "felt positive and proud about working for the trust."

Benefits include:

• Commitment to flexible working where this is possible
• 27 days annual leave/year plus bank holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years & 33 days after 10 years' service
• Yearly appraisal and commitment to ongoing training
• Good maternity, paternity and adoption benefits
• Health service discounts and online benefits
• Incremental pay progression
• Free confidential employee assistance programme 24/7
• Access to our LGBT+ network, BAME Network and Christian Network
• Health and wellbeing opportunities
• Structured learning and development opportunities

Job responsibilities

Please review the Job Description and Person Specification for the full details. To apply, please click APPLY FOR THIS JOB - this link will take you to the TRAC Recruitment Site. You will need to register if you do not already have an account.

The successful candidate:

You should be able to work confidently both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team, bringing specialist knowledge and skills across relevant areas of clinical practice. We recognise that many clinical skills gained in other settings are highly transferable, and we welcome applications from clinicians who are motivated to adapt and further develop their existing skills to support communication assessments and interventions for adults with a learning disability.

You will need access to appropriate transport to work across the community localities within South Derbyshire, including Derby City, Amber Valley and Swadlincote.

As part of this role, you will:

Undertake comprehensive communication assessments of service users and their environments using a range of observational and formal tools, informing tailored and effective intervention plans.

Share clinical insights and advice to support a holistic, person‑centred approach across the multidisciplinary team and wider network.

Evaluate outcomes and measure the impact of interventions to ensure high‑quality, evidence‑informed practice.

Deliver person‑centred, goal‑directed interventions, including one‑to‑one sessions, group work and consultancy‑based approaches.

Work collaboratively with families, carers and professionals across health, education, social care and voluntary‑sector services to ensure coordinated and consistent support.

Contribute to the ongoing development of Speech and Language Therapy provision within the Intensive Support Team.

Enable and support others, including Speech and Language Therapy Assistants, through training, guidance and modelling to meet the communication needs of service users.

Person Specification

Attainments and Qualifications

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification
• Health Care Professions Council Registration
• Registered Member of Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists.
• Evidence of successful completion of specialist post registration training
• Membership of relevant Clinical Excellence Networks

Experience

• Experience working with adults with LD/Autism or transferable experience.
• Post registration experience in a registered Speech and Language Therapist post
• Knowledge of assessment tools relevant to adults with learning disabilities.
• Experience of using person centred thinking/approaches in clinical practice with adults with learning disabilities
• Ability to work autonomously.
• Experience of working with service users with Mental Health needs/behaviours that challenge
• Experience of working in crisis situations.
• Experience of supervising students and assistants.
• Experience of service development.

Skills

• Excellent interpersonal skills - including observation, listening and empathy skills.
• Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal.
• Negotiation and problem solving skills.
• Well‑developed organisational and self‑management skills.
• Skills in providing managerial/ Clinical supervision to junior staff
• Experience delivering training.

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.

Address

St Andrews House 2nd Floor, 201 London Road