Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

CPFT; Peterborough; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

CPFT, Peterborough, is seeking a Band 6 Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join the Intensive Support Team. You will deliver assessment, intervention and consultation for adults with learning disabilities and complex communication needs, including dysphagia, across community and inpatient settings.

The role requires HCPC registration, experience with learning disabilities and autism, and the ability to work in a multidisciplinary team to improve outcomes and reduce hospital admissions.

Qualifications

• HCPC registration as a Speech and Language Therapist is required.
• Experience with adults with learning disabilities and autism is essential.
• Dysphagia assessment/management competency preferred or willingness to develop.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist assessment, intervention and consultation for adults with learning disabilities.
• Manage a specialist caseload within the Intensive Support Team and inpatient services.
• Offer dysphagia management, communication support and discharge planning.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary assessment, risk management and service development.
• Deliver person-centred care and promote safe, effective care pathways.
• Maintain HCPC registration and adhere to professional guidance.
• Provide timely specialist advice to colleagues, carers and families.
• Support continuity of care across community and inpatient pathways.

Skills

Experience with learning disabilities

Autism

Complex communication needs

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Excellent communication

Education

HCPC registration

RCSLT membership

Dysphagia competency

Job description

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Band 6

Main area Speech and Language Specialist Grade Band 6 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 310-ASMH-8260646

Site 53 Thorpe Road Town Peterborough Salary £39,959 - £48,117 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 12/10/2026 23:59

Job overview

Are you an enthusiastic and motivated Speech and Language Therapist looking to make a meaningful difference to the lives of people with learning disabilities and autistic people?

We are seeking a Band 6 Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join our friendly and supportive Intensive Support Team (IST). This is an exciting opportunity to work within a multidisciplinary team supporting individuals with complex communication and behavioural needs, helping to improve outcomes and reduce the need for hospital admissions.

The successful candidate will provide specialist assessment, intervention and consultation for individuals supported by the Intensive Support Team (IST) and Learning Disability Inpatient Services. Working closely with service users, carers and multidisciplinary colleagues, you will play a key role in delivering person-centred care and supporting positive outcomes.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience working with people with learning disabilities and/or autism.
• Is confident assessing and supporting individuals with complex communication needs.
• Works well as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Has excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Is passionate about delivering person-centred care and improving service user outcomes.

If you are looking for a rewarding role where you can make a real difference, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work as a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist within the Adult Learning Disability Intensive Support Team, providing specialist assessment, advice and intervention for adults with a learning disability who present with communication and/or dysphagia needs. The role will support people in the community who may be experiencing increased risk, crisis, or complexity, and will contribute to admission prevention, safe care planning and effective discharge pathways.

The post holder will provide a defined satellite Speech and Language Therapy contribution to The Hollies Learning Disability Ward, supporting continuity of care between community and inpatient pathways. This will include specialist assessment, formulation, intervention planning, dysphagia management, communication support, staff advice and contribution to multidisciplinary risk management and discharge planning.

The post holder will work autonomously within professional and organisational standards, maintaining HCPC registration and RCSLT professional guidance.

The post holder will manage and prioritise a specialist caseload, support clinical decision-making, contribute to service development, participate in audit and quality improvement activity, and support the development of communication-friendly and dysphagia-aware practice across Adult Learning Disability Services.

Working for our organisation

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health and social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting and empowering them to lead fulfilling lives.

Our clinical teams deliver a wide range of NHS services across inpatient, primary care and community settings, including children’s, adult and older people’s mental health, forensic and specialist mental health, learning disabilities, primary care and liaison psychiatry, substance misuse, social care, and research and development.

To achieve our goals, we recruit high calibre candidates who share our vision and values. As an equal opportunities’ employer, we welcome applications from all sections of the community, particularly under represented groups including people with long term conditions and members of our ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ communities.

All appointments for new employees to CPFT are subject to the successful completion of a probationary period.

Please note we reserve the right to close adverts early should we receive sufficient applications.

Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all roles. If you apply for a post that does not attract sponsorship, your application will be withdrawn from the process.

For further information on CPFT, please visit our website at https://www.cpft.nhs.uk

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.

1. To provide specialist Speech and Language Therapy assessment, diagnosis and intervention for adults with a learning disability who present with communication, eating, drinking and swallowing needs.

2. To independently manage and prioritise a specialist caseload within the Intensive Support Team, using clinical reasoning, risk assessment and evidence-based practice to inform intervention and support planning.

3. To provide defined sessional Speech and Language Therapy input to The Hollies Learning Disability Assessment and Treatment Service, supporting assessment, care planning, dysphagia management, communication support and discharge planning.

4. To assess and support people with complex communication needs through accessible information, reasonable adjustments, Total Communication approaches and Augmentative and Alternative Communication where appropriate.

5. To undertake dysphagia assessment and intervention in line with professional competency, local policy and clinical governance requirements, including development of safe eating and drinking recommendations and risk management plans.

6. To contribute to multidisciplinary assessment, formulation, care planning, positive behaviour support, safeguarding, capacity related discussions, risk review and discharge planning.

7. To provide timely specialist advice to colleagues, carers, families and providers regarding communication support, dysphagia management, reasonable adjustments and communication-friendly practice.

8. To work autonomously within professional and organisational boundaries, seeking advice and support appropriately through supervision and professional networks.

Person specification

Education

• Current HCPC registration as a Speech and Language Therapist.
• Dysphagia competency or commitment to maintain/develop dysphagia competency as required for the role.
• RCSLT membership

Experience

• Experience working with adults with learning disabilities and complex communication needs
• Experience of dysphagia assessment, intervention and risk management.
• Experience within community learning disability or intensive support services.
• Experience of inpatient learning disability pathways.

Knowledge

• Specialist knowledge of communication and dysphagia needs in adults with learning disabilities
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including ability to produce clear clinical records and reports.
• Understanding of safeguarding, consent, mental capacity, clinical governance and professional accountability.
• Understanding of audit, quality improvement and service development.

Here at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) we are dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion. We deliver many of the NHS services that are provided outside of hospital and in the community such as physical, mental health and specialist services.

We are a health and social care organisation, offering a wide range of services, including:

• Integrated physical and mental health services for adults and older people;
• Specialist mental health and learning disability services;
• Children’s community services in Peterborough;
• Ground-breaking research

We strongly encourage applications from all sections of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including disabled people and members of our ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ communities. For further information about our positive equality, diversity and Inclusion work, please visit https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/equalityanddiversity .

CPFT is looking to build upon its pool of temporary workers with Temporary Staffing Services (TSS). You will be asked at interview if you would be willing to register with TSS. This is an excellent opportunity for those looking to take on additional hours that are flexible around your personal circumstances.

Please be advised that in line with the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List, 2020 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust currently are unable to accept applications from overseas candidates whose country of residence is classed as a ‘Red List’ country.

Applicants who require entry into the UK will be required to provide a valid police certificate from the relevant authority from each country (except the UK) where the applicant has been present for 12 months or more, 10 years before the date of visa application, while aged 18 or over.

If you are successful at interview you will be subject to pre-employment checks, including a DBS (if appropriate), references and Occupational Health. To ensure a smooth process please bring all identity documents to your interview. A list of required identity documents will be attached to your interview invitation.

All communications will be sent to you via TRAC Systems. By applying for this post you are agreeing to CPFT transferring the information contained in this application to TRAC. If you are made an offer, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.