Specialist Speech & Language Therapist - Community

Integrated Care System; Teignbridge; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in South Devon seeks a Specialist Speech & Language Therapist for a fixed-term contract covering maternity leave. The role involves managing complex cases and working with a diverse patient population in a supportive, integrated care environment. Candidates must have relevant qualifications and at least two years of post-graduate experience.

Qualifications

• Degree in speech and language therapy required.
• Minimum 2 years post-graduate experience in adult neurological rehabilitation.
• Experience with progressive neurological conditions is essential.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of community patients with complex speech and swallowing difficulties.
• Triaging referrals and prioritizing patient needs.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams for patient care.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Sensitivity

Teamwork

Education

Degree or equivalent in speech and language therapy

HCPC Registration

RCSLT Registration

Post-graduate qualification in dysphagia management

Job description

Go back Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Specialist Speech & Language Therapist - Community

The closing date is 09 July 2025

The Adult Community Speech & Language Therapy Team have an exciting opportunity for a dynamic and experienced band 6 Therapist to join our friendly and supportive team for a year's fixed term contract to cover maternity leave, based in beautiful South Devon, with easy access to beautiful beaches and moors.

We are an innovative and motivated team within a supportive and collaborative environment that offers:

• An opportunity to work with a varied caseload, including Parkinson's Disease, dementia, stroke and MND.
• Access to instrumental swallowing assessment - in particular our well developed Fees service.
• 1:1 regular management supervision.
• Access to clinical supervision 1:1 and in peer groups.
• Joint working and second opinions with our clinical specialists.
• Regular opportunities for CPD
• A car owner/driver and current driving licence is essential or full access to a car for work purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and 2005).

Main duties of the job

Responsible for triaging referrals to the Speech and Language Therapy Community Adult service alongside SLT colleagues

Independently manage a caseload of community patients with highly complex speech, language, communication and swallowing (dysphagia) difficulties with reference to theory, published research and evidence, and agreed best practice

Prioritise and respond to referrals, allocating to less experienced colleagues and exercising professional judgement based on extended clinical experience

Provide a service as appropriate to hospitals, nursing, residential homes and patients own homes, using own car to travel between relevant locations for clinic visits, meetings etc.

Function as part of a multi-disciplinary team including doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social services personnel, social care, and dietitians

Weekend working and home working may be required in order to provide a service model that meets future requirements

About us

Why Work With Us

We are a small, friendly team of dynamic and enthusiastic therapists and support workers.

We work as part of an integrated care organisation, the first in the UK, serving rural and urban communities in South Devon. The demography has a high elderly population

We provide well led acute, community and specialist services, to people from the local area, and were one of the first to run therapist led FEES clinics in the UK

Our visionis to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education and support for our clinicians

Job responsibilities

Independently manage a caseload of community patients with highly complex speech, language, communication and swallowing (dysphagia) difficulties with reference to theory, published research and evidence, and agreed best practice

Responsible for triaging referrals to the Speech and Language Therapy Community Adult service alongside SLT colleagues

Prioritise and respond to referrals, allocating to less experienced colleagues and exercising professional judgement based on extended clinical experience

Provide appropriate and timely information to all relevant members of the healthcare team regarding patients speech and language therapy requirements and changes in progress

Identify patient priorities and choices and plan intervention to accurately incorporate these wishes

Explore the use of remote therapy and be able to flex into this form of therapy if service need dictates

Submit regular data about activity levels as required

Maintain close collaboration with other members of the multidisciplinary team through joint working and effective communication regarding treatment aims, progress and discharge planning (providing written reports and referrals as appropriate)

Provide appropriate and timely information to all relevant members of the healthcare team regarding patients rehabilitative requirements and changes in progress and communicate complex condition-related information to clients, carers, families and members of the MDT in a way that is accessible and easily understood.

Person Specification

Qualifications and training

• oDegree or equivalent in speech and language therapy
• oHCPC Registration
• oRCSLT Registration
• oPost-graduate qualification in dysphagia management or sign off of all dysphagia competencies at foundation level
• oEvidence of on-going education and professional development

Knowledge and experience

• oSpecialist knowledge of aphasia and dysarthria assessment, diagnosis and management
• oExperience of the assessment and management of clients with progressive neurological conditions
• oHighly developed communication and interpersonal skills, and ability to communicate highly complex information to meet a range of levels of in understanding of clients and carers
• oMinimum 2 years post graduate experience in adult neurological rehabilitation
• oExperience of working with an adult neuro caseload in a community setting
• oSupervision of SLT assistants and less experienced therapists

Specific Skills

• oAble to maintain sensitivity at all times to patients, carers and families, especially when imparting distressing information about the nature and implications of profound, long-term communication and swallowing disorders
• oAble to work as an integral part of a team

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.

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust