Specialist Speech & Language Therapist - Stroke

Torbay And South Devon Nhs Foundation Trust; West Alvington; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Part time

Job summary

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to support stroke patients on an acute and rehabilitation ward in Newton Abbot. You will manage complex dysphagia, dysarthria and aphasia caseloads within a multidisciplinary team, prioritising referrals and ensuring safe, evidence-based care.

The role is a fixed-term, part-time post (12 months) based at Templer Ward, Newton Abbot Community Hospital.

Qualifications

• Degree in speech and language therapy is essential.
• HCPC Registration is essential.
• RCSLT Registration is essential.
• Post-graduate qualification in dysphagia management is desirable.
• Ongoing CPD and professional development are expected.

Responsibilities

• Independently manage a caseload of in-patients with complex speech, language and swallowing disorders.
• Triage referrals and allocate to colleagues, using professional judgement.
• Ensure patient safety regarding eating and drinking; document recommendations clearly.
• Provide specialist stroke interventions and evaluate outcomes.
• Assess need for instrumental swallow examination and refer appropriately.
• Adapt and tailor treatment programs with MDT involvement.
• Maintain and develop communication support for patients and carers.
• Write reports reflecting specialist knowledge in adult SLT.

Skills

Autonomous practitioner

Discharge planning

Communication skills

Team working

Clinical governance

CPD to maintain competencies

Stroke rehabilitation experience

Experience with dysphagia assessment

Education

Degree in speech and language therapy

HCPC Registration

RCSLT Registration

Post-graduate qualification in dysphagia management

Tools

Advanced IT skills

Job description

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to work as part of our stroke service offering support to patients /families in our acute and rehab stroke wards in beautiful South Devon, with easy access to wonderful beaches and moors.

As part of our dynamic and fast paced stroke service the post holder will manage a caseload of adults with complex acquired disorders of speech, language, and swallowing following stroke.

The post holder will function as a core member of the stroke multidisciplinary team including doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social services personnel, dietitians and discharge co-ordinators.

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

• 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

To independently manage a caseload of patients on the stroke wards with complex speech, language, communication and swallowing (dysphagia) difficulties with reference to theory, published research and evidence, and agreed best practice.

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

About us

Why Work With Us

You will be joining a well-established and experienced team of dynamic and enthusiastic SLTs and Support Workers who are dedicated to supporting staff and encouraging career development.

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 have a supportive clinical supervision and appraisal structure and regular CPD opportunities

Your SLT and MDT stroke colleagues hold a range of specialist knowledge and expertise and are open to new ideas or perspectives.

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.

Please note: Priority will be given to applicants with recognised 'Priority' or 'At Risk' status, including NHS staff identified across Devon.

Details

• Date posted: 14 September 2026
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 6
• Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year pa pro rata
• Contract: Fixed term
• Duration: 12 months
• Working pattern: Part-time
• Reference number: 388-8233947-FC&I
• Job locations: Templer ward, Newton Abbot Community Hospital, Newton Abbot, TQ12 2TS, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

• To independently manage a caseload of in-patients with complex speech, language, communication and swallowing (dysphagia) difficulties with reference to theory, published research and evidence, and agreed best practice.
• To be responsible for triaging referrals to the Speech and Language Therapy service alongside SLT colleagues.
• To be responsible for ensuring patients safety regarding eating and drinking by assessing, monitoring and updating, and communicating details of safe practice to the patient, medical and ward staff, and carers, ensuring that recommendations are clearly documented
• To provide appropriate specialist stroke intervention and evaluate outcomes
• To make judgements about when to refer patients for instrumental swallowexamination considering the risks and benefits of the procedure.
• To prioritise and decide on appropriate highly specialised treatment programme , matched to individual patient need and to adapt and modify management options based on extended and developing clinical expertise whilst ensuring patient/carers/multi-disciplinary team are fully involved in the decision-making process
• To assess the need for alternative and augmentative means of communication
• To identify where high -tech electronic communication systems are required to meet patient need and to liaise with AAC specialist SLT.
• To use highly developed communication and counselling skills such as reflective listening, open questioning, empathy, and reassurance when explaining highly complex and sensitive information to the full range of levels in understanding of patients and carers, where anxiety frequently acts as a barrier and co-operation is not guaranteed
• To demonstrate empathy and reassurance when providing patients and carers with unwelcome information that has long-term implications for lifestyle and employment e.g. when communication skills will not be recovered and/or oral feeding is no longer an option. To provide counselling and support before onward referral for more formal consultations if judged necessary
• To monitor, recognise, assess and evaluate subtle changes in patients conditions and adapt assessment and treatment programmes accordingly based on extended clinical experience, including in palliative care
• To write reports reflecting specialist knowledge with regards to adults with communication and/or swallowing disorders

Person Specification

Qualifications and training (Essential)

• 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 in the area of stroke neuro-rehabilitation
• Membership of relevant Clinical Excellence Network
• Advanced Clinical Educator

Knowledge and experience (Essential)

• Specialist knowledge of aphasia and dysarthria assessment, diagnosis and management
• Experience of working with stroke patients in the hospital setting.
• Experience of the assessment, diagnosis and management of clients with cognitive communication disorder
• Additional experience in other fields of adult SLT
• Supervision of SLT assistants, rehab support workers and less experienced therapists.
• Can demonstrate an understanding of multi disciplinary team working and individual roles
• Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills, and ability to communicate complex information to meet a range of differing levels of understanding
• Ability to negotiate and explain complex case related information about speech & language development and disorders to a range of audiences
• Independent clinical management of complex caseload with access to regular support from senior staff
• Able to undertake and adapt a wide range of formal and informal assessments to meet patient needs based on extended clinical experience beyond graduate level.
• Able to identify, collect, analyse, and interpret complex case related information
• Able to make a differential diagnosis on the basis of assimilated evidence from assessments - some of which may be conflicting
• Commitment to evidence based practice
• Able to recognise own clinical competencies and the need for onward referral for more specialist advice
• Ability to reflect on practice to identify own strengths and development needs
• Able to demonstrate effective team working
• Highly developed IT skills
• Extended post graduate experience in adult neurological rehabilitation
• Autonomous practitioner with experience of managing a caseload
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team in an acute setting
• Experience of delivering in- service training programmes at a post graduate level
• Experience in facilitating group therapy
• Experience of working with dysphagia at post basic level
• Evidence of CPD to maintain and develop competencies and knowledge base e.g. working with more specialist staff, CENs (RCSLT registered), and short specialist courses, self- directed study
• Experience of working with terminally ill patients
• Experience of prioritisation
• Able to implement and adapt specialised treatment programmes from a range of options based on extended clinical experience
• Knowledge and experience of clinical governance
• Experience of prioritisation
• Experience of working with staff from other agencies
• Experienced clinical educator of students
• Experience of audit projects
• Experience of teaching

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name: Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Templer ward, Newton Abbot Community Hospital, Newton Abbot, TQ12 2TS, United Kingdom

Employer's website: https://www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

For questions about the job, contact: Head of Speech & Language Therapy, Amanda Harris, [e-mail], 07919547361

Specialist Speech & Language Therapist – Stroke • Newton Abbot, United Kingdom