Speech and Language Therapy Assistant Practitioner

Sirona-Care-; West of England; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Part time

Job summary

Sirona care & health CIC is recruiting an Speech and Language Therapy Assistant Practitioner in Bristol for a 30-hour week. You will work within the SSARU at South Bristol Community Hospital, supporting SLTs to deliver speech, language and swallowing interventions as part of a multidisciplinary team.

The role involves direct and indirect patient contact, administrative tasks, and ensuring quality standards. NHS benefits and 27+ days leave are included.

Qualifications

• Foundation Degree modules or equivalent experience as band 4 therapy support worker
• CPD in neurology, stroke and aphasia/dysphagia
• Experience with patients with communication difficulties
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team

Responsibilities

• Rehabilitation focusing on speech, language and swallowing with direct and indirect patient contact
• Support clinicians with patients with communication, cognitive and swallowing difficulties
• Monitor patient responses, evaluate outcomes and inform therapists
• Provide administrative support for SLTs including materials prep and data collection

Skills

Experience with communication

Team work

IT skills (Outlook/Teams/Excel)

Case load management

Data protection knowledge

Verbal/nonverbal communication

Mental Capacity Act knowledge

Swallowing disorders knowledge

Training others

Education

Foundation Degree modules / Diploma in Clinical Health and Social Care / diploma level 3 or equivalent

CPD in neurology, stroke and aphasia/dysphagia

Job description

Main area Speech & Language Therapy Grade NHS AfC: Band 4 Contract Permanent Hours

• Part time
• Flexible working

30 hours per week (Hours over 7 days including rostered weekends and bank holidays) Job ref 083-8363211-HO

Employer Sirona care & health CIC Employer type NHS Site South Bristol Community Hospital Town Bristol Salary £28,392 - £31,157 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 03/11/2026 23:59

Speech and Language Therapy Assistant Practitioner

NHS AfC: Band 4

Job overview

Please note, we cannot offer a Certificate of Sponsorship for this role. If you currently require a visa to work in the UK, there must be a minimum of 14 months remaining until the expiry date. If you do not disclose your expiry date within your application, it may not be considered.

An exciting opportunity as a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant Practitioner has arisen to work in our team at the Sub-Acute Stroke Rehab Unit (SSARU). A chance to be a member of the direct care team who supports registered SLTs to meet patient needs. You'll be an integral part of making a difference to our community by providing assistance and therapy to patients, providing speech and language rehabilitation to stroke patients and supporting the team as delegated by the registered practitioner.

The SSARU at South Bristol Community Hospital is a rehabilitation unit for people in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire who have experienced a recent stroke. We provide focused therapy in a supported environment. The aim of the SSARU is to support those who’ve had a stroke to achieve or work towards their goals.

This position is based South Bristol Community Hospital (SBCH). Where you will be working in a supportive multi‑disciplinary team that includes Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs), Nurses, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and other AHPs.

This role is for 30 hours per week.

Main duties of the job

As a Speech and language Therapy (SLT) Assistance Practitioner, you will be expected to undertake a range of duties under the direction of Speech and language therapist, providing compassionate assistance and therapy to agreed quality standards.

Some of these duties will include...

• Rehabilitation working on exercises that promote speech, language as well as swallowing. You will providing a range of support that will include both direct and indirect patient contact while being supported by the SLT team.
• Supporting clinicians with patients who have communication, cognitive and swallowing difficulties, following stroke and working within a framework agreed by a registered SLT
• Monitoring patient response to SLT input, evaluating outcomes and adapting input as appropriate, liaising when necessary with therapy staff and other members of the multidisciplinary team. This will involve working under indirect supervision, reporting back patient progress and informing therapists of any problems.
• Providing administrative support for the SLTs teams in terms of preparation of materials, data collection, collation of clinical information, and handover to other teams

Working for our organisation

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.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

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

If you refer to qualifications or employment within your supporting statement, that has not been included in your Qualifications, Training or Employment History, this information may be discounted.

Person specification

Qualification and training

• Successful completion of relevant Foundation Degree modules / Diploma in Clinical Health and Social Care / diploma level 3 or equivalent experience as band 4 therapy support worker
• CPD in neurology, stroke and aphasia/ dysphagia

Skills, Experience and Knowledge

• Previous experience of working with patients/ clients with communication difficulties in a health or social care setting
• Ability to work effectively and contribute as a member of a multi-therapy and multi-disciplinary team
• To be able to use IT for key team functions (e.g. MS Outlook, MS Teams, Excel) as well as specific clinical related uses as required
• The ability to manage, maintain and prioritise own case-load
• An understanding of the law surrounding data protection and confidentiality
• Able to use a range of verbal and non verbal methods of communication
• Working knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act and issues relating to consent
• Some knowledge of swallowing difficulties and management in stroke or other neurological conditions
• Experience of training of others

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.