Speech & Language Therapist Advanced Practitioner (Experts At Hand)

Sirona Care & Health C.I.C.; West of England; Remote; GBP 58,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Agenda for Change salary

full NHS benefits

27+ days annual leave

NHS Pension Scheme

Job summary

Sirona care and health CIC seeks two experienced Speech and Language Therapists to join the Experts at Hand programme as Advanced Practitioners across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. You will provide strategic leadership to drive system-wide improvement and embed an inclusive, needs-led SEND model in education settings.

You will work across education, health and care, partnering with schools, authorities and NHS bodies to enhance access to SLT expertise and support workforce

Qualifications

• HCPC Registration as a Speech and Language Therapist.
• MSc Advanced Practice, Leadership, Education, Public Health or equivalent postgraduate qualification.
• Practice Educator, Coaching, Mentoring or Leadership qualification.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of local SEND priorities and support national SEND reforms across BNSSG.
• Provide strategic SLT leadership across education, health and care systems.
• Influence SLT integration in mainstream education for earlier intervention and inclusive approaches.
• Collaborate with schools, local authorities, ICB, NHS providers and SEND partners to drive system-wide improvement.
• Support workforce development through coaching, consultation, supervision and capacity-building.
• Use data and evidence to inform service development and reduce inequalities.
• Champion co-production with children, young people and families.
• Contribute to sustainable needs-led SEND system development.

Skills

Advanced practice

CPD for AP

Leadership development

System transformation

Education

HCPC Registration as SLT

MSc Advanced Practice

Leadership qualification (Practice Educator/Coaching/mentoring)

Job description

Job summary

Are you passionate about driving meaningful change for children, young people and families? Join us in creating more inclusive education systems where children and young people with speech, language and communication needs can access the right support, at the right time, in the right place.

We are seeking two experienced Speech and Language Therapists to join the Experts at Hand programme as Advanced Practitioners across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG). These exciting roles will support delivery of the SEND reform programme and help increase access to Speech and Language Therapy expertise within education settings for children and young people.

Working across education, health and SEND partnerships, you will provide strategic leadership to drive system wide improvement. Collaborating with schools, local authorities, and health, you will help embed the Experts at Hand model and support more inclusive, needs-led approaches to SEND support.

This is a unique opportunity to influence change at scale across a whole health, education and care system, while developing your expertise across the four pillars of advanced practice: clinical practice, leadership, education and research.

If you are looking to combine your clinical expertise with strategic leadership and system transformation to create lasting improvements for children, young people and their families, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

• Play a leading role in delivering local SEND priorities and supporting the implementation of national SEND reforms across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
• Provide strategic Speech and Language Therapy leadership across education, health and care systems, helping to improve outcomes for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.
• Influence how Speech and Language Therapy expertise is integrated within mainstream education settings, supporting earlier intervention and more inclusive approaches to meeting need.
• Work in partnership with schools, local authorities, the Integrated Care Board, NHS providers and wider SEND partners to drive system-wide improvement and transformation.
• Support workforce development through coaching, consultation, supervision and capacity-building, strengthening the confidence and capability of professionals working with children and young people.
• Use data, evidence and service intelligence to inform service development, reduce inequalities and improve access to support.
• Champion co-production with children, young people and families, ensuring their experiences help shape service development and future system design.
• Contribute to the development of a sustainable, needs-led SEND system that enables children and young people to access the right support at the right time.

About us

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 and 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.

Details

Closing date: 13 November 2026

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 8a

Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number: 083-8402716-WW

Location: Sirona care and health CIC, Badminton Road, Bristol, BS37 5AF

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Essential: HCPC Registration as a Speech and Language Therapist.
• Desirable: MSc Advanced Practice, Leadership, Education, Public Health or equivalent postgraduate qualification
• Desirable: Practice Educator, Coaching, Mentoring or Leadership qualification.

Skills

• Essential: Evidence of advanced practice capability aligned to the NHSE Multi-Professional Framework for Advanced Practice, or working towards this.
• Essential: Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to advanced practice, leadership, education and service improvement.
• Essential: Commitment to attain recognised advanced practice credentials, including MSc Advanced Practice or equivalent portfolio route where not already achieved
• Desirable: Understanding of local, regional and national workforce priorities for Speech and Language Therapy.
• Desirable: Experience of SEND system improvement programmes.

Experience

• Essential: Significant post-registration experience as a Speech and Language Therapist working with children and young people
• Essential: Experience of leading service improvement, transformation or quality improvement initiatives
• Essential: Experience of service level leadership and influencing and working across organisational boundaries.
• Essential: Experience of co-production with children, young people and families.
• Desirable: Experience of SEND system improvement programmes.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact: Grainne Rogers, Head of Children's Therapies and SEND, [e-mail], 07880300631

We are committed to equality of opportunity and to being a place where all belong.