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Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
The closing date is 01 September 2025
Older adults community mental health teams (with a focus on Dementia) and Adult Mental Health Inpatient Services (Sherwood Oaks and Highbury Hospital sites).
We are excited to offer a unique opportunity for an enthusiastic and highly motivated Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join the Adult Mental Heath inpatient SLT service and older adult community SLT team. This is an opportunity for an SLT looking to develop specialist skills supporting the communication and swallowing needs of individuals experiencing a range of mental health conditions and Dementia. You will be supported and line managed by Clinical Specialist SLTs and have many opportunities for peer support. You will be joining a forward-thinking and supportive team who work closely with colleagues from a range of disciplines.
You will be joining the team during a period of innovation and growth; whilst we develop the speech, language and communication and dysphagia pathways within ward based and community services. You will enjoy close links with our wider team and our SLT colleagues within the East Midlands, and benefit from excellent levels of support, supervision, and CPD opportunities.
We would welcome SLT's from a diverse range of clinical backgrounds as we recognise the transferable skills that could be beneficial to this post and would support you to develop your specialist skills within this area. You would be welcome to visit our service to find out more and meet our teams.
Main duties of the job
The role requires clinical and professional expertise so that adults with mental health conditions and dementia benefit from a well co-ordinated, pro-active, specialist, efficient and effective speech and language therapy service in community and inpatient settings.
You will be contributing to MDT diagnostic assessment as well as carrying out Speech and Language Therapy assessments and interventions, providing a service for individuals, clinical team and families. You will be responsible for the identification of speech, language and communication needs and supporting clinical teams' understanding of communication differences. You will support in highlighting communication risks and adjustments when formulating as a team and contribute to risk management. You will support with bespoke therapeutic interventions and work with patients, the MDT and carers to plan a safe hospital discharge and support individuals to live well in the community.
The successful candidate will have experience managing a dysphagia caseload but would be supported to develop specialist dysphagia skills. You will be involved in autonomous assessment, treatment and management of dysphagia needs, including developing the workforce's skills in understanding safe eating and drinking practices and dysphagia risks.
The service includes individual assessment, therapy, management, training, advocating, advice and providing consultation to the MDT regarding communication and swallowing needs.
About us
#TeamNottsHC comprises over 11,000 dedicated colleagues who #MakeADifference every day. We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic, and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 200 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings, and secure environments, including prisons..
We are one of the largest mental health and community Trusts in the East Midlands and one of Nottinghamshire's biggest employers. We also host national and regional services, such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health.
We offer a variety of employee-led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, Freedom to Speak Up network, Health and Wellbeing Champions network, and Menopause Champions network. These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity.
The health and wellbeing of our colleagues is a top priority. We invest significantly in this through our in-house occupational health and staff counselling services supported by a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team.
The Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, with a specialised Energy and Environmental team working to ensure compliance with environmental legislation, enhance our environmental performance, and achieve our net-zero commitment.
Job responsibilities
To autonomously undertake specialist speech, language, and communication assessments to identify what reasonable adjustments (Accessible Information Standards) should be in place to support the individuals communication needs and risks.To deliver bespoke therapeutic communication and swallowing interventions working in collaboration with service users, the MDT and carers.To autonomously undertake dysphagia assessments and formulate dysphagia management plans to reduce risk, improve quality of life, and mitigate adverse physical health consequences.Provide support to junior members of the team/SLT students to implement SLT management plans/project work and help deliver supervision opportunities.Attendance at ward based and community mental health MDT meetings to plan for ongoing and accessible care.Support with developing and delivering SLT training to the workforce and providing bespoke training around an individuals communication and/or swallowing needs.To be an ambassador for the SLT team, demonstrating the value of inclusive communication environments and reasonable adjustments.
Please see the job description and person specification for the full list of requirements for this role.
A full UK driving licence and vehicle for business use is required for this post; however reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled individuals in line with the Equality Act 2010.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.
Person Specification
Contractual requirements
* A full UK driving licence and vehicle for business use is required for this post; however reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled individuals in line with the Equality Act 2010.
Qualifications
* Recognised SLT Degree/Diploma
* HCPC Registered
* RCLST Registered
Training
* Relevant post qualification CPD, including specialist knowledge of swallowing and SLCN of service users with mental health diagnoses including dementia
* Post basic dysphagia training or completed competencies
* Post graduate training specific to client group
Experience
* Working experience of autonomously assessing and managing a complex caseload with adults with swallowing, speech, language and communication needs.
* Experience of working with people with dementia and mental health diagnoses
* Experience of effective multi-disciplinary/agency working and established interpersonal and negotiation skills
* Experience of enabling different staff groups to understand issues around communication and/or dysphagia
* Experience of delivering environmental approaches to SLT service delivery and evaluating them
* Experience in using evaluation / audit tools and resources as part of SLT team
* Experience in recognising complexity of pre-exisiting SLCN/diagnoses and current mental health condition e.g. co-morbid ASD and schizoaffective disorder
* Experience of leading/ managing project work
* Experience of designing and delivering different learning and development opportunities for staff teams
* Experience of supporting students and other staff
* Experience of linking communication to risk
Skills
* Excellent written and oral communication skills
* Motivated and a motivator
* Well organised and able to prioritise a caseload
* Empathetic and psychologically minded
* Team builder and team member
* Able to manage own wellbeing with access to support and supervision to help sustain this
* Autonomous and able to work without direct supervision
* Specialist skills in working with adults with dementia and mental health diagnosis
* Experience of supporting other staff and students
* Experience of managing a project or service initiative
Values and Behaviours
* All staff should be able to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as identified within the Trust's Equality and Diversity Policy and associated Equality, Diversity and Human Rights legislation
* All colleagues are expected to demonstrate at interview that they act in line with Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Values: Trust Honesty Respect Compassion Teamwork
Knowledge
* Specialist applied knoweldge of working with adults with swallowing, speech, language and communication needs who have mental health diagnoses and dementia
* Knowledge of communication and dysphagia tools, assessments, interventions relating to client group, including MDT working and across different contexts and environments
* Knowledge of relevant National Policy and guidance and impact on local practice
* Knowledge of Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act
* Specialist knowledge of how speech, language and communication needs contribute to risk assessment and support management.
Physical Requirements
* Has the ability to perform the full range of duties
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.
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Highbury Hospital/ Sherwood Oaks/ Community visits
£38,682 to £46,580 a yearper annum (pro rata for part time)
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
186-1021-25-MH
Job locations
Highbury Hospital/ Sherwood Oaks/ Community visits
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