Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist for Learning Disability
Job overview
Band 7 Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) in Learning Disability
Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust’s Children and Young People’s (CYP) Therapies Service is excited to be able to offer an exciting fixed term Band 7 opportunity to cover a maternity leave within it’s Speech and Language Therapy Team. The post would be fixed term for 9 months.
Are you looking to extend your leadership skills, as well as continuing to develop your skills in supporting CYP to develop their speech, language and communication skills? If so, this opportunity could be just right for you.
We are looking to recruit to 0.6 WTE on a fixed term basis, with the postholder being based in the West of Hertfordshire, predominantly in the Hemel Hempstead area. This role will involve travelling across West Hertfordshire to support Learning Disability (LD) settings and to provide clinical support to less experienced SLT/SLT Assistant staff.
Main duties of the job
As a Band 7 Highly Specialist SLT in Learning Disability (LD), your role will involve:
- Continuing to develop your specialist clinical skills in LD
- Working within specified LD provisions within West Hertfordshire
- Supporting staff to deliver the speech and language therapy service, and liaising with key education staff about service provision & approaches to support pupils within the schools
- Ensuring that quality systems are in place across LD school settings in Hertfordshire, including monitoring and providing feedback to less experienced colleagues and providing specific clinical support as required
We offer:
- Half termly group professional supervision and peer support
- Working as part of a supportive team of highly specialist SLTs who have vast experience of working within specialist provisions
- Regular managerial supervision and a well-established appraisal system
- Both internal and external CPD opportunities such as bitesize tutorials, peer review, CENs
- A 2 week induction period where you will have the opportunity to observe and shadow colleagues across a range of clinical areas / settings
- Regular meetings with Clinical Quality Leads and Operational Leads to plan and implement service delivery and service development
Working for our organisation
If you are looking for somewhere to make a real difference and are passionate about helping CYP access the right support at the right time to help them stay safe, and thrive in their development, a career with us may be just what you're looking for.At HCT we strive to make a difference to the health and wellbeing of our communities.
We are proud to be an organisation which focuses on our people, and we welcome people who share our values to come and work with us.
Our shared values support the development of a strong working culture, guiding and inspiring all of our actions and decisions. They enable us to be better at what we do ensuring we provide the highest quality of care to our patients.
Our patients, their families and carers are at the centre of our vision - Outstanding Services and Healthier Communities
Our staff are proud to be Innovative, Caring and Agile in their work to help achieve the Trust vision
We welcome diversity in our workforce and are interested in applicants from all backgrounds and ages
You’ve made a great decision to apply to join to HCT - we’re looking forward to taking the next steps of the journey with you
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see Job Description attached, which details the responsibilities within this post.
You will be joining an innovative and agile CYP Therapies service committed to delivering high quality care and transforming lives. Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust provides Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Services for families across the county.Our service is jointly commissioned by health and education, allowing us to provide a seamless pathway of care from early years through to schools, specialist provisions and further education settings.
Successful candidates will be enthusiastic and motivated. Advanced communication, clinical reasoning and organisational skills are essential. You must be a team player but be able to work autonomously and have the ability to champion the needs of children and young people through upskilling the wider workforce.As a highly specialist SLT, there will be opportunities for you to facilitate professional supervision groups and provide managerial supervision to less experienced colleagues.
You will be joining a well-established, supportive team of therapists and assistants. CYP Therapies at HCT pride ourselves on the support we provide to staff. Please see below comments from a current member of the team:
“I love working in CYPT/HCT - everyone in the team is super dedicated. There is strong management support, but also space for being flexible and creative to meet children’s needs; innovation & good practice is valued and encouraged. I enjoy & appreciate the robust supervision structures, training in supervision & coaching, and the many opportunities for personal development and learning, including for example in-house training days and tutorials.I have worked in many teams across Hertfordshire, all without exception friendly and welcoming. There is an ethos of peer support and encouragement & sharing learning; everyone works hard but there is a sense of belonging and always time for a quick chat… and plenty of laughs.
I feel valued here and I value my lovely colleagues and the fabulous children & young people we work with.”
If you have any questions at all or you would like to come and visit us, please do contact us - we are only too happy to help and would love to tell you more about our Service.
A full valid driving licence and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).
In addition to the basic salary, this post attracts a High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of basic salary subject to a minimum payment of £1,192 and a maximum payment of £2,011 per annum (pro rata where applicable and dependent on base location).
If you would like to contact us for further information about this post, please contact Katie Tucker, Operational Manager, on 07833 237273.
Interview date: 20th May 2025
Person specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential criteria- Degree or equivalent in Speech and Language Therapy with experience and highly specialist knowledge in paediatric speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) acquired through further theoretical training, and experience to Master’s level or equivalent relevant to complex communication needs.
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent (post graduate diploma or MSc in Speech and Language Therapy leading to registration with HCPC)
- HCPC Licence to Practice, Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, Membership of relevant CEN.
- Continued Professional Development evidenced by attendance at short specialist postgraduate courses to maintain and develop own specialist knowledge and expertise.
Experience and Knowledge
Essential criteria- In depth and expert knowledge of a range of appropriate assessment tools and therapeutic interventions relevant to the service, and high level clinical skills in assessment, diagnosis and intervention.
- Working knowledge of electronic patient record system.
- Evidence of involvement in service policy development in area of specialism.
- Knowledge of NHS, Education Policy and directives including Tribunals where these impact on area of specialism or service delivery.
- Experience of supervising students and less experienced staff.
- Experience of working in the relevant specialist clinical area, e.g. working with a learning disability caseload and working within learning disability settings
- Evidence of delivering specialist training in area of learning disability
- To demonstrate some knowledge of power-based AAC including hardware, software and access methods and have experience of supporting CYP with complex needs who require a range of AAC.
Skills and abilities
Essential criteria- Excellent communication skills both oral and written, including the ability to liaise and negotiate
- Ability to communicate effectively at all levels across organisations and with a range of audiences.
- Knowledge of barriers to understanding and ability to explain complex issues simply.
- Able to analyse and interpret complex data
- Excellent group presentation skills both written and verbal, as well as computer literate including use of Excel spreadsheets, databases and PowerPoint, Word.
- Knowledge of barriers to understanding & ability to explain complex issues simply.
Other
Essential criteria- Hold a full valid driving licence and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).