Specialist Speech & Language Therapist
Driven by our Trust values: Honesty, Empathy, Ambition, Respect; the Trust's vision is to provide high quality care to the diverse communities we serve to make their lives better.
We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Our cultural diversity, long term conditions and disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ staff networks are a key part of this commitment, creating positive change and helping build an inclusive culture across the Trust.
Different ideas, experiences and backgrounds make us stronger and more creative and applications from all walks of life are welcomed - our processes ensure that all applicants are treated fairly at every stage of the recruitment process.
Options for flexible working are considered for all roles within CCS, including job share opportunities, compressed hours, annualised hours, tailored working patterns and more. If you are interested in flexible working, please talk to the recruiting manager for this vacancy.
Job overview
Are you a newly qualified or experienced speech and language therapist with a passion and drive to develop work around early intervention for children with speech language and communication difficulties and their families? The Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy Service have an exciting vacancy for a Speech and Language Therapist/ Specialist Speech and Language Therapist in Central Bedfordshire.This post will be offered as band 5 or band 6 dependant on experience until 31st March 2026.
The post holder will support families to access early advice for SLCN and work in partnership with both Health and Education colleagues to enhance the provision and knowledge for early identification of SLCN including delivery of training. Candidates should be skilled in working compassionately and effectively with families.
As a Service we provide:
Full Trust and service induction.
Formal and informal training for the role, including shadowing opportunities.
Regular clinical supervision and a mentoring system.
Excellent Continued Professional Development opportunities including in house training and external courses.
Reflective clinical forums and buddying systems.
Regular whole service and locality team meetings.
'If we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after 24.04.2025'
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work with the Early Communication Support Team within the field of preventative practice and early identification.
They will support the delivery of SLT into Children’s Centres and will have day to day responsibility for promoting universal and targeted speech and language activities across Central Bedfordshire.
They will hold a caseload of pre-school children and their families providing support in community settings/groups and home visits.
They will be involved in the promotion of early years workforce development and in data collection around the impact of early identification and intervention of SLCN.
Working for our organisation
Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.
There’s one reason why our services are outstanding – and that’s our amazing staff who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.
If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To manage and prioritise a defined caseload and work with an appropriate degree of autonomy and independence, with regular support/supervision, with children in designated Children’s Centre’s in Central Bedfordshire.
To provide early advice, assessment and support for children within the SLT service pre school pathway, including virtual assessment and advice sessions.
To promote early identification and appropriate treatment, of children with speech and language difficulties.
To work in partnership with health and education colleagues to deliver an integrated support pathway for children in Central Bedfordshire
To deliver training to enhance the skills of the wider workforce around Speech, Language and Communication
To identify training needs, to develop packages/workshops around SLCN to deliver the training independently.
To identify, assess and diagnose and treat communication impairments and select appropriate patients and type of therapy for effective treatment
To develop clinical skills and professional knowledge through experience, training and supervision.
Independently take students on placements for clinical teaching and supervision, including exam placement.
Be responsible for the supervision of SLT unqualified staff and volunteers.
Person specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential criteria- degree in Speech and Language Therapy
- HCPC registration
- Evidence of appropriate CPD
Knowlede and Skills
Essential criteria- Inclusive approach, promoting involvement and engagement
- Well established knowledge about developmental speech and language disorders
- In-depth knowledge of a broad range of assessment procedures relevant to the client group
- Knowledge of best practice and developing trends in clinical specialism
- Understanding of the impact of local cultural, linguistic and demographic factors that influence service delivery in own area of clinical specialism
Experience
Essential criteria- Knowledge of a range of paediatric clinical disorders, assessments and appropriate therapeutic interventions
- Evidence of working in an integrated way with partner organisations.
- Delivered training to a range of colleagues
- Experience of working in Early Years.
- Relevant experience of assessment and intervention in children.
- Recent and comprehensive experience working in community clinics, schools and pre-schools
Both have a strong track record, with the highest ratings from the Care Quality Commission, best in class NHS staff survey outcomes, and a decade of experience in innovation and clinical development.
The group model provides health and care services to a population of 3.2 million in their homes and neighbourhoods. We provide care that supports people from the very beginning to the very end of their lives.
We will remain 2 separate employers until further notice and the specific role being advertised will be in employed by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust
Certificate of Sponsorship
For roles that are eligible for sponsorship, applications from job seekers who require Skilled Worker Visa to work in the UK are welcome, and will be considered alongside all other applications. You are strongly advised to visit Check if you need a UK Visa website (Opens in a new tab), and familiarise yourself with what is required which should assist you in your understanding of the process
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years.Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here. (Opens in a new tab)
UK Registration
For roles that require professional registration, applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new tab)
Our safe recruitment pre-employment checks are undertaken before an appointment is confirmed and may include a DBS check. Where the role requires you to drive, we'll ask you to validate your driving licence online via the DVLA.
In submitting an application, you authorise Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process should you be appointed.
ALL CORRESPONDENCE will be via the e-mail address on your application form. If you have not been invited to interview within 2 weeks of the closing date, you unfortunately haven’t been successful on this occasion, but keep an eye on our vacancies as a job that’s just right for you may appear!