Speech and Language Therapy Assistant | Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Overview

Water Meadow View is a new mental health inpatient unit for adults with learning disabilities, due to open in Winter 2025 on our site in Whittingham, Preston. We have an exciting opportunity for a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant to join us and support the Multi-Disciplinary Team to deliver outstanding person-centred care. The post holder will work under the direction of a qualified Speech and Language Therapist to deliver a range of interventions to support assessment and intervention of the Speech, Language and Communication needs (SLCN) of service users with learning disabilities and a mental health diagnosis referred to Water Meadow View. The post holder will work directly with a range of service users to support assessment and to deliver/model therapeutic interventions on an individual basis and in groups within the inpatient environment and other environments as appropriate. Service requirements may involve some flexibility of work hours, and the post holder is expected to respond to service user needs relating to this. When you join us, you\’ll be making a positive impact on the lives of people with a learning disability by delivering person-centred, compassionate care, in a purpose built, co-produced environment, with opportunities for you to learn and develop throughout your career.

Responsibilities

• Support the SLT in the assessment of individuals\’ SLC
• Implement SLC goals as part of an overall care plan
• Promote and support the development of inclusive communication environments
• Contribute to the planning, implementation and modification where necessary of individual and/or group interventions to promote communication and inclusion
• Advise on strategies to reduce the impact of SLCNs on people\’s physical and mental wellbeing and behaviour
• Share insights with MDT colleagues in respect of the impact of a service user\’s SLCNs on their health, wellbeing, behaviour and opportunities for social inclusion
• Enable service users to engage in mainstream activities such as employment/vocation, education, leisure, social networks and community connections
• Respond to service user\’s ongoing and changing mental health needs and monitor a service user\’s risk factor, communicating any changes to MDT colleagues, as necessary
• Contribute to the evaluation of the outcomes of interventions and ensure support regarding health & wellbeing is effective and acceptable to the individual client and, if appropriate, their carers/families
• Undertake delegated tasks to contribute to the safe and smooth running of the service

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care. The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.

Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working; we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.