Specialist Speech & Language Therapist in Plymouth

12 month fixed term contract - Starting September 2026! The post-holder will provide maternity cover for specialist speech and language therapy assessment and intervention for adults with a learning disability, many of whom have complex physical and/or emotional needs. The post is a community post based within the multi-disciplinary team of the Plymouth Community Learning Disabilities Team which is part of Livewell Southwest. The post will interest someone who is keen to experience a wider role within SALT increasing their professional development and enjoys working with a multi-disciplinary environment and who is committed to providing a high-quality speech and language therapy service to people with a learning disability and their carers.

The job description and person specification are an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. The job holder will need to be flexible and carry out any other duties as may be reasonably required by their line manager. All Livewell Southwest staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

Main duties of the job:

• The Community Learning Disabilities Team is a multi-disciplinary health team, of which the speech and language therapists are a part. There are 3.0 WTE Band 6 speech and language therapists and 0.3 speech and language therapist assistants within the service.
• The post holder will work within the multi-disciplinary team to provide a specialist speech and language therapy service to adults with a range of learning disabilities within the community.
• The post involves working in a variety of settings e.g. family homes, residential homes, supported living environments, day services, community settings and health settings.
• The work includes provision of training for carers and support staff to develop capable communication environments for people with a learning disability.
• It also includes delivery of training on awareness of dysphagia to be carried out once the post holder has reached the competency of a Level 3 Specialist Dysphagia Practitioner as described in the Eating, Drinking and Swallowing Competency Framework.

About us:

Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs. As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values: kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve.

We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives. We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programmes ensure a smooth transition into our organisation. Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities.

Job responsibilities:

• To have responsibility for managing own speech and language therapy caseload of adults with a range of learning disabilities with guidance and support from senior colleagues, using person-centred principles.
• This caseload is of adults with learning disabilities who have communication impairment and/or dysphagia.
• The caseload includes individuals with complex needs including severe and profound learning disabilities e.g. autism, sensory and/or physical impairment, behavioural and emotional problems, dementia, behaviours which challenge (including verbal and physical aggression directed at self or others), in addition to severe learning disabilities.
• To develop, organise and deliver training programmes with guidance and support from senior colleagues to carers, support staff and other professionals and also to people working mainstream services who have contact with adults with severe learning disabilities.
• These training programmes will be both formal and informal and will focus on communication and/or dysphagia.
• Some of the training is delivered with other members of the multi-disciplinary team.
• To represent speech and language therapy and take an active role in multi-disciplinary working, such as multi-disciplinary allocation meetings, clinical audit groups, core groups supporting the most complex clients, etc.
• To record details of assessment and intervention.
• To write comprehensive reports giving details of the individuals communication skills and difficulties, and strategies that have been shown to promote more effective communication.
• To keep clear and accurate case notes (normally electronic) and all other necessary records to meet both professional standards, and the standards of the Record Keeping Policy of Livewell Southwest.

Please note - This isn't the full Job Description; This can be found within the supporting documents section, including the additional information for all posts.

Person Specification:

• Qualifications: Recognised Degree or equivalent to practice as a Speech and Language Therapist. Currently registered as a qualified Speech and Language Therapist with HCPC.
• Successful completion of the Speech and Language Therapy Competency Framework for Newly Qualified practitioners.
• Specialist dysphagia practitioner level as described in Inter-professional Dysphagia Competencies.
• Completion of basic and advanced level supervision of students course.
• Has attended relevant courses on issues that impact on the lives of people with learning disability e.g. Person-Centred Planning, autism, behaviours that challenge and social skills.
• Has attended postgraduate training for development of specialist skills in the use of communication programs, such as Intensive interaction, Makaton signing, Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS) and the use of communication aids.

Knowledge:

• Proven ability in selecting, adapting and interpreting a wide range of specialist therapeutic interventions.
• Knowledge of relevant professional and NHS issues.
• Specialist knowledge and understanding in the needs of people with a learning disability who have autistic spectrum disorders and the needs of people with a learning disability who have behaviours that can challenge.

Specific Skills:

• Able to communicate information effectively to a variety of people, with different levels of knowledge and skills.
• IT skills including word processing, use of the internet and email and the use of software designed for use as part of intervention with an individual with communication difficulties.
• Proven ability in successfully managing difficult situations, such as when there is a conflict of opinion about how an individual's needs are best met.
• Commitment to lifelong learning.

Experience:

• Relevant experience as a speech and language therapist.
• Ability to form relationships and communicate with individuals with disabilities who have a wide range of communication difficulties.
• Experience of design, delivery and evaluating training for parents, carers and other professionals on issues relating to communication and/or dysphagia in people with a learning disability.

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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.