Specialist Speech and Language Therapist Oulton ,Lowestoft

Are you an experienced Speech and Language Therapist looking for your next challenge? Do you thrive on autonomy, clinical complexity, and multidisciplinary collaboration? Would you love the opportunity to shape and develop specialist SLT provision within community adult learning disability services?

We are looking for a proactive, passionate, and motivated Specialist SLT to join our Adult Community LD Service in Lowestoft. You will work as an integral part of a dynamic, skilled, and supportive MDT including psychologists, nurses, doctors, occupational therapists, clinical support workers, and assistant practitioners.

In this rewarding role, you will support individuals with a learning disability with complex mental and physical health needs, helping them regain independence, build meaningful communication pathways, and make informed decisions about their care.

If you thrive in environments where you can use your expertise, shape service delivery, and make a genuine difference every day, then we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job:

• Assess communication needs using standardised and non-standardised assessments
• Provide assessment and intervention for dysphagia
• Provide assessment and intervention as part of a multi-disciplinary team approach
• Engage with service users, carers and family throughout the treatment process to ensure that co-production is at the centre of care.
• Devise, deliver, monitor, and evaluate treatment plans, modifying where necessary.
• Devise, deliver, monitor, and evaluate training and support packages for family and carers.
• Report verbally and in writing observation and assessment of service users.
• Attend/lead clinical meetings (e.g. multi-disciplinary team meetings, case conferences, reviews, and complex case discussions) as needed and contribute to the discussion on professional and service issues.
• Engage with agreed team processes e.g. duty.

About us:

At Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, inclusion is at the heart of how we work. We are committed to creating a fair, transparent and accessible recruitment process where every candidate has the opportunity to succeed.

We actively encourage applications from people from all backgrounds, particularly those currently underrepresented in our workforce, including those from the global majority. We recognise that not everyone has equal access to opportunities and are working to address this.

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and ensuring all candidates receive a positive and equitable experience.

Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing experiences and learning from each other. In addition to ongoing training and development opportunities, we are committed to providing an environment in which you can thrive.

Why work for us?

We have challenges as a Trust, but we have ambitious aspirations, are pushing ahead with exciting transformation work and we need dedicated individuals to support us on our journey. We have strong, established professional networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about.

Job responsibilities:

• Work as an integrated member of the Multi-Disciplinary team
• Embed the Speech and Language Therapy process and pathway into the clinical area
• Use specialist knowledge to independently assess, diagnose, and provide intervention, across the full range of speech, language, and communication needs for the served population
• Where possible, devise and use/facilitate use of appropriate and person-centred verbal and non-verbal communication tools e.g. pictures, symbols, AAC devices
• Work collaboratively with service users to set focused treatment goals
• Contribute to Positive Behaviour Support Plans (PBSP).
• Provide specialist clinical advice relevant to your area
• Engage with service users, carers and family throughout the treatment process to ensure that co-production is at the centre of care
• Be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, including caseload management and direct clinical care.
• Work autonomously and manage own workload, balancing clinical work and supporting professional activities
• Obtain and record informed consent from patients and/or their significant others at each contact in accordance with Trust policy and the legal requirements of the MH Act and the MCA and DoLs.
• Provide support for colleagues in making information accessible for patients, in accordance with Greenlight standards and NSFT trust strategy
• Work alone across a wide range of settings including specialist residential and day services, work and education environments, hospital sites, and homes as appropriate
• Attend/lead clinical meetings (e.g. multi-disciplinary team meetings, case conferences, reviews, and complex case discussions) as needed and contribute to the discussion on professional and service issues.
• Where appropriate to deputise for the Therapy Lead/Clinical Lead
• Adhere to the HCPC Standards of Proficiency and maintain a CPD portfolio
• Engage with clinical and management supervision in accordance with trust policy
• Attend mandatory training according to trust policy
• Provide support to junior staff and students

Person Specification:Qualifications:

• Essential: Degree in Speech & Language Therapy, Post graduate dysphagia qualification
• Desirable: Makaton or sign language qualification, Further communication training

Experience:

• Essential: Experience of working with people with a learning disability, Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary setting, Experience of delivering teaching/training
• Desirable: Experience of supervising SLT assistants and/or SLT students

Knowledge and Skills:

• Essential: Experience of using a range of SLT assessments and interventions with people with a learning disability, Knowledge of relevant local and national documents and guidance in relation to PLD
• Desirable: Knowledge of using intensive interaction, talking mats, social stories

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.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.