Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

The closing date is 15 April 2026

Job summary

The Harbour is an exciting multi-agency service, focusing on adolescents, supporting young people to stay in a family setting and/or reducing any time they have to spend in a children's home. The Harbour operates a Hub model co-located to ensure support and shared understanding and learning from our partners.

We are looking for enthusiastic, talented, and experienced Speech and Language Therapists to deliver a comprehensive and specialist service to The Harbour Service team and the young people with whom they work. Working alongside an established Speech and Language Therapist, the successful candidate/s will plan, develop and coordinate a communication therapy service for children and young people known to The Harbour Service who have vulnerabilities and complex communication needs. You will be part of a supportive, integrated multi-agency team alongside a number of other specialist roles embedded in The Harbour Service including the Police, a Psychologist, Senior Youth Practitioners and Youth Practitioners .

The successful candidate will part of Dorset Healthcare's Children and Young People's Speech and Language Therapy Service. Come and join an inspirational team and be part of something really special!

This is a fixed term role and for those with current NHS service, the role will be offered on a secondment basis only. Please obtain permission to be released on a secondment before submitting an application.

Main duties of the job

You will be responsible for planning, developing and co-ordinating a speech and language therapy service to children including those who have Speech, Language and Communication needs (SLCN). There is a strong advisory element within this role. The recipients of the service will be normally aged between 11-19 years of age or up to 25 years of age where the individual has a special education need or a disability/Education Health and Care Plan.

You will be based within The Harbour East Service providing a Speech and Language Therapy service to the young people in contact with The Harbour and to their families, the staff and the partner agencies, and including with those in, on the edge of and leaving care.

The post involves identification at highly specialist level of the type of communication disorder found in this client group and the provision of a menu of appropriate interventions, including individual and group programmes to the young people and their staff.

You will work closely with staff to facilitate their communication skills with this client group. As part of this work the post holder will undertake the training of The Harbour staff and staff in partner agencies to raise awareness of the types of communication difficulties faced by young people and strategies to facilitate their communication. The post holder will provide information to the service lead and relevant management and strategic groups.

About us

At Dorset HealthCare we're on a mission to empower people to make the most of their lives through our outstanding, joined-up healthcare services. We're a dynamic, forward-looking Trust, running 12 community hospitals, specialist inpatient facilities and a wide range of integrated community and mental health services for a population of almost 800,000 people.

We do things differently here - it's one of the reasons the CQC rated us 'outstanding' in 2019. It's also why 95% of patients across our services say they have a good or very good experience of our services and 89% of staff feel they can really make a difference. Whether you're looking to work with us in one of our bustling market towns, vibrant urban locations, thriving seaside spots, or among the rolling hills of Dorset, there are lots of ways you can make a difference in our communities.

Our 7,000-strong workforce is at the heart of what we do and our success is a testament to our brilliant people. We're all about building a workplace for the future, we believe in equal opportunities and we celebrate diversity. We're an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be authentic, and we are all encouraged to be the best version of ourselves.

Working with us you'll be part of a strong team, challenge yourself, build a career, and teach us what we don't know. And you'll be working towards our vision to be better every day through excellence, compassion and expertise in all we do.

Details

Date posted

01 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£24,693 to £28,257 a year p.a.

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

152-M605.25

Job locations

Dorset

Carey Camp, Carey Road

Wareham

BH20 7PB


Job description

Job responsibilities

For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post.

We understand that using AI can be a useful and supportive tool when completing your application. However, we have also seen an increase in the over-reliance of AI tools which is negatively impacting applications as they remove candidates individuality, and it becomes much harder to get a sense of who you are and your authentic experience. If you do use AI, it should be used to enhance your application and not to create your supporting statement in its entirety. If we suspect you have used AI to create your supporting statement and this does not match your experience, we may withdraw your application.

As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare offers support for people getting into work. We offer an employability service to support individuals with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support, please do contact dhc.wideningparticipation@nhs.net

Job description

Job responsibilities

For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post.

We understand that using AI can be a useful and supportive tool when completing your application. However, we have also seen an increase in the over-reliance of AI tools which is negatively impacting applications as they remove candidates individuality, and it becomes much harder to get a sense of who you are and your authentic experience. If you do use AI, it should be used to enhance your application and not to create your supporting statement in its entirety. If we suspect you have used AI to create your supporting statement and this does not match your experience, we may withdraw your application.

As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare offers support for people getting into work. We offer an employability service to support individuals with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support, please do contact dhc.wideningparticipation@nhs.net

Person Specification

Knowledge, skills and training

Essential

  • Registered practitioner to degree/diploma level supplemented by minimum PG dip (120 credits) at level 7 or working towards in a relevant subject, or demonstrable extensive experience in the relevant specialty
  • Membership of the relevant Professional Body
  • Evidence of recent professional development in an up-to-date portfolio

Job specific experience

Essential

  • Recent experience at Band 6 level
  • Able to demonstrate specialist expertise and knowledge underpinned by theory acquired through CPD in relation to clinical assessment, treatment and evaluation.
  • Able to actively research for the potential to improve quality and customer care, seeking new ideas and methods to improve health care.
  • Evidence of involvement in the development of programmes of care, protocols and audit.

Managerial/Supervisory

Essential

  • Evidence of proactive involvement in the supervision and development of members of the multi-disciplinary team.
  • Evidence of delivering education and training in practice.

Personal skills

Essential

  • Able to analyse and assess situations and to interpret potentially conflicting situations and determine appropriate action, where there is a range of options and judgement is required.
  • Experience of planning and organising complex activities requiring the formulation and adjustment of plans .e.g. organising own time, co-ordination with other agencies and plans for sudden, unforeseen circumstances.
Person Specification

Knowledge, skills and training

Essential

  • Registered practitioner to degree/diploma level supplemented by minimum PG dip (120 credits) at level 7 or working towards in a relevant subject, or demonstrable extensive experience in the relevant specialty
  • Membership of the relevant Professional Body
  • Evidence of recent professional development in an up-to-date portfolio

Job specific experience

Essential

  • Recent experience at Band 6 level
  • Able to demonstrate specialist expertise and knowledge underpinned by theory acquired through CPD in relation to clinical assessment, treatment and evaluation.
  • Able to actively research for the potential to improve quality and customer care, seeking new ideas and methods to improve health care.
  • Evidence of involvement in the development of programmes of care, protocols and audit.

Managerial/Supervisory

Essential

  • Evidence of proactive involvement in the supervision and development of members of the multi-disciplinary team.
  • Evidence of delivering education and training in practice.

Personal skills

Essential

  • Able to analyse and assess situations and to interpret potentially conflicting situations and determine appropriate action, where there is a range of options and judgement is required.
  • Experience of planning and organising complex activities requiring the formulation and adjustment of plans .e.g. organising own time, co-ordination with other agencies and plans for sudden, unforeseen circumstances.

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 (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

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 (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Dorset

Carey Camp, Carey Road

Wareham

BH20 7PB


Employer's website

https://www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/work-for-us (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Dorset

Carey Camp, Carey Road

Wareham

BH20 7PB


Employer's website

https://www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/work-for-us (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Manager - CYP Speech and Language Therapy

Sarah MacShilton

s.macshilton@nhs.net

07880303322

Details

Date posted

01 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£24,693 to £28,257 a year p.a.

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

152-M605.25

Job locations

Dorset

Carey Camp, Carey Road

Wareham

BH20 7PB


Supporting documents

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