Central London Community Health Trust

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

The closing date is 06 August 2025

Job summary

Do you want to be part of a team dedicated to improving the lives of people with a learning disability?

A rare opportunity has arisen in Barnet (North Central London) for a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join our friendly and dynamic Integrated Adult Learning Disabilities Service. If you are passionate about making a real difference in the lives of adults with a learning disability, and are ready to lead, inspire, and grow, this is the perfect job for you.

In this role, you will take the clinical lead, in delivering expert therapeutic assessment, diagnosis and treatment for clients with complex needs, including communication and swallowing difficulties, across various community settings. You will lead a small team of junior staff, influence service development, and benefit from leadership training, ongoing peer support and supervision.

Whether you are an experienced Band 6 ready for the next step or a Band 7 looking to specialise further, your continuing professional development will very much be supported.

As part of an integrated service who pride themselves in driving change and improving lives, you will have access to a supportive multidisciplinary health and social care team, helping you achieve your developmental objectives whilst delivering excellent clinical care.

Main duties of the job

  • To lead the SLT service within the Barnet Learning Disabilities Health Team.
  • To provide, as part of the multidisciplinary team, highly specialist therapeutic assessments, diagnoses and treatment of adults with a learning disability who have highly complex and/or chronic presentation in a range of community locations. This includes working with clients with communication and swallowing difficulties.
  • To carry your own caseload of clients as well as supervise junior SLTs and an assistant, as part of the SLT team support structure.

About us

Just as we care about our service user's wellbeing, we care about yours!

We can offer you:

  • A comprehensive induction into the Trust and local induction to introduce you to the role 0-19 services.
  • Bespoke housing is available for key workers within central London: https://www.sharetobuy.com/
  • Car lease scheme *T&C's apply
  • Flexible working options
  • Annual travel card loan
  • Training, support, and development in your career

To have a full look at our benefits and what it's like working for us please go here:https://www.clch.nhs.uk/job/pay-and-benefits

Details

Date posted

29 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£53,751 to £60,651 a year per annum inclusive of HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

824-NORTH-7339738

Job locations

London Borough of Barnet Offices, Colindale

2 Bristol Avenue

London

NW9 4EW


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to Job description and Person Specification for outline of skills, knowledge and experience required.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to Job description and Person Specification for outline of skills, knowledge and experience required.

Person Specification

Education/Qualification

Essential

  • Appropriate Speech & Language Therapy qualification and License to Practice from the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists (RCSLT)
  • Evidence of registration with the Health & Care Professionals Council
  • Completed RCSLT accredited post graduate dysphagia qualification/ RCSLT dysphagia competencies framework
  • Evidence of competence in managing complex dysphagic patients with a learning disability, including those requiring enteral feeding

Desirable

  • Post registration qualification in leadership/management
  • Post registration training and qualifications in relevant areas to the post
  • Positive Behaviour Support trained
  • Makaton Regional Tutor

Experience

Essential

  • Extensive post registration clinical experience in learning disabilities and additional needs ? Evidence of high level clinical skill and knowledge of learning disability with communication and / or swallowing difficulties
  • Evidence of high level clinical skill and knowledge of learning disability with communication and / or swallowing difficulties
  • Experience of supporting AAC-users who are communicating with high-tech communication devices e.g. Ipad eye gaze
  • Experience of supporting AAC users, who use light-tech communication devices, such as symbols, photos, objects etc
  • Experience of working in a community setting
  • Experience of working with a multi-disciplinary team
  • Evidence of ability to utilise evidence based practice
  • Experience in providing training to a variety of different audiences with high level presentation skills
  • Experience of staff and student management and supervision
  • Experience of assessing and managing risk
  • Appropriate postgraduate experience of working with a wide range of adults with a learning disability with communication and / or swallowing difficulties
  • Experience of working with relatives and carers.
  • Experience in evaluating service delivery

Desirable

  • Experience of service development work
  • Experience of developing clinical care pathways
  • Experience of undertaking research and/or clinical audit
  • Evidence of developing innovative practice and of being proactive in management change

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge of learning disabilities in adults and associated physical, cognitive and social and behavioural conditions and their management
  • Good working knowledge of appropriate range of assessments and interventions for adults with a learning disability with speech, language communication and / or eating / swallowing difficulties.
  • Knowledge of a broad range of adult communication and / or swallowing conditions
  • Demonstrated skills in the use of AAC e.g. Talking Mats, Makaton (keyword signing), symbol and photo-based resources
  • Knowledge of religious, cultural and linguistic issues impacting upon caseload management
  • Knowledge of issues surrounding disability and management.
  • Knowledge of legislation and NHS Policy documents relevant to the area of practice (e.g. Mental Capacity Act)
  • Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance and audit
  • Good understanding of the roles of other professionals (relevant to the client group)
  • Up to date knowledge of professional standards of record Keeping
  • Holistic view of communication difficulties in context of adult Learning disability
  • Experience of assessing and managing risk
  • Ability to use Microsoft office

Desirable

  • Ability to assess and train clients and carers in the use of high tech and light tech communication aids
  • Display an understanding of the current NHS and learning disabilities agenda
  • Knowledge of the Pan-London guidelines for safeguarding
  • Knowledge of public/service user involvement and its role in relation to the promotion of quality and the development of user-led services.
  • Postgraduate research in a relevant area.

Other

Essential

  • Ability to work in a complex, multi-disciplinary environment and alone in the community.

Desirable

  • Experience in the LeDeR process or mortality reviews
Person Specification

Education/Qualification

Essential

  • Appropriate Speech & Language Therapy qualification and License to Practice from the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists (RCSLT)
  • Evidence of registration with the Health & Care Professionals Council
  • Completed RCSLT accredited post graduate dysphagia qualification/ RCSLT dysphagia competencies framework
  • Evidence of competence in managing complex dysphagic patients with a learning disability, including those requiring enteral feeding

Desirable

  • Post registration qualification in leadership/management
  • Post registration training and qualifications in relevant areas to the post
  • Positive Behaviour Support trained
  • Makaton Regional Tutor

Experience

Essential

  • Extensive post registration clinical experience in learning disabilities and additional needs ? Evidence of high level clinical skill and knowledge of learning disability with communication and / or swallowing difficulties
  • Evidence of high level clinical skill and knowledge of learning disability with communication and / or swallowing difficulties
  • Experience of supporting AAC-users who are communicating with high-tech communication devices e.g. Ipad eye gaze
  • Experience of supporting AAC users, who use light-tech communication devices, such as symbols, photos, objects etc
  • Experience of working in a community setting
  • Experience of working with a multi-disciplinary team
  • Evidence of ability to utilise evidence based practice
  • Experience in providing training to a variety of different audiences with high level presentation skills
  • Experience of staff and student management and supervision
  • Experience of assessing and managing risk
  • Appropriate postgraduate experience of working with a wide range of adults with a learning disability with communication and / or swallowing difficulties
  • Experience of working with relatives and carers.
  • Experience in evaluating service delivery

Desirable

  • Experience of service development work
  • Experience of developing clinical care pathways
  • Experience of undertaking research and/or clinical audit
  • Evidence of developing innovative practice and of being proactive in management change

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge of learning disabilities in adults and associated physical, cognitive and social and behavioural conditions and their management
  • Good working knowledge of appropriate range of assessments and interventions for adults with a learning disability with speech, language communication and / or eating / swallowing difficulties.
  • Knowledge of a broad range of adult communication and / or swallowing conditions
  • Demonstrated skills in the use of AAC e.g. Talking Mats, Makaton (keyword signing), symbol and photo-based resources
  • Knowledge of religious, cultural and linguistic issues impacting upon caseload management
  • Knowledge of issues surrounding disability and management.
  • Knowledge of legislation and NHS Policy documents relevant to the area of practice (e.g. Mental Capacity Act)
  • Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance and audit
  • Good understanding of the roles of other professionals (relevant to the client group)
  • Up to date knowledge of professional standards of record Keeping
  • Holistic view of communication difficulties in context of adult Learning disability
  • Experience of assessing and managing risk
  • Ability to use Microsoft office

Desirable

  • Ability to assess and train clients and carers in the use of high tech and light tech communication aids
  • Display an understanding of the current NHS and learning disabilities agenda
  • Knowledge of the Pan-London guidelines for safeguarding
  • Knowledge of public/service user involvement and its role in relation to the promotion of quality and the development of user-led services.
  • Postgraduate research in a relevant area.

Other

Essential

  • Ability to work in a complex, multi-disciplinary environment and alone in the community.

Desirable

  • Experience in the LeDeR process or mortality reviews

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

Central London Community Health Trust

Address

London Borough of Barnet Offices, Colindale

2 Bristol Avenue

London

NW9 4EW


Employer's website

https://clch.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Central London Community Health Trust

Address

London Borough of Barnet Offices, Colindale

2 Bristol Avenue

London

NW9 4EW


Employer's website

https://clch.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

CLCH Health Team Manager, Barnet ALD Service

Gabriel Turay

gabriel.turay@nhs.net

07720212441

Details

Date posted

29 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£53,751 to £60,651 a year per annum inclusive of HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

824-NORTH-7339738

Job locations

London Borough of Barnet Offices, Colindale

2 Bristol Avenue

London

NW9 4EW


Supporting documents

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