Speech and Language Therapist - Development RoleNHS

Job summary

We have an exciting opportunity for a Speech and Language Therapist to develop their skills and knowledge working with Adults with Learning Disabilities (intellectual) in the Cambridgeshire Learning Disability Partnership (LDP). This post is open to Newly Qualified Speech and Language Therapists and SLT's graduating in Summer 2026.

The LDP comprises of five locality-based integrated Community Specialist Health and Social Care Teams and day and accommodation services organised by the Local Authority for adults with a Learning Disability. Multidisciplinary teams include Allied Health Professionals, Social Workers, Learning Disability Nurses, Clinical Psychologists and Psychiatrists.

We have close links with the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge.

The teams aim to provide person-centred, integrated, specialist health and care management services that promote an individual's right to choice, independence, health and wellbeing in line with their assessed needs and in a way that will promote them to reach their full potential.

If you are appointed into this role as a development post you will be appointed as a Band 5, you will be provided with a list of competencies to complete and an agreed timescale in which to complete these, up to a maximum of 12months. Competencies will be reviewed in your supervisions and appraisals. Only on successful completion of these competencies, you will progress to a Band 6.

Main duties of the job

• Toparticipatein the delivery of Speech and Language Therapy, under the guidance of a supervisingSpecialistSpeech and Language Therapist, to a caseload of Adults with Learning Disability (ALD).
• To take part in regular supervision to guide your own practice.
• To supervise work undertaken with SLT Assistant/Associate Practitioner.
• To contribute to the planning, development, and evaluation of learning disability services.
• To manage a case load providing assessment, identification and treatment of the health and communication needs of adults with a learning disabilitywith supervision.
• Toparticipateinmulti-disciplinary/ multi agency working within the LDP, and with other Key partners.

Job description

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.

• The post holder willdemonstratea degree of clinical knowledge within the area of adult learning disability and wouldattendidentified, relevantappropriate postregistration training.
• To have skills in the assessment, identification,treatmentand management of communication needs.
• Todemonstrateknowledge abouttheswallowing disorder needs of the adult learning disabilitypopulation.
• Todemonstrateskills and knowledge in Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) including signing,symboland communication aid use across a variety of communication environments.
• Tofacilitateand give advice about development of information that is accessible to service users, staff and carers asrequired.
• To use observation skills to assess service user and carer/support staff communication (including verbal, non-verbal communication)and considerhow adaptive strategiescan improvecommunication, being aware of cultural and linguistic differences.
• Tohave an understanding ofHealth and Social Care policy and legislation for the service user group in relation to your professional practice.
• To develop skillsto prioritise and manage a caseload within the context of amulti-disciplinaryteam.
• Todevelopunderstandingof the wider health needs of theadultlearningdisabilitypopulation, such as mental health, epilepsy,dementia,dysphagia, behaviours of concernandpalliative careand make onward referrals to other health services whenrequired.
• To work collaboratively with service users, theircarersand families asappropriate, to make decisions relevant to the service users individual communication needs.
• To developcommunicationskillsin conflict resolution.
• To develop knowledge ofpositive behavioursupportapproaches.
• To plan, implement and review SLT care plans for service users in conjunction with support workers and team members asappropriate.
• To work in service users homes and a variety of community settings.
• To writetimelyprofessional reports/ records and action plans in line with professional guidelines thatcomply withCPFT and County Council record keeping policies asappropriate.
• To provide clinical informationin relation to individual case work to professional colleagues within the LDP.
• To support work to reduce health inequalities for adults with learning disability by working with partners in primary and secondary care.

Please note for this role you will be required to travel independently around the county meeting strict time deadlines. You will need to hold a full UK driving licence* and have use of a vehicle. You cannot use public transport for this role as this is not a reliable form of transport and will not allow you to meet service needs. Please confirm in your application that you meet the specified criteria.

*DVLA have a number of reciprocal arrangements with overseas countries, for further information please visit the DVLA website

About us

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health and social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting and empowering them to lead fulfilling lives.

Our clinical teams deliver a wide range of NHS services across inpatient, primary care and community settings, including children's, adult and older people's mental health, forensic and specialist mental health, learning disabilities, primary care and liaison psychiatry, substance misuse, social care, and research and development.

To achieve our goals, we recruit high calibre candidates who share our vision and values. As an equal opportunities' employer, we welcome applications from all sections of the community, particularly under represented groups including people with long term conditions and members of our ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ communities.

All appointments are subject to the successful completion of a probationary period.

Please note we reserve the right to close adverts early should we receive sufficient applications.

Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all roles. If you apply for a post that does not attract sponsorship, your application will be withdrawn from the process.

For further information on CPFT, please visit our website at https://www.cpft.nhs.uk