Speech and Language Therapist | East London NHS Foundation Trust
| Posting date: | 23 June 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | £37,338 - £44,962 pa |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 23 July 2025 |
| Location: | Bedford, MK41 6AT |
| Company: | East London NHS Foundation Trust |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 7299456/363-BED7218738 |
Summary
The Adult Autism Diagnostic Service (AADS) is an innovative, creative MDT working across BLMK. With recent new investment there is scope for service development and training opportunities. The post holder will be a motivated and experienced SLT working autonomously in providing diagnostic assessment, specialist SLT assessments and post diagnostic support to autistic adults and adults with suspected autism. There will be supervision and training provided and you will also access professional support from wider SLT team across LDA services.
To provide a SLT service to the Adult Autism Diagnostic Service which provides assessment and diagnosis for people who are suspected of having Autism. The post holder would provide specialist SLT assessments and interventions as well as post diagnostic treatment and signposting as required. This would include offering advice and consultation on service user’s SLT care to SLT and to other non-professional carers.
Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
To provide a SLT service to the Adult Autism Diagnostic Service which provides assessment and diagnosis for people who are suspected of having Autism. The post holder would provide specialist SLT assessments and interventions as well as post diagnostic treatment and signposting as required. This would include offering advice and consultation on service user’s SLT care to SLT and to other non-professional carers.
The post holder would be expected to work autonomously within professional guidelines and within the overall framework of Trust policies and procedures.
The post holder will work within the agreed model of care for the service as laid down in the operational policy. The post holder will both set local and adhere to national standards appropriate to the health and social care setting.
To actively contribute to Service Development alongside the Multidisciplinary Team to take this service forward in line with national and local strategy and innovation.
• To be an active member and work as a senior SLT within the Adult Autism Diagnostic Service
• To apply specialist skills that contribute to the assessment and diagnosis of Autism, to explain assessment findings to service users and enable them to access support for longer term interventions.
• To provide a person-centred SLT service for Autistic adults
• To develop and implement post diagnostic SLT plans
• To manage a defined caseload, using evidence based/client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
• To provide leadership and mentorship for student SLT
Patient Care
• To contribute to the multi-disciplinary approach and to identify person centred SLT goals.
• To monitor, evaluate and modify treatment for clients with multiple needs in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention.
• To demonstrate and apply an excellent understanding of Autism and recommend strategies/adaptations to the client’s environment.
• To ensure maintenance of appropriate clinical records, other professional documentation and user-friendly client information in accordance with Professional and Trust standards.
• To develop and maintain high clinical standards.
• To liaise with clients’ relatives, carers and other agencies as appropriate including developing links with key people in a client’s life.
• To demonstrate effective communication skills with clients and carers, team members, SLT colleagues and other agencies.
• To attend professional meetings as required.
• To be aware of users’ & carers’ cultural & ethnic needs when developing programs of care
• To promote and apply equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory interventions that respect the Service Users’ customs, values and spiritual beliefs at all times.
Clinical
• To select and apply SLT assessments for a designated complex caseload,
• To undertake relevant assessments throughout all aspects of the clinical pathway
• To assess service users referred to the service, acting as a first point of contact when necessary
• To plan and implement individual and/or group interventions, in collaboration with the client to achieve therapeutic goals.
• To use advanced clinical reasoning to assess how the Service User’s autism impact on their function in the SLT area of communication
• To make decisions and recommendations on the intervention required
• To manage difficult clinical situations arising from working with Service Users with emotional andbehaviouralneeds.
• To evaluate effectiveness of therapy interventions in conjunction with Service Users/carers, other professionals etc.
• To promote and apply evidence based practice to service delivery.
• To produce clinical reports on a regular basis and disseminate to Service User /carers and others involved; professionals, agencies etc as appropriate.
• To attend clinical meetings/ ward rounds/ CPA meetings, and contribute clinical information on the Service users progress to other SLT and MDT professionals.
• To follow the Trust local policies/procedures and professional standards for clinical practice, as defined by Health and Care Professions Council and the Royal College of SLT
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Administration
• To keep comprehensive, up to date written notes and provide evidence-based reports to the MDT as required.
• To actively participate in clinical audit, program review and the implementation and analysis of outcome measures.
• To participate in management and administrative meetings as directed.
• To assist in organisation and provision of in-service training.
• To provide statistical information and outcome measures as directed.
Management
• To provide leadership, supervision and day-to-day management for junior staff.
• To ensure all standards, policies and procedures are adhered to by the service.
• To regularly be responsible for the supervision of student SLT students, and/or Band 5 SLTs as delegated by senior staff
• To take part in interviewing panels as required.
• To support, guide and train SLT staff.
• To demonstrate the ability to initiate, plan and implement the induction, training and education of students and other staff in this setting.
• To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent reliable attendance.
• To co-ordinate day-to-day activities of junior staff where applicable
Human Resources
• To contribute to the training and development of SLT’s and other disciplines by providing advice on the role of the SLT
• To contribute to organising local induction for new SLT staff within the service.
• To provide professional and clinical supervision for SLTs within SPLD (ensuring the implementation of appraisal) as required.
• To act as practice placement educator for students on placements.
• To ensure continued personal and professional development for supervisees is met through training and educational opportunities.
• Ability to manage frequent highly distressing clinical interactions with Service Users
• Ability to assess and manage exposure to potential hazards including frequent verbal aggression and risk of physical aggression in hospital setting and community settings (e.g. Service Users home, community venues, public transport etc.) whilst ensuring safety of self, Service User and members of the public.
Performance and Quality
• To keep abreast of new developments and research in SLT in Autism.
• To contribute to the setting of quality standards of professional practice for the SLT role within AADS.
• To contribute to activities related to clinical effectiveness via audit, research and evidence based practice.
• To maintain Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and a personal CPD portfolio.
• To ensure supervisees maintain their CPD and professional portfolio.
• To ensure own development through regular participation in the supervision process.
• To lead in audits in relation to service evaluation and review.
• To work in collaboration with the manager of AADS to identify and implement practices and procedures for the SLT role in AADS.
• To actively encourage user involvement in service development and ensure that service provision meets their needs and those of their carers.
• Contribute to the development of the AADS Speech and Language Therapy service
Financial and Physical Resources
• Work within budgeted resource
This advert closes on Monday 7 Jul 2025