Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Children's Speech and Language Therapist

The closing date is 24 September 2025

Job summary

Are you passionate about providing therapy to children and young people? Do you enjoy working in a team to provide effective intervention for children and young people with Speech, Language, and Communication Needs (SLCN).

This is an exciting opportunity to work in a vibrant team as a Generalist Speech and Language Therapist to provide assessment and therapy to Early Years children in Gateshead in clinic, preschool, and home settings. You will gain and build on your experience across a wide range of disciplines in Speech and Language Therapy whilst working in a dynamic, and supportive team.

Applications will be considered from newly qualified SLTs

Car Driver with access to a vehicle for work is essential

Main duties of the job

  • To work within the Children's Speech and Language Therapy (CSLT) team to provide assessment and therapy to Early Years children (0-4yrs) with SLCNs.
  • To provide therapy in nursery and home settings to preschool children with SLCN.
  • To provide speech, language, and communication targets to educational settings.
  • To provide advice and support to primary partners of children with SLCN.

This vacancy is part of our 'refer a friend' scheme, this means if a friend who currently works for us has told you about this vacancy you could both receive a cash payment. The full scheme details are included with the additional documents for this role.

About us

Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.

Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.

We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.

Our values should be the 'golden thread' which runs through everything we do - they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronymICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.

We have a number of staff networks including the Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women's Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our Armed Forces network is one of our emerging networks.

The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our 'Balance' programme balancegateshead.com to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us.

Details

Date posted

10 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

Depending on experience "per annum"

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

297-7372740

Job locations

Bensham Hospital

Saltwell Road

Gateshead

NE8 4YL


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • To provide assessment, diagnosis and appropriate speech and language therapy interventions for children aged 0-4 years with a range of speech, language and communication needs (some of which may be complex in nature) with support and advice from senior clinicians as required.
  • To develop and provide evidence based therapy programmes (individual/group)in a range of settings (clinic/home/school/online) with appropriate instruction and training for families and relevant professionals.
  • Tomeasure therapy outcomes and develop suitableintervention plans in line with local guidelines.
  • To provide appropriate clinical information, prepare reports, advice and clinical resources for patients, parents/carers and other relevant agencies within and outwith the NHS e.g. Local Authority, including advice for Education, Health & Care Plans (EHCPs).
  • To plan and prioritise allocated patient caseloads based on patient need and local models of service delivery.
  • To continually develop own clinical expertise, knowledge and clinical skills to enhance effective patientcare through engagement with clinical and child safeguarding supervision and continuing professional development. This will bepromoted through shadowing opportunities within the team and relevant training opportunities as agreed with clinical supervisors and identified within the appraisal process.
  • To undertake relevant audit andR&D activity as identified within the community paediatricteam.
  • To contribute to service planning, improvement and modernisation where appropriate to ensure patient safety dynamic

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • To provide assessment, diagnosis and appropriate speech and language therapy interventions for children aged 0-4 years with a range of speech, language and communication needs (some of which may be complex in nature) with support and advice from senior clinicians as required.
  • To develop and provide evidence based therapy programmes (individual/group)in a range of settings (clinic/home/school/online) with appropriate instruction and training for families and relevant professionals.
  • Tomeasure therapy outcomes and develop suitableintervention plans in line with local guidelines.
  • To provide appropriate clinical information, prepare reports, advice and clinical resources for patients, parents/carers and other relevant agencies within and outwith the NHS e.g. Local Authority, including advice for Education, Health & Care Plans (EHCPs).
  • To plan and prioritise allocated patient caseloads based on patient need and local models of service delivery.
  • To continually develop own clinical expertise, knowledge and clinical skills to enhance effective patientcare through engagement with clinical and child safeguarding supervision and continuing professional development. This will bepromoted through shadowing opportunities within the team and relevant training opportunities as agreed with clinical supervisors and identified within the appraisal process.
  • To undertake relevant audit andR&D activity as identified within the community paediatricteam.
  • To contribute to service planning, improvement and modernisation where appropriate to ensure patient safety dynamic

Person Specification

Essential

Essential

  • Degree or equivalent in Speech & Language Therapy
  • Professional registration with HCPC
  • Experience of working with a Paediatric SLT caseload including direct experience of working with preschool children with a range of SLCN.
  • Experience of working in a variety of community settings including clinics, homes, and educational settings
  • Ability to work individually and as part of a Team.
  • Knowledge of the full range of Paediatric Speech, Language, & Communication Disorders
  • Ability to relate theory to practice
  • Good organizational skills including well development time management skills.
  • IT Skills
  • Car driver and valid driving license

Desirable

Desirable

  • Completion of relevant Post Graduate short courses
  • Experience of working with children with additional needs
  • Experience of working with children with fluency disorder
  • Experience of working with children with voice difficulties
  • Experience of multi-agency working
  • Experience of using EMIS or similar electronic patient administration system.
Person Specification

Essential

Essential

  • Degree or equivalent in Speech & Language Therapy
  • Professional registration with HCPC
  • Experience of working with a Paediatric SLT caseload including direct experience of working with preschool children with a range of SLCN.
  • Experience of working in a variety of community settings including clinics, homes, and educational settings
  • Ability to work individually and as part of a Team.
  • Knowledge of the full range of Paediatric Speech, Language, & Communication Disorders
  • Ability to relate theory to practice
  • Good organizational skills including well development time management skills.
  • IT Skills
  • Car driver and valid driving license

Desirable

Desirable

  • Completion of relevant Post Graduate short courses
  • Experience of working with children with additional needs
  • Experience of working with children with fluency disorder
  • Experience of working with children with voice difficulties
  • Experience of multi-agency working
  • Experience of using EMIS or similar electronic patient administration system.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bensham Hospital

Saltwell Road

Gateshead

NE8 4YL


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bensham Hospital

Saltwell Road

Gateshead

NE8 4YL


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Children's Speech & Language Therapy Clinical Lead

Michelle Newton

michelle.newton6@nhs.net

01914456667

Details

Date posted

10 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

Depending on experience "per annum"

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

297-7372740

Job locations

Bensham Hospital

Saltwell Road

Gateshead

NE8 4YL


Supporting documents

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