Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

The closing date is 26 June 2025

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen to recruit a Band 6 Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to our established Community Forensic Service (we would also consider appointment to a Band 5 development role with the expectation that the successful candidate would work towards specific Band 6 competencies).

The post will be as part of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Community Forensic Learning Disability Service (CFLDS) based in Leyland working with people who have a learning disability who have offended or are at risk of offending. The service provides additional support to those who are at risk of contact with the Criminal Justice System or Hospital admission.

Main duties of the job

The CFLDS is a multidisciplinary team consisting of Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Psychology, Social Work, Psychiatry, Nursing and Support Workers.

You will be expected to work in all areas of Lancashire and South Cumbria and liaise with the local learning disability and mental health services to develop proactive and preventative risk mitigation support.

You will have the opportunity to work with in a team of skilled Speech and Language Therapists who have developed a core and specialised role within the team.

You will receive regular clinical supervision from the lead Speech and language therapist in the CFLDS and will also have access to wider peer supervision opportunities with other speech therapy teams within Merseycare NHS Trust as well as strong links with the Clinical Excellence Networks.

About us

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Details

Date posted

20 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £44,962 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

350-SC7260233

Job locations

Alexander House

Station Brow

Leyland

PR25 3NZ


Job description

Job responsibilities

1. Under the direct or indirect clinical supervision of the highly specialist speech and language therapist you will undertake the following duties:a. To assume responsibility and accountability for people identified with speech and language therapy needs holding the duty of care and prioritising and managing the caseload independently based on the principles of risk and clinical risk, liaising with and referring to senior clinicians and relevant agencies as appropriate.

b. Be responsible for assessment and management of a clinical caseload with speech and language therapy needs.

c. Undertake comprehensive speech and language therapy assessment using investigative and analytical skills, to formulate an appropriate hypothesis and to determine a diagnosis and to determine a therapy management plan.

d. Provide a comprehensive assessment and management plan of service users clinical risk.

e. Work with the individual and their care team to develop Communication Treatment and Care plan and integrate these into Positive Behavioural Support plans.

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. Under the direct or indirect clinical supervision of the highly specialist speech and language therapist you will undertake the following duties:a. To assume responsibility and accountability for people identified with speech and language therapy needs holding the duty of care and prioritising and managing the caseload independently based on the principles of risk and clinical risk, liaising with and referring to senior clinicians and relevant agencies as appropriate.

b. Be responsible for assessment and management of a clinical caseload with speech and language therapy needs.

c. Undertake comprehensive speech and language therapy assessment using investigative and analytical skills, to formulate an appropriate hypothesis and to determine a diagnosis and to determine a therapy management plan.

d. Provide a comprehensive assessment and management plan of service users clinical risk.

e. Work with the individual and their care team to develop Communication Treatment and Care plan and integrate these into Positive Behavioural Support plans.

Person Specification

Knowldge and Experience

Essential

  • A philosophy and approach that empowers people.
  • Knowledge of alternative and augmentative communication and dysphagia.
  • A person-centred approach to service delivery.
  • Understanding of current NHS changes.
  • Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary Team Experience with provision of supervision and delegation to junior members of staff.
  • Experience of use of outcome measures for clinical evaluation.
  • Basic IT Skills (Microsoft Software: Excel, World, Power Point, MS Teams)
  • Driving Licence

Desirable

  • Direct experience of working with adults with communication and Swallowing disorders.
  • Experience of inter agency working.
  • Experience of designing and delivering training for staff groups.
  • Experience of using iPads and other forms of technology to support communication.
  • Experience of facilitating groups.

Qualifications

Essential

  • Accredited Speech and Language Therapy qualification (BSc)
  • Registration with HCPC

Desirable

  • Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist (RCSLT)
  • Post graduate training/qualification in Dysphagia.

Skills

Essential

  • Ability to convey information and skills to direct care staff
  • Flexible approach skills towards service change, demands and pressure
  • Good time management and organizational skills
  • A demonstrated understanding of Equality and Human Rights.

Desirable

  • Experience of providing clinical supervision (to students or SaLT staff

Values

Essential

  • Continuous Improvement
  • Accountability
  • Respectfulness
  • Enthusiasm
  • Support
  • High professional standards
  • Responsive to service users
  • Engaging leadership style
  • Strong customer service belief
  • Transparency and honesty
  • Discreet
  • Change oriented
Person Specification

Knowldge and Experience

Essential

  • A philosophy and approach that empowers people.
  • Knowledge of alternative and augmentative communication and dysphagia.
  • A person-centred approach to service delivery.
  • Understanding of current NHS changes.
  • Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary Team Experience with provision of supervision and delegation to junior members of staff.
  • Experience of use of outcome measures for clinical evaluation.
  • Basic IT Skills (Microsoft Software: Excel, World, Power Point, MS Teams)
  • Driving Licence

Desirable

  • Direct experience of working with adults with communication and Swallowing disorders.
  • Experience of inter agency working.
  • Experience of designing and delivering training for staff groups.
  • Experience of using iPads and other forms of technology to support communication.
  • Experience of facilitating groups.

Qualifications

Essential

  • Accredited Speech and Language Therapy qualification (BSc)
  • Registration with HCPC

Desirable

  • Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist (RCSLT)
  • Post graduate training/qualification in Dysphagia.

Skills

Essential

  • Ability to convey information and skills to direct care staff
  • Flexible approach skills towards service change, demands and pressure
  • Good time management and organizational skills
  • A demonstrated understanding of Equality and Human Rights.

Desirable

  • Experience of providing clinical supervision (to students or SaLT staff

Values

Essential

  • Continuous Improvement
  • Accountability
  • Respectfulness
  • Enthusiasm
  • Support
  • High professional standards
  • Responsive to service users
  • Engaging leadership style
  • Strong customer service belief
  • Transparency and honesty
  • Discreet
  • Change oriented

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

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Alexander House

Station Brow

Leyland

PR25 3NZ


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Alexander House

Station Brow

Leyland

PR25 3NZ


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Nic McNamara

Nicola.McNamara@merseycare.nhs.uk

01254821670

Details

Date posted

20 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £44,962 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

350-SC7260233

Job locations

Alexander House

Station Brow

Leyland

PR25 3NZ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)