Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

The closing date is 20 July 2025

Job summary

Afabulous opportunity has arisen for a Speech and Language Therapist to be part of the team who provide a specialist mental health service across the vibrant city of Liverpool. We are looking for a dysphagia trained Speech and Language Therapist with a passion for providing patient-centred care to work in our Older Person Community Mental Health Team.

The position will be based within the community hub at Leigh Moss Hospital. The CMHT is an effective and dynamic multi-disciplinary team consisting of psychologists, occupational therapists, nurses, psychiatrists, physiotherapist, speech and language therapists and support staff.

We welcome enquiries and applications from aspiring or practising Band 6 SLTs looking to develop your skills and experience working with people with mental health conditions.

It is essential this post holder holds a UK Driving Licence as this is a community based role covering the footprint of Liverpool City Region.

To arrange an informal visit or to talk more about the role please contact Lauren McAlpine 0151 2506125 lauren.mcalpine@merseycare.nhs.uk

Main duties of the job

This role would provide the opportunity to develop your clinical skills with this patient group. The post holder will liaise with a wide range of professional and external agencies to ensure efficient, high quality patient care with regular support and peer supervision from a small friendly team. The post-holder will have opportunities to develop skills related to dementia

To utilise your core speech and language therapy skills to provide high quality speech and language therapy interventions to older people with a mental illness, and to older persons with dementia.

To work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team offering a comprehensive service to service users who require specialist mental health interventions.

  • To participate in the ongoing development and maintenance of quality services, managing complex care directly, and indirectly eg training staff in strategies to support communication and/or safer swallowing.
  • To participate in the education and supervision of a range of students.
  • To maintain clear links with your speech and language therapy structures, Lead SLT and your AHP lead within the Trust.
  • Support the speech and language therapy team development, promoting SLT role within multidisciplinary team and alerting managers to areas of SLT need and service development
  • Adherence to RCSLT speech and language therapy standards and codes of practice.

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

08 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year per annum / pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

350-MHC7260016

Job locations

Leigh Moss Community Mental Health Team

Thomas Lane

Liverpool

L14 5NX


Job description

Job responsibilities

To participate as a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist in a multi-disciplinary team, with specific responsibility to assess and treat adults with complex health needs.

To be responsible for the delivery of specialist assessment, diagnosis, treatment, delivery and evaluation of evidence-based Speech and Language Therapy intervention in a variety of settings including inpatient, individuals home setting, care homes or outpatient clinics for clients withcommunication and swallowing disorders, such as dysphagia, dysfluency, voice, head and neck.

To act as a Care coordinator where applicable, ensuring that clients have full access to any generic services that they require.

To be responsible and accountable for their own caseload and ensure that care plans are written and reviewed regularly.

To contribute to the prioritisation of the waiting list for Speech and Language Therapy.

To complete intake assessments on behalf of the team and feedback to the multi-disciplinary team.

To work alongside and liaise with other professionals within the team, staff at day centres, residential staff and families. To provide clinical advice to these on the communication needs of clients, resolving areas of conflict as necessary.

To provide specialist knowledge on alternative and augmentative systems of communication, where appropriate. To ensure that all relevant agencies have access to all systems.

To Identify and take responsibility for allocating work and providing supervision to Speech and Language Therapy assistants.

To provide training days to staff teams around specific individuals communication to devise strategies and management plans.

To be able to deputise on the absence of the clinical lead and ensure coordination of caseload is well managed within the team.

To be an active and enthusiastic team member by participating with service improvement activities, promoting innovation, being supportive to other team members and proactive when identifying potential issues in the service.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To participate as a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist in a multi-disciplinary team, with specific responsibility to assess and treat adults with complex health needs.

To be responsible for the delivery of specialist assessment, diagnosis, treatment, delivery and evaluation of evidence-based Speech and Language Therapy intervention in a variety of settings including inpatient, individuals home setting, care homes or outpatient clinics for clients withcommunication and swallowing disorders, such as dysphagia, dysfluency, voice, head and neck.

To act as a Care coordinator where applicable, ensuring that clients have full access to any generic services that they require.

To be responsible and accountable for their own caseload and ensure that care plans are written and reviewed regularly.

To contribute to the prioritisation of the waiting list for Speech and Language Therapy.

To complete intake assessments on behalf of the team and feedback to the multi-disciplinary team.

To work alongside and liaise with other professionals within the team, staff at day centres, residential staff and families. To provide clinical advice to these on the communication needs of clients, resolving areas of conflict as necessary.

To provide specialist knowledge on alternative and augmentative systems of communication, where appropriate. To ensure that all relevant agencies have access to all systems.

To Identify and take responsibility for allocating work and providing supervision to Speech and Language Therapy assistants.

To provide training days to staff teams around specific individuals communication to devise strategies and management plans.

To be able to deputise on the absence of the clinical lead and ensure coordination of caseload is well managed within the team.

To be an active and enthusiastic team member by participating with service improvement activities, promoting innovation, being supportive to other team members and proactive when identifying potential issues in the service.

Person Specification

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

Experience/Knowledge

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 multi-disciplinary 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

Skills

Essential

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

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

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

Experience/Knowledge

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 multi-disciplinary 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

Skills

Essential

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

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

Leigh Moss Community Mental Health Team

Thomas Lane

Liverpool

L14 5NX


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Leigh Moss Community Mental Health Team

Thomas Lane

Liverpool

L14 5NX


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

Lauren McAlpine

Lauren.McAlpine@merseycare.nhs.uk

01512506125

Details

Date posted

08 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year per annum / pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

350-MHC7260016

Job locations

Leigh Moss Community Mental Health Team

Thomas Lane

Liverpool

L14 5NX


Supporting documents

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