Job summary
Are you a highly specialist Speech and Language Therapist looking to make a meaningful impact within a neurodiversity-affirming service?Do you want to work in a role where your clinical reasoning, systemic thinking and curiosity are valued - and where you're encouraged to influence, innovate and grow?If so, we'd love to hear from you.We're recruiting to a Band 7 Speech and Language Therapy post within the Specialist Autism Team - a multi-disciplinary, tertiary service supporting autistic adults under the care of secondary mental health services (both inpatient and community). The role involves specialist Speech and Language Therapy assessment and intervention for autistic individuals and those with suspected neurodevelopmental differences. This is not a diagnostic autism service. Instead, SLT input focuses on exploring individual communication profiles, identifying co-occurring speech, language and communication needs, and understanding how these interact with mental health, sensory regulation, and trauma histories.
As the SLT, you may lead on intervention at several levels -- working directly with the individual, collaboratively with their care team, or more systemically across services.
Main duties of the job
Your role will be to ensure that reasonable adjustments are identified, communicated, and implemented, in line with statutory duties under the Equality Act 2010, the Health and Care Act 2022, and NHS England's national guidance on supporting autistic people and those with a learning disability in inpatient settings.
You'll play a key role in influencing therapeutic environments to support safer, more accessible communication and engagement -- helping staff to understand and respond to individual communication needs through consultation, training, and co-produced resources.You'll be joining a team that values curiosity, authenticity and lived experience. We're committed to neuroaffirming practice, and we take an "environment first" approach - focusing on adapting services to the individual, not the other way around.
We work across Lancashire and South Cumbria and are commissioned to reduce unnecessary admissions, support therapeutic in-patient care, and enable safe, supported discharge.Thinking of Applying?We know that many SLTs haven't had formal autism or mental health training in pre-registration education - and that's OK. We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds including learning disability or children's neurodevelopmental services. If you're clinically grounded, curious, and passionate about making services more accessible for neurodivergent people, we want to hear from you.
About us
Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.
The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.
Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.
For more information please visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT
Job description
Job responsibilities
What Makes This Role Stand Out Supervision and support: You'll receive professional supervision within LSCFTs Specialist Network, with access to highly experienced clinical leads working across autism, forensics and mental health. Growing SLT presence: You'll have access to a developing and passionate virtual Mental Health SLT team, with strong peer support and learning opportunities, including clinical forums and cross-pathway collaboration. CEN involvement: You will be expected to be an active member of the LSCFT Autism, Forensic and Mental Health Clinical Excellence Network, an RCSLT-recognised group supporting knowledge sharing, CPD and clinical discussion. Leadership and development: You will be responsible for the clinical supervision of a newly qualified Band 5 SLT within the team, contributing to their development while helping shape the evolving SLT pathway. Clinical credibility: Our practice is aligned to RCSLT guidance for Autism and Mental Health. Youll be encouraged to contribute to service development, research-informed practice, and creative intervention design.Were seeking someone with: Strong MDT and systemic working skills, with confidence collaborating across services, families, and external providers. Experience or interest in supporting autistic individuals with co-occurring mental health needs. A commitment to neuroaffirming, strengths-based practice. Confidence in working both independently and collaboratively within a dynamic MDT. A drive to develop services and influence systems, rather than deliver off-the-shelf interventions.The Specialist Autism Team operates from Monday to Friday, 85. Your week might include: 1:1 work with autistic children/ adults in mental health crisis Developing de-escalation and communication support plans alongside the MDT Training ward and community staff on communication accessibility Co-producing communication passports with individuals Offering consultation to teams across the region Shaping SLT contribution to ward in-reach and discharge planning
Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role
Job description
Job responsibilities
What Makes This Role Stand Out Supervision and support: You'll receive professional supervision within LSCFTs Specialist Network, with access to highly experienced clinical leads working across autism, forensics and mental health. Growing SLT presence: You'll have access to a developing and passionate virtual Mental Health SLT team, with strong peer support and learning opportunities, including clinical forums and cross-pathway collaboration. CEN involvement: You will be expected to be an active member of the LSCFT Autism, Forensic and Mental Health Clinical Excellence Network, an RCSLT-recognised group supporting knowledge sharing, CPD and clinical discussion. Leadership and development: You will be responsible for the clinical supervision of a newly qualified Band 5 SLT within the team, contributing to their development while helping shape the evolving SLT pathway. Clinical credibility: Our practice is aligned to RCSLT guidance for Autism and Mental Health. Youll be encouraged to contribute to service development, research-informed practice, and creative intervention design.Were seeking someone with: Strong MDT and systemic working skills, with confidence collaborating across services, families, and external providers. Experience or interest in supporting autistic individuals with co-occurring mental health needs. A commitment to neuroaffirming, strengths-based practice. Confidence in working both independently and collaboratively within a dynamic MDT. A drive to develop services and influence systems, rather than deliver off-the-shelf interventions.The Specialist Autism Team operates from Monday to Friday, 85. Your week might include: 1:1 work with autistic children/ adults in mental health crisis Developing de-escalation and communication support plans alongside the MDT Training ward and community staff on communication accessibility Co-producing communication passports with individuals Offering consultation to teams across the region Shaping SLT contribution to ward in-reach and discharge planning
Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- Degree or equivalent in Speech and Language Therapy
- Current professional registration with HCPC as Speech and Language Therapist and responsibility for maintaining this registration
- Masters module/post grad qualification in relevant field of clinical expertise (or working towards) / post-grad qualification/equivalent knowledge & experience to masters level
Knowledge
Essential
- In depth knowledge relevant to the post including dysphagia, Autism and Mental Health
- Understanding of clinical governance framework and implications for practice including audit and research governance.
- In-depth understanding of current NHS/government policy/Public Health/NICE guidelines on organisational change and the ability to adapt these appropriately to local service needs through publication of documents.
Experience
Essential
- Treatment of a broad range of conditions relating to clinical speciality
- Demonstrable evidence of improving and developing service and practice
- Evidence of leading and implementing clinical change
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- Degree or equivalent in Speech and Language Therapy
- Current professional registration with HCPC as Speech and Language Therapist and responsibility for maintaining this registration
- Masters module/post grad qualification in relevant field of clinical expertise (or working towards) / post-grad qualification/equivalent knowledge & experience to masters level
Knowledge
Essential
- In depth knowledge relevant to the post including dysphagia, Autism and Mental Health
- Understanding of clinical governance framework and implications for practice including audit and research governance.
- In-depth understanding of current NHS/government policy/Public Health/NICE guidelines on organisational change and the ability to adapt these appropriately to local service needs through publication of documents.
Experience
Essential
- Treatment of a broad range of conditions relating to clinical speciality
- Demonstrable evidence of improving and developing service and practice
- Evidence of leading and implementing clinical change
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).
