Clinical Specialist Speech & Language Therapist

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust are looking to recruit a band 7 Clinical Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) to work with adults with learning disabilities (ALD) across Durham, Tees Valley as part of our new Intensive Support Team. This team supports people with learning disabilities who have experienced physical and emotional trauma and may have additional mental health needs, sensory processing difficulties and/or communication needs. In addition, the services supporting them in the community may be struggling to meet their challenging needs.

The multi-disciplinary IST is highly skilled, passionate and completely person-centred, comprising of Nursing, Occupational Therapist, Psychologist, Psychiatry and Consultant Practitioner. The bases are within both Durham and Teesside. The team's overall aim is to provide dynamic support to people living in the community and prevent an admission to hospital / placement breakdown.

Due to the nature of the role it is essential that applicants are able to travel independently across the locality and have access to a suitable vehicle for business purposes. If necessary, adjustments can be considered in accordance with the Equality Act 2010., The postholder will hold a very small but specialist caseload, assessing and implementing strategies to support more effective communication and eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties. Integral to the clinical leadership of the IST, the Clinical Specialist SLT will offer consultation, advice and support to other professionals in the team through formulation and care planning to ensure their input is as effective as possible. Provision of co-produced and tailored training with the MDT to care providers will also be key to this role.

In addition, the post holder will be expected to provide clinical supervision and support to other SLTs. As a clinical specialist, the post holder will also be involved in service improvement, research and audits within the Trust.

The post holder will both provide and receive clinical specialist support as part of a dynamic SLT Learning Disability and Mental Health service, with well-defined peer support, supervision systems and CPD opportunities. There may be an occasional requirement to provide assessment, advice and intervention to other Trust areas, including inpatient units.

The successful applicant needs significant experience in working with adults with learning disabilities, mental health difficulties and/or complex needs. It is essential that the post holder is qualified in eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties (dysphagia).

We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.

From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care --our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.

We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.

We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.

We won't rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.