Speech and Language Therapist

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 31 July 2026

Are you a newly qualified or band 5 Speech and Language Therapist?

Would you like to make a difference to the lives of people with Learning Disabilities who live in the Dudley borough?

We have an exciting opportunity for a role with our adult Speech and Language Therapy team in our busy community Learning Disability service. If you are passionate about supporting the communication and swallowing needs of vulnerable patients, please read this advert carefully and get in touch with any queries.

There are many transferrable skills in this client group to kick start your career in SLT. You can learn and grow in our supportive multi disciplinary team. We have a proven track record in supporting newly qualified SLTs in this area and are proud to offer:

• Peer support and mentorship
• Professional clinical and management supervision
• Shadowing experience
• Funding for CPD training
• SLT networking events
• In house Makaton and Talking Mats tutors
• Symbol software and iPad access

Please note that this role is not eligible for Visa sponsorship. We reserve the right to close this vacancy if a high number of applications are received. Please do not apply unless you meet the personal specification listed. The role involves independent travel to see patients in their own settings. Where applications appear to be written by AI and other details in the application do not match the experience, qualifications and skills listed, such applications will not be short listed.

The post holder has responsibility for providing Speech and Language Therapy assessment and intervention in communication and dysphagia as part of a multi disciplinary approach to adults over the age of 18 with an identified learning disability in community settings.

The post holder will assess, diagnose and manage the communication and/or swallowing needs of patients receiving clinical assessment and intervention in community settings under the supervision of a senior SLT clinician. This may include the following duties:

Collection of detailed case history information

Informal assessment and observation

Undertakes clinical work with individuals and groups of clients

Uses formal standardised assessment and informal assessment procedures

Communicates assessment and therapeutic findings within the multi disciplinary team

Completes contemporaneous case notes and written clinical information completion according to Trust procedures

Undertakes clinical work with individuals and groups of clients with guidance from senior SLT

Develops coordinated multidisciplinary programmes of care / care packages

Makes decisions leading to SLT review or discharge of clients and/or referral to other services, as appropriate

Is responsible for managing own community clinical caseload under guidance of a more senior clinician

At Black Country Healthcare, we improve lives through compassionate care, take responsibility for what we do, treat people with respect and create an environment where you can grow and feel confident to make a difference.

If you want to work somewhere that values people as much as the work they do, start your story with us.

We're proud to be rated Good by the Care Quality Commission, and that many of our staff have won awards for their work.

More than 3,000 people work for the Trust and just like the population we serve, we're made up of diverse cultures and backgrounds. Our staff take pride in supporting and living our values.

We're committed to building a workforce and culture that reflects our varied population - and to create a culture of belonging. We always engage and involve when making key decisions, regardless of role or level. For example, we have worked closely with staff, patients, community groups and other key partners, in putting together our clinical strategy.

For us, inclusion means that we are sensitive to the needs of our diverse staff, and we have worked hard to create an environment where everyone can achieve their potential. This includes providing support for all through our mental health and wellbeing hub.

Our Trust has been awarded the RACE Equality Code Mark for our work towards race equality and tackling discrimination in the workplace.

• Develops specialism in communication disorders in people with learning disabilities including the ability to analyse and compare clinical information derived from assessment of a complex caseload seeking guidance from the relevant SLT lead when required due to complexity.
• Develops clinical competencies in dysphagia management.
• Contributes to audit, research and developments in the clinical field and service as directed by service leads.
• Provides advice in relation to care of clients with specific communication and swallowing needs to the multi disciplinary team.
• Provides both direct and indirect intervention, consultation, advice and support; working within a multi disciplinary model to a complex caseload in order to ensure that the inter agency needs of clients are met, seeking highly specialist support and second opinions from senior clinical leads for the most complex patients.
• Promotes, supports and integrates the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists guidance and standards into all clinical work.
• Actively participates and supports MDT intervention by regularly attending patient MDT meetings and clinical reviews.

• Degree in SLT or pending
• HCPC registration or pending
• Undergraduate, postgraduate work or placement experience in the assessment/management of communication and/or swallowing difficulties with applied relevance to adult LD
• Trust values evident in application
• Evidence of Learning Disability relevant training - e.g Talking Mats, Makaton, Intensive Interaction, PECS etc
• Undergraduate, postgraduate work or placement experience working with adults with LD or within an MDT

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.

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust