About this role
Job summary
Step into a role where your expertise truly shapes lives.
You've built your foundations, now you're ready for the next challenge. If you're an experienced SLT looking to take on more autonomy, develop specialist skills & play a key role in shaping high-quality care, we'd love you to join our team.
We're a supportive, collaborative & busy community service where your ideas are welcomed and your professional growth really matters.
As a Specialist SLT, you'll manage a more complex caseload, using your clinical judgement to deliver evidence-based assessment and intervention to children, including those with additional needs. You'll work closely with families, schools, carers and MDT partners, offering guidance, training and support to ensure communication and/or swallowing needs are understood and managed effectively. You'll also play a valued role in service development, supervision of colleagues, and contribute to quality improvement. You will take an active role in the assessment and differential diagnosis of ASD.
We'll support your ambitions with specialist CPD, regular supervision, and opportunities to deepen your expertise in areas that excite you.
If you're ready for a role where your voice is valued & your expertise makes a real impact, we'd love to hear from you. Your next step starts here.
The successful candidates will be based either in the Huntingdon area or our North Cambridge locality.
Interviews will be held in person only as there will be clinical observations.
Main duties of the job
Should we receive a high number of applications, we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after 13th October 2026
The post holder will independently manage a specialist caseload in the locality and the surrounding area. The client group is children who have a range of difficulties in understanding and/or using speech and language. You will work independently with access to more senior colleagues as needed. You will provide supervision and guidance to colleagues.
Essential criteria:
Qualified SLT with HCPC registration Demonstrated experience managing a varied/complex caseload Strong clinical reasoning and autonomous decision-making Ability to provide guidance, supervision or training to others Excellent communication and partnership-working across the MDT Commitment to person-centred, evidence-based practice Confident, reflective and motivated to develop specialist skills
About us
Rated 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.
There's one reason why our services are outstanding - and that's our amazing staff who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.
If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.
Please be aware that East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust will never ask applicants to pay fees at any stage of the recruitment process, including job applications, sponsorship arrangements, or employment offers. All recruitment communications and job applications should only be made through our official careers website and published contact details.
If you receive a suspicious job offer or recruitment-related communication, do not make any payments, share personal information, or provide identity documents. We encourage you to report the matter to your local police or relevant law enforcement agency. Any concerns relating to potential recruitment fraud should also be reported to our Local Counter Fraud Specialist (LCFS) as soon as possible.
Job description Job responsibilities
To independently manage a specialist caseload of pre-school and school age children who have speech, language and communication difficulties.
To undertake a range of assessments, both standardised and non-standardised, taking account of medical, social and educational factors, which combined with specialist theoretical knowledge will lead to differential diagnosis
To plan, deliver and evaluate specialist intervention following professional guidelines and agreed service standards
As part of that process, to be able to plan appropriate long term and short term goals working towards discharge
To undertake administrative duties connected with the caseload including maintenance of case notes and provision of written reports, following service standards
To ensure that all work is carried out in close collaboration with all those involved in childrens care so that the approach to intervention and support is co-ordinated and comprehensive
To identify when there is a need for a second opinion, referring to senior colleagues or SLT specialists as appropriate
To make onward referral as appropriate
To identify any variations to service delivery or demands and inform the Locality Co-ordinator and Area & Clinical Lead of the likely impact on the service
Policy & Service Development To participate in development of policy, clinical guidelines, clinical governance and service development through discussion and involvement in projects as appropriate, including innovative practice, in collaboration with senior colleagues
Responsibility for specific, clearly defined projects as delegated by the Locality Co-ordinator.
To be familiar with local and national standards and to work in line with these
To ensure that parents/carers are aware of the standards they should expect from the speech and language therapy service.
Communication To ensure effective communication of complex condition-related information to parents/carers regarding the assessment process, assessment findings and planned intervention, including engagement of parents/carers in intervention
To ensure children are involved in goal setting and decision making around their own care as appropriate to their age, developmental level and language skills
To ensure parents/carers are involved in decision making around their childs care including discharge from the service
To liaise effectively and work in partnership with other professionals (particularly teachers and teaching assistants), including the development of shared goals for intervention
To write reports on children, in line with service standards, including contributions to statutory assessment
To offer advice to others concerning support for individual children
To actively contribute to case conferences/ review meetings for children on the caseload
To recognise how and when information may be shared within the bounds of confidentiality and the Data Protection Act
To attend SLT team meetings, actively contributing as appropriate
Contribute to EECs internal communication strategies ensuring effective two-way communication and engagement within the organisation
Contribute to EECs external communication strategies working with the Head of Communications to raise awareness and promote the reputation of EECs services
Patient and Public Engagement To contribute to ensuring that EEC responsibilities to engage and consult with patients and the public are met in line with statutory requirements
Training To participate in training other professionals/ parents as appropriate
To identify training needs in the multi-disciplinary team needed to support the care of children on the caseload
To attend all Trust mandatory training
People Management To access and accept clinical supervision from senior or specialist colleagues in line with service policy
To supervise and clinically support SLT assistants/teaching assistants/volunteers as appropriate
To mentor newly qualified SLTs providing support and contributing to induction with guidance from more senior colleagues
To provide clinical placements for SLT students including contributing to the assessment of exam placements
Maintaining own professional development and requirement to take part in appraisal and KSF process
Research & Development Activity To maintain and update skills and knowledge in relevant areas
To develop and monitor own clinical expertise in specialist area through planned CPD
To participate in service audit and projects as agreed with the Area & Clinical Lead
To actively reflect on practice with peers and more senior colleagues to promote professional development and evidence based decision making
To be advised on developments in current practice by more senior colleagues
Clinical and Practice Governance Observe and maintain strict confidentiality with regards to any patient/family/staff/records and information in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.
Any data that is taken/shared as part of a phone call or transported, faxed or transferred electronically must be undertaken with regard to the Trust Information Governance and Information Security policies.
The post holder must adhere to the Trust risk assessment and risk management processes
The post holder must adhere to infection control policies and procedures
It is a condition of your employment that you are currently registered with HCPC and it is your responsibility to maintain your professional registration.
Undertake mandatory training and any other training relevant to the role as required by East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust.
The post holder must participate in clinical and other audits as required
Provide patients and their families /carers with information on standards they should expect from the team
Participate in clinical supervision on a regular basis
The post holder is required to participate in relevant emergency preparedness process for their team.
Person Specification
Qualifications & Training Essential
Degree or Postgraduate equivalent in Speech and Language Therapy Registered Member of RCSLT Registered Member of HCPC Evidence of successful completion of short specialist courses
Desirable
Evidence of commitment to CPD Membership of relevant Clinical Excellence Network ADOS-trained
Experience Essential
Recent and comprehensive experience working in community clinics, schools and pre-schools Experience of working in a range of multi-agency settings and with interagency teams
Desirable
Previous experience supervising less experienced colleagues
Knowledge & Skills Essential
Well established specialist knowledge about speech, language and communication disorders associated with complex conditions In-depth knowledge of a broad range of assessment procedures relevant to the client group In-depth knowledge of a broad range of therapeutic interventions appropriate to the client group and the ability to compare and contrast relative benefits Knowledge of best practice and developing trends in clinical specialism Excellent communication skills including the ability to convey sensitive or distressing information to parents/carers Excellent interpersonal skills including observation Ability to work flexibly as part of a team Excellent time management and prioritisation Skills
Desirable
Worked in a mainstream school with children who have complex communication needs Worked in a special school Knowledge of Makaton or BSL signing
Safeguarding Essential
Appreciates the significance of safeguarding and interprets this accurately for all individual children and young people/vulnerable adults whatever their life circumstances.
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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 East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust (Cambridge)
Address The Oak Tree Centre or Chesterton Medical Centre
1 Oak Drive or 35 Union Lane
Huntingdon or Cambridge
PE29 7HN
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.eastofenglandcommunityhealthandcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)