Speech and Language Therapist

Closing date: 04 November 2026
Band: Band 7
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Salary: £58,133 to £65,261 a year per annum incl. of HCAs (inner)

The Transforming Care Autism service was developed to meet the needs of autistic individuals at risk of admission to, or within, mainstream mental health services.

The Speech and Language Therapist will have opportunities to shape the best use of speech and language therapy input to this client group, as part of a small multidisciplinary team.

The team approach is two-fold:

• Increase capability of mainstream adult mental health services to work with autistic adults through teaching and training
• Provide a crisis response for named service users at risk of admission, working with the treating mental health teams

The team consists of a range of professionals including Psychological Practitioners, an Occupational Therapist, Behavioural Practitioner, Speech and Language Therapist, Consultant Psychiatrist and a Community Nurse. The team is friendly and supportive and works closely together to ensure the best outcomes of the individuals we work with.

Main duties of the job

• To provide specialist interventions according to discipline including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes
• To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment
• To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate
• To promote service evaluation, audit and research
• To work as an autonomous professional within registration body guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by the policies and procedures of the service, taking responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions with support of clinical supervisor
• To offer training to mainstream services
• To be active in the provision of staff support within their area, including but not limited to Critical Incident Staff Support and Reflect-Support-Resolve

Key Responsibilities

• To provide specialist assessments, formulations and interventions for individuals and their support network where the identified client has specifically Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) according to discipline in the Transforming Care Autism (TCA) service
• To provide culturally appropriate interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required
• To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans
• To provide reports, including relevant formulation, opinion and interventions, in order to inform referrers and, where appropriate, service users and their families
• To select and deliver evidence-based specialist interventions, drawing from a spectrum of ideas and models, monitoring outcome and modifying and adapting interventions as necessary, based on the highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, couple, family or group
• To promote psychological support for carers (or families as appropriate) of referred clients
• To contribute to the effective working of the TCA service
• To contribute to the team or services delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities
• To be proactive in challenging discrimination and support the development of culturally competent services
• To liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals concerned with clients in order to develop and review care plans
• To liaise with the service/s MDT and other professionals
• To implement policies and procedures in own area of work, and to propose improvements or beneficial changes
• To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities
• To contribute to service development through undertaking and participating in appropriate projects
• To take care of, and use carefully, the Trusts equipment and physical resources
• To ensure that the post-holder has sufficient resources by estimating future needs and requesting or ordering supplies as needed
• To ensure the cleanliness and safe functioning and use of equipment that will be used by clients or other persons
• To monitor and advise clients on the safe use of materials and processes
• To ensure adequate confidential and safe storage for artefacts produced during the therapy process in line with professional guidelines
• To be responsible for obtaining, storing and maintaining all materials and equipment for the provision of therapy in work setting within budgetary constraints
• To be responsible for the allocation and/or clinical supervision of the work of a paid assistant if required, under supervision from a more senior therapist
• To supervise trainees within own area of specialism after completion of the relevant Supervision Training
• To provide specialist training to other professions as appropriate
• To disseminate research/service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles
• To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures
• To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry
• To undertake regular complex service evaluation, audits or research relevant to service needs
• To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior professional according to discipline, professional body and Trust guidelines
• To maintain own Continuing Professional Development in line with professional body and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements and professional Standards for Continuing Professional Development
• To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice and of relevant legislation and policies
• To comply with professional body Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics/Standards of Proficiency
• To travel to home visits, community placements, meetings etc. as appropriate and across the Trust when required
• To be aware of risk relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour amongst the client group, and follow trust policies relating to its management
• To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations (such as challenging behaviour, abuse etc) and to support others involved in such situations through Trust-wide approaches including Critical Incident Staff Support and Reflect-Support-Resolve

Essential Qualifications

• Entry-level qualification in Speech and Language Therapy and demonstrable practice in this field (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus supervised practice/additional training) that has been accepted for the purposes of professional registration
• Registered with professional body as appropriate to discipline eg. HCPC/RCN

Essential Experience

• Experience of working with individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions
• Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities including experience of working within a multicultural framework. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience
• Experience of assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature
• Experience of developing and carrying out audit/research projects
• Experience of multi-disciplinary working

Essential Knowledge

• Knowledge of a range of therapeutic ideas/approaches systemic models in assessment and treatment relevant to discipline

Essential Skills

• To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information
• Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups

Career Progression pathways and development opportunities
We are committed to get the very best out of our staff and support staff in their career aspirations. We have career pathways available, where you will be able to develop your skills and build on your experience with the aim of progressing into other roles across the organisation. For this role, we offer support to develop management and leadership skills and knowledge as required. In addition, we offer ongoing training and development including weekly Education and Research meetings across the pathway and beyond.

Agile and flexible working
As one of the few Trusts in London we are proud to offer flexible working as part of our new ways of working, and we are happy to talk flexible working at the interview stage. Although the core hours for the service are Monday to Friday, in the time frame from 9 to 5, there are opportunities to work outside of these hours, giving you the very best of good work life balance.

Locations
The role is across the Trust, which can include visits to one of our inpatient settings and settings in the community: The Bethlem Royal Hospital, Maudsley Hospital, Lewisham Hospital.

Contact
Lead for Transforming Care Autism team: Adanna Onyejiaka, adanna.onyejiaka@slam.nhs.uk

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. 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. Applicants must have current UK professional registration. Apply through our website.