Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (Adults)
At a glance
- Band
- Band 6
- Contract
- Fixed-term
- Pattern
- Part-time
- Hours / week
- 36
- Posted
- 09/09/2026
- Closes
- 23/09/2026
Sponsorship verdict
This contract type is not eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
NHS Trusts cannot issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for part-time, bank, locum, zero-hours, job-share or short fixed-term (under 12 months) contracts under current Home Office rules. This applies even when the wider Trust holds a Skilled Worker licence.
Role summary
This fixed-term Band 6 Speech and Language Therapist role covers maternity leave within the Adult Speech and Language Therapy Team, working 36 hours per week across South Tyneside and Sunderland. The post involves providing specialist assessment and treatment for adults with speech, language, voice, communication, and swallowing disorders in acute and outpatient settings. You will join a well-established team, develop clinical skills, and contribute to service development and research.
Key responsibilities
- Provide specialist assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for adults with a range of speech, language, voice, communication, and swallowing disorders, including complex cases.
- Supervise more junior Speech and Language Therapists, Assistants/Technical Instructors, and students.
- Participate in research within the specialist area as required.
- Collaborate closely with other professionals to ensure an integrated approach to client care.
Essential criteria
- Membership of Health and Care Professions Council
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree qualification.
- Fulfilment of RCSLT competency criteria completion of external courses in specialist area.
- Basic counselling skills
- Successful completion of specialist post-graduate training e.g. Dysphagia Management Course
- Evidence of CPD including attendance of a wide range of short courses in specialist clinical area e.g. Aphasia, Dysphagia, Motor Speech Disorders, Voice
- Membership of relevant Special Interest Groups
- Well-established knowledge of a range of specialist assessment tools relevant to a wide range of adult communication disorders
- Completed RCSLT Professional Competencies Framework.
- A period of post-qualification experience in communication, swallowing and voice disorders
- Good working knowledge of a wide range of developmental and acquired speech, language, communication and voice difficulties and their treatments.
- Experience of working within multi-disciplinary teams.
- Experience liaising with other health, education and social professionals.
- Experience of planning and delivery of training for other professionals and parents/carers.
- Experience of working alongside highly specialised therapists for highly complex cases
- Membership of relevant Special Interest Groups
- Evidence of CPD and attendance at a range of short courses e.g. Dementia, Sentence Processing, Social Models of Therapy, Videofluoroscopy, Ethical issues, Dyspraxia
- Knowledge of current national policies and procedures.
- Knowledge of trends/best practice across the clinical specialisms
- In-depth knowledge of a range of therapeutic interventions relevant to the client groups and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits of each
- Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance/audit
- Understanding of the roles of other professionals relevant to client group
- Knowledge of standards of record-keeping
- Working knowledge of safeguarding
- Working knowledge of structure, policies and functioning of the NHS and Local Authority
- Excellent interpersonal skills - including observation, listening and empathy skills.
- Ability to communicate effectively with Health, Education and Social Services professionals, as well as parents/families/carers.
- Influencing and problem-solving skills
- Demonstrate excellent analytical, assessment, deduction and reflection skills
- Well-developed concentration skills
- Excellent presentation skills - written and oral
- Excellent organisational and time-management skills
- Prioritisation skills
- Innovative thinking skills
- Demonstrates ability to be a good team member and assume supervisory responsibilities of assistants and mentoring responsibilities of less experienced therapists
- Independent and autonomous working
- Highly-developed discrimination skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically
- To have due regard for own personal safety and that of clients/carers, in particular to have regard to moving and handling regulations, restraining policies and ensure the safe positioning of self and others.
- Lifting and carrying equipment for assessment and treatment on a regular basis.
- To maintain intense concentration in all aspects of client management for prolonged periods, in particular, to monitor auditory, visual and kinaesthetic aspects of clients communication, adapting and facilitating according to perceived client needs including cultural and linguistic differences.
- To be flexible to the demands of the environment including unpredictable work patterns, deadlines and frequent interruptions.
- To employ counselling skills with carers and clients (including clients with complex needs)
- To demonstrate the ability to manage clients with challenging behaviours, including the application of appropriate management strategies
- To be adaptable to the demands of a variety of working conditions and/or a wide range of clients
- To work within infection control and Health & Safety guidelines in order to deal with unpleasant conditions relating to client contact as they arise, for example exposure to body fluids, infectious conditions, encountered on a regular basis
- To employ appropriate strategies to manage verbally aggressive behaviour within the workplace
- Competent computer skills
Desirable criteria
- Developing skills in instrumental swallowing assessment e.g. VF, FEES
- Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
- Significant specialist
- experience post-qualification across range of clinical areas
- Completion of Level 1 Counselling Skills or equivalent
- Car driver/owner
Useful to know
Agenda for Change 2024/25 pays Band 6 at £37,338 – £44,962 a year, across England.
This advert: £39,959 – £48,117 — outside the standard scale; check for HCAS/London weighting.
Posted 1d ago · Closes in 14d
Plenty of time to prepare a strong application.
Full advert · preview
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (Adults)
The closing date is 23 September 2026
Job summary
We have an opportunity for one fixed-term Band 6 Speech and
Language Therapist to cover existing maternity leave within the department.
The Post is 36 hours per week, in our Adult Speech and Language Therapy Team.
We
would like you to join us and depending on your skills, we have available
sessions into our in-patient, stroke and ENT/voice services, across South
Tyneside and Sunderland.
You will join our
well-established Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) service and will work
mainly in acute and / or out-patient settings. You will be a key part of our
service and will have opportunity to develop your skills in working with people
with a wide range of voice, speech, language, communication and swallowing
difficulties. As a team we work together to provide the best service we can
whilst striving to develop staff who are our key asset to improve patient
outcomes. You will have excellent support and will be encouraged to develop
your clinical skills and may also be involved in instrumental assessment
clinics. You will be keen to drive
services forward as we change and develop. You will align to our vision and
values which include using research and innovation to improve patient care.
Main duties of the job
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