We are recruiting!

We are a friendly, innovative, and dynamic speech and language therapy team, who have established and expanded adult learning disability (ALD) and autism SLT services across Suffolk, and are looking for an experienced clinician to fill this fixed term post to lead the ALD service.

This post offers an excellent opportunity for a skilled SLT who specialises in working with adults with learning disabilities and/or autism, to develop their leadership and management skills on a fixed term basis, as they work alongside experienced clinicians to lead the adult learning disability and autism speech and language therapy service for ESNEFT.

We are looking for a therapist who has specialist knowledge and experience of managing the communication and dysphagia needs of this ALD/A cohort, with the willingness to use leadership skills to help maintain, coordinate, and oversee the countywide delivery of this service which is integrated with the local mental health learning disability and autism service offer.

We also provide the specialist SLT service into the Autism Diagnostic Service for Suffolk (ADSS), and therefore we would also welcome interest from clinicians with autism diagnostic experience, as this post offers the potential to also work alongside the existing senior SLT in the ADSS team.

Responsibilities

• Base Location: The post-holder will be based in Ipswich or Bury St Edmunds, but will work across Suffolk. Car driver essential.
• Advanced Clinical Skills: The post holder will need to have advanced clinical skills in dysphagia and communication.
• Collaborative Work: You will need to be able to work collaboratively and quickly build relationships with colleagues across health and social care, the voluntary sector, and private provider services across the Suffolk Integrated Care Board region.
• Integrated Services: As part of the ESENFT senior SLT team, you will be a key member of the integrated adult SLT services, which covers the full range of clinical disorders and includes clinical specialists in neurological disorders, aphasia, dysfluency, dysphagia, and voice across both acute and community settings.
• Service Accountability: Be accountable for the delivery of the adult learning disability SLT pathway according to knowledge and experience, ensuring the service is effectively maintained and well-coordinated across the county.
• Relationship Management: Maintain effective working relationships with other NHS and social care provider organisations, commissioning, and third sector organisations.
• Leadership and Supervision: Provide line management and clinical supervision to the specialist qualified speech and language therapists and assistant practitioner working in the adult learning disability team.
• Caseload Management: Independently manage a caseload of complex clinical cases as needed.
• Service Coordination: Work closely with the professional SLT and wider SLT clinical leads to share service critical information and advocate for the ALD service, ensuring there is effective integration and coordination of service delivery across the county.