Job overview

Speech and Language Therapy Assistant Practitioners will work with adults and older people with mental health conditions in our in patient units in Wiltshire. You will be proactive in supporting the development of Easy Read and accessible information, deliver communication assessment, therapy and training and input into the eating drinking and swallowing clinical pathway. 

You will be part of a developing speech and language service and part of the wider Allied Health professions team, which includes Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Dietetics.  You will work with the Speech and Language Therapist to develop your competencies in a number of different areas using the Royal College of Speech and Language Framework and the AHP competency framework for support workers.

Main duties of the job

See job description and person specification for full details.

The post holder will: 

• work under the direction of a HCPC registered Speech and Language therapist to support with individuals with mental health conditions and difficultly with communication and/or eating and drinking safely, in a variety of settings including in-patient wards including PICU, acute adults, specialist older peoples wards and the community where appropriate.  
• have a delegated caseload which will be regularly reviewed with your professional supervisor. 
• work routinely with people who may also experience additional communication barriers relating to language, social communication, physical health, neurodiversity and learning disability.
• be an integral member of the AHP team and wider multi-professional team.
• provide support and assist in the preparation and running of therapy groups
• carry out assessment activities within agreed scope of practice.
• utilize a wide range of strategies/interventions to meet the communication/eating and drinking difficulties of service users under the supervision of a qualified Speech and Language Therapist.
• support development and delivery of training on universal strategies within the ward environment for language & communication.
• maintain a Continuing Professional Development portfolio and work towards greater competency, using the Assistant competency framework with your supervisor.

Working for our organisation

We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust): a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care. 

We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.  

AWP is committed to support and create a positive research and evidence-based environment and culture, which can have a beneficial impact on everyone who works for the organisation and the care we provide to those who use our services.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.