Job summary
- Main area
- Speech And Language Therapy (SALT)
- Grade
- Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent: band 5 to band 6 development post
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (flexible working and part time hours will be considered.)
- Job ref
- 263-SS25-056-EW
- Employer
- Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- St Georges Park Hospital
- Town
- Morpeth
- Salary
- £31,049 - £37,796 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 19/08/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Speech and Language Therapist (Development post)
Band 5
Job overview
Are you looking for a new challenge and a rewarding career working in Mental Health and Learning Disabilities in the North East of England?
Are you a qualified Speech and Language Therapist who wants to develop their career in a friendly and dynamic team?
An exciting opportunity has arisen to appoint a Speech and Language Therapist to join our growing inpatient service working into the Working Age Adult and Older People Mental Health wards across the Northumberland area.
This is a development post, the successful applicant will be employed in a band 5 role whilst they follow a preceptorship programme, on successful completion of this programme they will move into a band 6 role.
You will work closely with senior Speech and Language Therapists and the wider multi-disciplinary team to support patients through their recovery with individualised, high-quality care. This is an exciting opportunity to develop your knowledge and skills within the field of mental health.
Main duties of the job
You will work to support patients to achieve their therapeutic goals by supporting their language and communication skills. In practice, you will assess and provide a range of communication interventions with the individual both directly and indirectly with support and guidance from senior clinicians. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate excellent awareness of communication difficulties.
The inpatient mental health Speech and Language Therapy service is a dynamic service; passionate about providing person centred care. We would welcome applications from enthusiastic, hardworking individuals who are keen to learn new skills and develop their knowledge within the field of mental health. Previous experience of working with people with mental health conditions is desirable, but not essential.
You will receive support and supervision from Speech and Language Therapy colleagues across the Trust. We actively encourage professional development and provide opportunities for all in the Speech and Language Therapy team to contribute to the development of the service.
Working for our organisation
The Speech and Language Therapy Service in Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust is continuing to develop and grow to meet the needs of our patients and local communities. We are looking for dedicated and passionate individuals with different levels of qualifications and clinical knowledge and experience to join our team.
We will provide you with a comprehensive induction period and you will have access to ongoing clinical supervision and appraisal with development reviews that will provide you with support and the specialist skills required to meet the holistic needs of the patients in your care. The post holder will be expected to actively engage in the Trusts supervision and continuing professional development process.
We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return, we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We welcome applications from qualified speech and language therapists. Please see the separate job description, person specification and the service and role descriptor for more information.
There will be an element of travelling involved as part of this post.
Part time hours and flexible working will also be considered.
Advertising date : 5th August 2025
Closing date : 19th August 2025
We welcome your application.
Person specification
Education and Qualification
Essential criteria
- Recognised Speech and Language therapy degree qualification
- Registration with HCPC
Desirable criteria
- Registered member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
- Log of supervised hours/completion of dysphagia competencies
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of relevant theories relating to communication disorders
- Experience and knowledge of appropriate assessments and evidence based interventions to service users with communication needs
- Ability to develop therapeutic partnership and experience of working to deliver treatment plans with service users and carers
- Good communication skills and ability to deliver a variety of strategies to support adults with complex communication and cognitive needs
- Understanding of the statutory issues which impact on service users
- Knowledge of roles of different members of and the ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team
- Some experience working with service users within the area of the post applied for
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working with service users who have challenging behaviours
- Some experience of delivering training relevant to SALT
Skills and Competencies
Essential criteria
- Ability to use IT systems, time management skills and ability to prioritise work load
- Comprehensive continuous assessment of skills
- Risk assessment and management skills
- Able to provide evidence based therapeutic interventions
- Good, effective communication skills
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Amy Hird
- Job title
- Clinical and Hub Lead for SALT Inpatient Services
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07773 255922
- Additional information
Applicants are encouraged to contact the team prior to interview to find out more about the opportunities available. For an informal discussion, please contact:
Amy Hird, Clinical and Hub Lead for SALT Inpatient Services at [email protected] or on 07773 255922
Fiona Johnstone, Professional Lead and Manager for Speech and Language Therapy at [email protected] or on 07976 791399 or 0191 210 6868
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