Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Transformationunitgm; Wales; On-site; GBP 48,000 - GBP 56,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS health organization in the UK seeks a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to provide clinical leadership in Pembrokeshire. Responsibilities include managing a clinical caseload, supporting children with communication needs, and supervising junior staff. The role requires a degree in Speech & Language Therapy and relevant experience. Candidates should ideally speak Welsh. Full-time and part-time options are available with competitive salary ranging from £48,527 to £55,532 annually.

Responsibilities

• Directly manage staff and support service development.
• Manage a specialist clinical caseload.
• Provide supervision to junior colleagues.

Skills

Leadership

Communication Skills

Clinical Assessment

Therapeutic Interventions

Supervision

Education

Degree in Speech & Language Therapy

HCPC registration

Accredited post-basic dysphagia training

Job description

Main area Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist Grade Band 7 Contract Permanent Hours

• Full time
• Part time

37.5 hours per week (Full time, although part time 30 hours plus will be considered) Job ref 100-AHP007-0226

Employer Hywel Dda University Health Board Employer type NHS Site Bro Preseli Community Care Resource Centre Town Crymych Salary £48,527 - £55,532 per annum (pro rata if part time) Salary period Yearly Closing 22/02/2026 23:59 Interview date 04/03/2026

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Band 7

Job overview

We have an opportunity for a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to work as a Clinical Lead in Pembrokeshire.

As part of this role, there are opportunities to work as a Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist working primarily with pre-school children presenting with a range of communication needs including complex needs and/or eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties. The role will also include being a Line Manager for staff within the service.

The post holder will be responsible for all elements of operational line management of staff members working within their team (including but not limited to day-to-day support and queries, carrying out regular management supervision with staff members, supporting the team and service to develop).

The clinical aspect of the post will involve holding a highly specialist clinical caseload in Pembrokeshire, which will include supporting children who may present with complex needs, as well as managing waiting times and triaging new referrals. Occasionally, there will be an expectation to support children and their families in Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion too.

The successful applicant will also be responsible for identifying opportunities for service development to meet the population need.

The post holder will be a member of the friendly and supportive SLT Service in Hywel Dda University Health Board. A full range of support and training will be available.

Main duties of the job

• Directly line manage staff working for the SLT service, working together with Service Leads and colleagues to support equitable service provision and development.
• Using demonstrable coaching and facilitative skills to enable the team to provide high quality clinical services and to think outside of traditional boundaries of service provision and development.
• Woking with other SLT staff to ensure operational and clinical service development are joined together.
• Responding innovatively to service pressures and prioritising service activities according to local needs.
• Leadership and strategic oversight of service areas to provide equitability and accessibility of support and timely intervention.
• Manage a highly specialist clinical caseload, which will include supporting children who may present with complex needs and/or eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties, manage waiting times and triage new referrals.
• To provide supervision, advice and second opinions to more junior colleagues.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.

Working for our organisation

Hywel Dda University Health Board plans and provides NHS healthcare services for people living in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, and bordering counties.

We have over 13,000 staff and together we provide primary, community, in-hospital, mental health and learning disabilities services.

We work in partnership with the three local authorities, as well as public, private and third sector colleagues, including our valued team of volunteers.

Our services are provided in:

• Four main hospitals: Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth; Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen; Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli; and Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest
• Five community hospitals: Amman Valley and Llandovery hospitals in Carmarthenshire; Tregaron Hospital in Ceredigion; and Tenby and South Pembrokeshire hospitals in Pembrokeshire
• Two integrated care centres: Aberaeron and Cardigan in Ceredigion, and several other community settings
• 47 general practices (six of which are health board managed practices); dental practices (including four orthodontic); 97 community pharmacies; 43 general ophthalmic practices; and 8 ophthalmic domiciliary providers
• Numerous mental health and learning disabilities services

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You will be able to find a full job description and person specification attached within the supporting documents.

The Health Board is committed to supporting its staff to fully embrace the need for bilingualism thereby enhancing patient and service user experiences. In our commitment to increase the number of staff who are able to communicate in Welsh with patients and professionals, we welcome applications from Welsh speakers.

The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for this post. If you do not meet the Welsh Language requirements specified, the Health Board offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal desirable requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Interviews will be held on 04/03/2026

Person specification

Qualifications and Knowledge

• Degree in Speech & Language Therapy
• Evidence of successful completion of training/specialist short courses up to Masters Degree or equivalent level, and relevant to area of clinical expertise
• Understanding of implications of bilingualism on language use and development
• Knowledge of a wide range of paediatric or adult specialist assessment tools and procedures to evaluate communication skills, particularly relevant to area of clinical expertise
• Knowledge of key characteristics leading to a specialist differential diagnosis relevant to area of clinical expertise
• Knowledge of selecting, setting and evaluating specialist treatment goals
• Knowledge of a highly specialist range of therapeutic interventions relevant to specialist clinical area, and able to demonstrate the evidence base for these approaches
• Well established knowledge of legal and professional issues of confidentiality
• Knowledge of record keeping standards, data protection / Caldicott guidelines
• Knowledge of health and safety issues
• Knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to area of clinical expertise
• Basic Counselling
• Knowledge of a range of research approaches
• Understanding of principles of change management
• Accredited postbasic dysphagia training

Experience

• Extensive post registration clinical experience relevant to the post including
• Experience of audit and service evaluation
• Delivering highly specialist training to a range of audiences
• SLT Student placement, inclusive of assessment up to and including final year
• Supporting less experienced staff
• Supervision of associate practitioners/support workers.
• Experience of providing second opinions to SLTs and other professionals
• Management of change
• Demonstrable leadership experience
• Delivering therapy through the medium of Welsh
• Supervision/line management SLTs

Language Skills

• Welsh Speaker (Level 3)

Other

• HCPC registration
• RCSLT Membership
• Member of Relevant CEN/SIG/PPG
• Able to work in a variety of sites based upon service need
• Ability to travel between sites in a timely manner

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.

Name Manon Richards Job title Speech & Language Therapy Service Lead-Paediatrics Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 01239 801562