Specialist Speech & Language Therapist

Job summary

We are seeking experienced and innovative Speech and Language Therapists to provide locality leadership for the new Experts at Hand model across Bedfordshire and Luton. Working across education, early years and community settings, you will help develop an integrated universal, targeted and specialist offer that strengthens early identification, builds workforce capability and supports inclusive practice for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.

Combining specialist clinical expertise with consultation, coaching, supervision, service improvement and system leadership, you will support EaH practitioners and the wider Speech and Language Therapy workforce to embed new ways of working. You will also maintain a small targeted-plus and specialist caseload for children and young people with more complex needs.

Should we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after 17th August 2026

Working with the Experts at Hand Strategic Lead and wider Speech and Language Therapy service, the post holder will:

• Provide clinical and locality leadership for implementation of the Experts at Hand model within a defined area.
• Work with SaLT Locality Leads and multidisciplinary partners to develop an integrated universal, targeted and specialist offer across education, early years and community settings.
• Act as a senior clinical resource, providing specialist advice, consultation, second opinions and collaborative problem-solving.
• Lead consultation, coaching, training and communication-environment audits to strengthen the graduated response and build workforce capability.
• Coproduce, implement and evaluate targeted interventions at individual, group and whole-setting level.
• Provide clinical supervision and competency development for SaLTs, Support Practitioners and apprentices.
• Maintain a small targeted-plus and specialist caseload, undertaking assessment, differential diagnosis, intervention and outcome evaluation for children and young people with complex communication needs.
• Participate in locality multidisciplinary and Team Around the School arrangements, working with children, families and partners.
• Contribute to workforce planning, quality improvement and service evaluation, using activity and outcome data to demonstrate impact and develop the model.

Rated 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.

There's one reason why our services are outstanding - and that's our amazing staff who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.

If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then all are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.

Please be aware that East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust will never ask applicants to pay fees at any stage of the recruitment process, including job applications, sponsorship arrangements, or employment offers. All recruitment communications and job applications should only be made through our official careers website and published contact details.

If you receive a suspicious job offer or recruitment-related communication, do not make any payments, share personal information, or provide identity documents. We encourage you to report the matter to your local police or relevant law enforcement agency. Any concerns relating to potential recruitment fraud should also be reported to our Local Counter Fraud Specialist (LCFS) as soon as possible.

Date posted: 10 August 2026

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 7

Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year per annum, pro-rata

Contract: Fixed term

Duration: 36 months

Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number: 448-BCHS-8199939

Job locations: Woburn Court, 2 Railton Road, Bedford, MK427PN
, United Kingdom

We are excited to introduce an innovative Experts at…