Speech and Language Therapist

Overview

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is one of the largest healthcare systems in the United Kingdom, employing approximately 40,000 staff across a wide range of clinical and non-clinical professions and roles. We deliver acute hospital, primary, community and mental health services to a population of over 1.15 million people, and to a wider population of 2.2 million when regional and national services are included.

The Community Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy service provides pre-referral activity triage, assessment, diagnosis, treatment and advice, guidance and support for parents and families of children with a wide range of speech, language and/or communication needs including Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Hearing Impairment, Phonological Disorders, Dysfluency, Additional Support Needs and Language Disorder. The service will be managed within the appropriate delegated general management structure in HSCPs, with overall responsibility lying with the Head of Children and Families Services who will also retain responsibility for SLT policy development.

The provision of speech and language services to local Education Departments will be managed through Service Level Agreements that will be shaped and informed by the agreed NHS GGC SLT Service Specification and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

The service focus is to deliver a consistent service across all 6 service areas within NHS Greater Glasgow and incorporating:

• an SLT practice framework underpinned and supported by Care Aims and effective clinical supervision;
• Practice Development (through agreed Practice Development Networks);
• coherent and effective working with other services, particularly with Children and Family Team and with Partner services;
• improving access to the service via an agreed triage model, effective case allocation and case management, and discharge management supporting achievement of agreed waiting times;
• improving the service balance by shifting the balance of work towards more stage 1/pre-referral work, changes in workforce skill mix, and releasing more clinical time;
• Improving service performance through the agreed service specification and related key performance indicators.

Fixed Term, Part time

Base location - The West Centre

• Assess, diagnose, and deliver therapy for children and young people with speech, language, and communication needs, including complex cases.
• Plan, deliver, and evaluate specialised, individualised therapy programmes.
• Manage and prioritise an autonomous caseload, assessing risk and need.
• Participate in clinical supervision, peer review, operational management, and Care Aims processes.
• Review referrals with senior staff and redirect cases to other agencies when appropriate (e.g., CAMHS, OT, Physiotherapy, Educational Psychology).
• Use evidence-based practice to evaluate therapy outcomes and progress patients toward discharge.
• Make decisions regarding discharge from the service.
• Maintain accurate, confidential clinical records and produce timely written and verbal reports.
• Work collaboratively with education staff, families, and medical teams to develop and implement IEPs/goals.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary diagnostic assessments, including differential diagnosis (e.g., ASD using ICD-10 criteria).
• Attend and contribute to multi-professional meetings and case conferences.
• Support induction and provide clinical guidance to newly qualified and less experienced therapists and SLT support staff.
• Engage in CPD in line with HCPC/RCSLT and departmental requirements.
• Provide required activity and statistical data to the SLT Team Lead.
• Participate in audits and research projects at local and national levels.
• Work within departmental, national, and professional policies, protocols, and health and safety.

The post holder will require:

• Appropriate Ordinary/Honours degree in Speech and Language Pathology.
• Certificate to Practice as a Speech and Language Therapist as awarded by the RCSLT.
• Registration with RCSLT and Health Care Professions Council (HCPC).
• Specialist Speech &…