Speech and Language Therapy Assistant

The closing date is 6th Sep 2026

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Job summary

There is currently an exciting opportunity for a Band 4 Speech and Language Therapy Assistant (SLTA) to join the East Hampshire and Southampton Community Learning Disabilities Service.

This will be a fixed term Maternity cover contract for 30 hours per week and will provide a chance to join an integrated MDT.

We are looking for an SLTA who is passionate about the support of adults with a learning disability. The successful candidate will assist the Learning Disabilities Speech and Language Therapy service within a wider community health team. We welcome creative thinkers who can adapt to meet the individual needs of each service user.

The Hampshire and Isle Of Wight Learning Disabilities Division works across 7 clinical areas of practice, meaning a variety of approaches and skills are requires to meet the differing needs of service users. The clinical areas of practice are; Autism, Challenging Behaviour, Complex Health , Dementia, Epilepsy, Mental Health and Forensic.

We have opportunities for peer supervision alongside other SLTAs and apprentice SLTs, in-house training, joint working with other members of the MDT including Physiotherapy, Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry, Occupational Therapy, Learning Disabilities Nursing and Art therapy.

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Main duties, tasks & skills required

Under the supervision of a qualified Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) the post holder will be expected to:

Undertake therapy interventions with specific service users, under the supervision of an SLT.

Participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of flexible, service user centred programmes of therapeutic activities for individuals/groups of people with learning disabilities to meet specific health needs.

To contribute their observations and judgements of the communication strengths and barriers of individuals to the SLT and wider MDT

To contribute their observations and judgements of the eating, drinking and swallowing (EDS) needs of the client group.

To assist the SLT in the provision of training courses to others, relating to both the communication and the EDS needs of the client group.

Adhere to the multi-disciplinary team processes and procedures and Standards for professional practice

The interventions undertaken will be embedded within the framework of:

Single Point of Access

Work within the LD Service's Single Point of Access on a rotational basis undertaking clinical assessments to assess the eligibility and health need of individuals referred into the service.

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About us

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides joined-up mental and physical healthcare for around two million people across our communities. With over 13,000 staff working in the community and local hospitals, we deliver care at every stage of life, helping people live their best and healthiest lives.

Our mental health services include community-based support and early intervention in psychosis (EIP) for both adults and young people, alongside a network of specialist inpatient wards covering forensic, learning disability, eating disorder and older person's care.

We deliver extensive physical health services too, from urgent community response teams helping frail and older patients remain safely at home, to hospitals at home teams providing acute-level care in familiar surroundings. Our neurological services offer rehabilitation and treatment for conditions including Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Motor Neurone Disease, Head Injury, Cerebral Palsy and Stroke. Across Hampshire, our community hospitals provide inpatient rehabilitation as a step down from acute care, and our dedicated teams also staff Treetops Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Portsmouth, offering expert, compassionate support.

Everything we do is underpinned by our CARE values of compassion, accountability, respect and excellence

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Job description

Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached. It is important to us that we ensure our recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive to everyone - if as a potential candidate you are concerned a person specification may prevent or restrict your application for employment as a result of unintentional barriers on the grounds of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, religion/belief or disability please initially contact the Trust's Recruitment team - detailed in the advert. The Trust will seek to resolve this issue wherever possible.

We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.

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Person specification

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Qualifications

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Essential

Must be willing to undertake service induction and other appropriate training as needed.

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Desirable

NHS Care certificate

Foundation degree or equivalent level study (or above).

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Experience

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Essential

Work experience in health/ social care/ teaching setting.

Experience of working with adults with learning disabilities.

Experience of working with people with communication difficulties.

Awareness of the importance of non-verbal communication.

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Desirable

Experience of NHS electronic records system.

Knowledge of medical and SLT-related terminology

Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team

Experience of providing training

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Additional Criteria

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Essential

Must be able to communicate effectively and be able to develop project based skills.

Proactive

Understand the need to maintain accurate client records and demonstrate this.

Must be able to use initiative whilst recognising the scope of one's competence and authority.

Actively influence others and feed this back to colleagues appropriately and promptly.

Good personal organisational skills.

Demonstrates a strong team-working ethos in all aspects of work.

Able to recognise change in service user's behaviour/condition and inform colleagues effectively.

Experience in making communication resources.

Can develop and maintain a therapeutic relationship with service users and professional relationships with colleagues and other professionals.

Ability to lone work in the community settings under the direction of a qualified therapist.

Ability to use IT programmes such as word documents, PowerPoint, publisher and Excel.

Able to commit to hours

Sensitive approach

Ability to efficiently attend community visits.

Willing to work across whole locality as required.

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Desirable

Flexibility in working hours

Knowledge of picture/symbol communication systems and packages.

Current Full British Driving Licence and use of a vehicle with business use

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Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

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For help with your application, contact:
Rosanna Dowty

[email protected]

02382310300

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Pay scheme

Agenda for Change

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Band

Band 4

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Salary

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£28392.00 to £31157.00 Yearly

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Contract

Fixed Term

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Duration

10 Month(s)

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Working pattern

Part-Time

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Reference number

348-MNH-12252

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Job locations

Thomas Lewis House

236 Empress Road

Southampton

Hampshire

SO14 0JY

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7 The Potteries

Wickham Road

Fareham

Hampshire

PO16 7ET

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Attachments

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Job Description

Band 4 JD 2026.docx – 147KB Opens in a new window

Converted File Band 4 JD 2026.docx.pdf – 279KB Opens in a new window

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Additional document 1

EmployeeBenefits_hiowh_v1-compressed_3.pdf – 1001KB Opens in a new window

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