Job summary
This job advert will close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Please apply for this job as soon as you can, if interested.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Speech and Language Therapist with significant experience in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) as well as in leadership of SLT to join and lead the SLT team within Access to Communication and Technology (ACT).

The post-holder will work within the diverse caseload relating to Electronic Assistive Technology (EAT) with children and adults with communication and language difficulties who need AAC.

ACT is a specialist electronic assistive technology service, which is based at the West Midlands Rehabilitation Centre, Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 6JA. We are a service made up of clinicians (Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapists, Health Care Scientists and assistants), technicians, stock and admin staff providing specialist assessment, set up, provision and maintenance of electronic assistive technology to meet the needs of children and adults who require Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Environmental Control (EC).

We are a friendly, enthusiastic, experienced and supportive team who work collaboratively as part of a national network of similar services, all funded by NHS England.

The post holder will need to work independently and travel widely within the West Midlands region and therefore being a car driver is essential.

Main duties of the job

• Clinical Leadership across the West Midlands in the specialist area of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), in accordance with NHS England Service Specification D01/S/b
• Clinical expert in the specialist area of Augmentative and Alternative Communication with responsibility for a significantly complex caseload of predominantly children but also adults all of who are non-verbal or illiterate.
• To deliver an effective, evidence-based Speech and Language Therapy service within ACT. This will include day to day supervision, setting objectives and priorities, monitoring/reviewing performance, absence management, recruitment and conducting appraisals.
• Identify, lead and or participate in service improvement initiatives and projects within ACT, the trust and nationally for AAC. This may include specific projects for individual patients, research, audit, as well as procedure development.
• Provides expert / second opinions to the Speech and Language Therapists and other professionals within ACT, across the West Midlands Region and at a national level.
• To be an active part of the ACT leadership team and deputise for the ACT service lead when necessary.
• To support the appropriate use of the ACT budget as part of the leadership team. To utilise resources only as required to prevent waste with average device costs around £3000 to £6000.

About us
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BCHC has more than 5000 staff working across Birmingham and the West Midlands in a wide range of community nursing and specialist healthcare roles. BCHC delivers over 100 clinical services, in people's homes, health centres, clinics and inpatient facilities. We deliver a wide range of services for children, young people and families as well as adults and community services, two community hospitals, services for people with learning disabilities, the internationally recognised West Midlands Rehab Centre and one of Europe's leading Dental Hospitals and School of Dentistry. We deliver all of this with a commitment to integrated, personalised care that is rooted in our local communities. We have an ambition to deliver outstanding, integrated care as one of the key NHS providers in the West Midlands.

Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum (pro rata)
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 820-8316229-ASR

Job responsibilities
For further details on the job description and main responsibilities, please see the attached documents.

Clinical

• A lead clinician in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and provides second opinions, specialist advice and support in specialist area to own and other professional services throughout the Birmingham Community Healthcare Trust and the West Midlands Region.
• Uses specialist knowledge underpinned by current theory and evidence-based practice such as speech, language and communication development and impairment, and child development in order to optimise communication to carry out specialist AAC multi-disciplinary assessments and support of clients in Birmingham Community Healthcare Trust and the West Midlands (a large multi-cultural and multi-lingual population). These are often 2 hour appointments that require sustained concentration.
• Carry out physical handling procedures for positioning of the limbs and head of a client, to contribute to assessment for access to AAC.
• Manages own caseload of clients with disabilities of a complex nature, requiring tertiary referral, liaison with client, family, carers and professional teams including training and support.
• Leads in client-centred goal setting and review, with full involvement of the local team (carers, family and professionals).
• Structures clear intervention plans in highly complex cases, based on best practice, and is able to adapt to individual client needs and priorities.
• Supports experienced SLTs to problem solve though critical analysis and evaluation for the planning, assessment and management of complex cases where the intervention pathway is not obvious or is open to interpretation.
• Manages highly complex appointment recognising breakdown or conflict when it occurs and generating solutions, using excellent negotiation skills when liaising with clients, their families and local teams as an expert clinician in AAC.
• Provide expert advice and consultancy to clients, relatives, carers and other professionals on how to manage issues arising from a clients communicative disabilities in relation to AAC needs.
• Records and maintains up-to-date clinical case records including activity data in line with professional standards and Trust policies.
• Measure outcomes of AAC intervention (techniques, low-tech tools and technology) for clients on own caseload.
• Writes reports containing highly complex, confidential and sensitive information, which may be used in a legal context, eg. expert witness statements, tribunal reports.
• Recommends appropriate AAC, which is often electronic assistive technology from a range of high cost devices and accessories. This is purchased from the departmental budget.
• Sets up the prescribed equipment and ensures this is safe to use and clients team are trained in its use.
• Offers intervention in the environment most appropriate to client needs, eg. home, school, college, day services.
• Management of the telephone referral and advice line, triaging referrals and supporting local teams to enable AAC and Environmental Control needs across the West Midlands.
• Have a working knowledge of Environmental Control including computer access to be able to triage and support referrals taking for these areas on the referral and helpline.

Professional

• Complies with standards of professional conduct as laid down by the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC).
• Works within the professional standards of the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapy.
• Identifies and accesses appropriate Continuous Professional Development at least to a level to meet Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and Health and Care Professions Council requirements and practices reflective learning.

Development

• Engages with the Adult and Specialist Rehabilitation, Trust, Divisional and ACT clinical strategy to ensure that regional and national initiatives and priorities are taken into account.
• Initiates and leads the development of new ways of working, including service redesign, working in partnership with other leads, the appropriate Trust corporate teams, commissioners, patients and others.
• Uses expert knowledge to inform service development in specialist area and related areas of clinical need.
• Integrates knowledge base to anticipate, contribute and respond to future developments in practice and technology.
• Participates in, and assists to develop and maintain a high level academic and leading edge ethos within the department.
• Formulates ACT Standard Operating Procedures and contributes to Trust, regional and national policy/care pathway developments in specialist area.
• Leads in interagency and multi-disciplinary projects regarding service objectives in specialist area.
• Represents ACT on National Working parties in relation to AAC.
• Leads, promotes and takes an active part in AAC related research projects and clinical developments relevant to the work of the department.
• Initiates, undertakes, and participates in departments research/audit and clinical governance relevant to specialist area.
• Analyses, presents and disseminates locally and regionally any findings of research relevant to the specialist area.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Degree in Speech and Language Therapy
• Health and Care Professional Council Registration
• Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy Registration
• Evidence of recent relevant CPD activities in specialised area

Desirable

• Masters Degree in relevant clinical area or equivalent.

Experience
Essential

• Extensive postgraduate SLT experience
• Significant experience in the SLT management of people who use low and high tech AAC systems, Makaton signing or equivalent.
• Experience of managing or supervising a small team of SLT's on a day to day basis.
• Significant experience of managing a complex and diverse caseload independently, having given advice to others.

Skills
Essential

• Evidence of recent relevant CPD activities in AAC

Other
Essential

• Ability to independently travel across the region, therefore car driver with full license

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS FT
Address: West Midlands Rehab Centre, West Midlands Rehab Centre 91 Oak Tree Lane, Birmingham, B29 6JA, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.bhamcommunity.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: ACT Service Clinical Manager, Jo Cartwright, joanne.cartwright5@nhs.net, 01214663050

Date posted: 16 October 2026
Closing date: 29 October 2026

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