Job summary
AAC WEST, based at the Bristol Centre for Enablement (BCE), is an NHS funded department that provides technological solutions for individuals that require alternative methods to communicate. The service is commissioned by NHS England to provide Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) assessments and equipment to people living in the South West region who meet nationally agreed referral criteria.

AAC WEST are looking to recruit an Associate Assistant Practitioner to join their busy clinical team to support in the preparation of communication aids that have been prescribed for active patients on the service case load.

This role will be based from the Bristol Enablement Service (BCE) and as a development post, will be fully supported by a team of experienced AAC assistants and registered clinicians. It is a non patient facing role. The successful candidate will be a confident computer user who enjoys managing their own workload.

Main duties of the job
The main duties of the job are as follows:

• Communication Aid Programming - Preparing both high and low tech communication resources using specialist software to collate vocabularies which are provided by and on behalf of patients on the caseload
• Equipment Preparation - Preparing equipment for clinical team to take to assessments and training sessions
• To offer telephone support to patients and their support teams in the region on devices which have been loaned
• To assist in the delivery of training sessions

About us
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

Details
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 3
Salary: £25,760 to £27,476 a year pa pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 339-NMSK3995-DY
Closing date: 18 November 2026

Person Specification
Essential education and qualifications

• GCSEs including English and Maths
• NVQ level 2 in Health and Social Care

Essential knowledge, skills and abilities

• Basic knowledge of Augmentative Alternative Communication principles
• Excellent communication skills in order to communicate factual information to patients, their families, carers, and professionals using persuasion, reassurance, tact and sensitivity
• To be able to overcome barriers to understanding when communicating with clients with communication impairments
• Ability to engage and negotiate with suppliers regarding technical issues and feed this information back to team members and service users in an accessible manner.
• Excellent written skills in order to write clear and concise clinical notes and compose letters and short reports as necessary.
• Confident computer user with a current and working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Access, Excel, email, internet and social networking
• Demonstrable experience of learning new computer software skills

Desirable knowledge, skills and abilities

• Basic knowledge of speech and language and occupational therapy procedures

Essential experience

• Experience of working in a care or educational setting is desirable
• Technically able with experience of using technology
• Understanding of the difficulties encountered by people with severe communication and physical or other impairments

Desirable experience

• Familiar with medical and electronic terms
• Knowledge of and adherence to the Trust and AAC WEST policies and procedures

Essential personal qualities

• Effective team working
• Exceptional organisation skills
• Highly developed interpersonal skills

Desirable personal qualities

• UK driving license held for over a year

For questions about the job, contact
AAC WEST Clinical Lead, Vicky Styles, victoria.styles1@nhs.net, 01174145850

Apply through our website

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.