Job summary
Are you an enthusiastic and motivated Speech and Language Therapist looking to make a meaningful difference to the lives of people with learning disabilities and autistic people?

We are seeking a Band 6 Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join our friendly and supportive Intensive Support Team (IST). This is an exciting opportunity to work within a multidisciplinary team supporting individuals with complex communication and behavioural needs, helping to improve outcomes and reduce the need for hospital admissions.

The successful candidate will provide specialist assessment, intervention and consultation for individuals supported by the Intensive Support Team (IST) and Learning Disability Inpatient Services. Working closely with service users, carers and multidisciplinary colleagues, you will play a key role in delivering person-centred care and supporting positive outcomes.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience working with people with learning disabilities and/or autism.
• Is confident assessing and supporting individuals with complex communication needs.
• Works well as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Has excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Is passionate about delivering person-centred care and improving service user outcomes.

Main duties of the job
The post holder will work as a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist within the Adult Learning Disability Intensive Support Team, providing specialist assessment, advice and intervention for adults with a learning disability who present with communication and/or dysphagia needs. The role will support people in the community who may be experiencing increased risk, crisis, or complexity, and will contribute to admission prevention, safe care planning and effective discharge pathways.

The post holder will provide a defined satellite Speech and Language Therapy contribution to The Hollies Learning Disability Ward, supporting continuity of care between community and inpatient pathways. This will include specialist assessment, formulation, intervention planning, dysphagia management, communication support, staff advice and contribution to multidisciplinary risk management and discharge planning.

The post holder will work autonomously within professional and organisational standards, maintaining HCPC registration and RCSLT professional guidance.

The post holder will manage and prioritise a specialist caseload, support clinical decision-making, contribute to service development, participate in audit and quality improvement activity, and support the development of communication-friendly and dysphagia-aware practice across Adult Learning Disability Services.

About us
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health and social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting and empowering them to lead fulfilling lives.

Our clinical teams deliver a wide range of NHS services across inpatient, primary care and community settings, including children's, adult and older people's mental health, forensic and specialist mental health, learning disabilities, primary care and liaison psychiatry, substance misuse, social care, and research and development.

To achieve our goals, we recruit high calibre candidates who share our vision and values. As an equal opportunities' employer, we welcome applications from all sections of the community, particularly under represented groups including people with long term conditions and members of our ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ communities.

All appointments for new employees to CPFT are subject to the successful completion of a probationary period.

Please note we reserve the right to close adverts early should we receive sufficient applications.

Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all roles. If you apply for a post that does not attract sponsorship, your application will be withdrawn from the process.

For further information on CPFT, please visit our website at https://www.cpft.nhs.uk

Details
Date posted: 20 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 310-ASMH-8260646-A
Job locations: 53 Thorpe Road, 15 Mowlam Close, Peterborough, PE3 6AN, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.

• To provide specialist Speech and Language Therapy assessment, diagnosis and intervention for adults with a learning disability who present with communication, eating, drinking and swallowing needs.
• To independently manage and prioritise a specialist caseload within the Intensive Support Team, using clinical reasoning, risk assessment and evidence-based practice to inform intervention and support planning.
• To provide defined sessional Speech and Language Therapy input to The Hollies Learning Disability Assessment and Treatment Service, supporting assessment, care planning, dysphagia management, communication support and discharge planning.
• To assess and support people with complex communication needs through accessible information, reasonable adjustments, Total Communication approaches and Augmentative and Alternative Communication where appropriate.
• To undertake dysphagia assessment and intervention in line with professional competency, local policy and clinical governance requirements, including development of safe eating and drinking recommendations and risk management plans.
• To contribute to multidisciplinary assessment, formulation, care planning, positive behaviour support, safeguarding, capacity related discussions, risk review and discharge planning.
• To provide timely specialist advice to colleagues, carers, families and providers regarding communication support, dysphagia management, reasonable adjustments and communication-friendly practice.
• To work autonomously within professional and organisational boundaries, seeking advice and support appropriately through supervision and professional networks.

Person Specification
Education
Essential

• Current HCPC registration as a Speech and Language Therapist.
• Dysphagia competency or commitment to maintain/develop dysphagia competency as required for the role.

Desirable

• RCSLT membership

Experience
Essential

• Experience working with adults with learning disabilities and complex communication needs
• Experience of dysphagia assessment, intervention and risk management.

Desirable

• Experience within community learning disability or intensive support services.
• Experience of inpatient learning disability pathways.

Knowledge
Essential

• Specialist knowledge of communication and dysphagia needs in adults with learning disabilities
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including ability to produce clear clinical records and reports.
• Understanding of safeguarding, consent, mental capacity, clinical governance and professional accountability.

Desirable

• Understanding of audit, quality improvement and service development.

Employer details
Employer name: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Address: 53 Thorpe Road, 15 Mowlam Close, Peterborough, PE3 6AN, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: IST Team Manager, Deborah Watson, Deborah.Watson@cpft.nhs.uk

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 to check for any previous criminal convictions. Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.