At Harrogate Community Learning Disability, we are a small, friendly team of healthcare professionals dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for our service users. Our close-knit team fosters collaboration, support, and real opportunities for growth. Based in the stunning surroundings of North Yorkshire, we’re committed to improving lives and making a lasting impact.
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust are looking to recruit a Band 6 Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) to work with adults with learning disabilities (LD) in North Yorkshire. The successful post holder will be based in Knaresborough and primarily work with service users living in the Harrogate and District locality.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work with individuals who have communication difficulties and/or eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties. The successful applicant will work alongside a team of health care professionals including speech & language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, LD nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, and health care assistants. The caseload is varied and intervention is completed as part of a multi-disciplinary team, committed to collaborative working and focusing on the provision of a high quality, evidence based service.
The successful applicant with have a degree in Speech & Language Therapy and experience working with a range of communication difficulties and/or swallowing difficulties. They will have knowledge of related issues influencing learning disability SLT practice. They may have previous experience from other clinical areas of practice that are transferrable to this client group. They will be competent in the assessment and treatment of eating, drinking & swallowing difficulties or willing to undertake the trust competencies in this area.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Appropriate professional qualification in Speech and Language Therapy role
- Current relevant registration with specific regulatory body
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) level 7 (SLT =8) for International recruits
Desirable
- Post graduate training in relevant specialist area
Experience
Essential
- Minimum 12 months post qualifying experience of Speech and Language Therapy delivery
Desirable
- Experience of supporting people with mental health issues, learning disability or autism
- Experience of working in Multidisciplinary Team (SW essential criteria)
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of the needs of service users with mental health conditions or learning disabilities
Desirable
- Clinical risk assessment and application in practice
- Knowledge of evidencebased practice in designated specialist area
- Post graduate training in specialist area if applicable to post (e.g. dysphagia, autism diagnostics)
- Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
- Experience of managing complex Speech and Language Therapy cases
- Awareness of professional standards and its application to practice
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.
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 (Opens in a new tab).
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 (Opens in a new tab).
Closing Date: 12 April 2026
