Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist – Forensic, Inpatient and Community Adult Learning Disability

Job details

• Job reference: 249544
• Salary: Band 7 (£52,845 - £61,466)
• Job closing date: 30/07/2026
• Job Type: Allied Health Professions
• Location: Lynebank Hospital
• Employment type: Permanent
• Hours Per Week: 36
• Job posted date: 16/07/2026
• Employer (NHS Board): NHS Fife
• Department: Speech and Language Therapy

Are you interested in working in a multidisciplinary team supporting the needs of forensic patients? Do you have experience working in adult learning disability services?

A vacancy has arisen in our Adult Learning Disability Team, creating a unique highly specialist forensic post, providing specialist assessment and intervention for patients and families, alongside colleagues from other professions, as part of a tiered service delivery model across Fife.

You will be a key member of the multidisciplinary team within the regional treatment unit for adults with learning disabilities at Lynebank Hospital, as well as the other inpatient wards on that site. You will also have a role in supporting adults with learning disabilities in the community.The Learning Disability team is made up of mixed grade therapists and Support Practitioners, and you will work in conjunction with them to deliver and develop a quality service. You will be based at Lynebank Hospital with this team but also, as part of our recent service expansion, work across inpatient and community settings where specialist forensic care is delivered within Fife.

As a senior and highly experienced member of the wider service you will contribute to strategic planning, policy interpretation and implementation, supporting and influencing consistent, reflective clinical decision making and application of quality improvement methodology. You will bring comprehensive knowledge and experience of responding to Requests for Assistance, and managing a mixed caseload of communication and swallowing difficulties. A relevant postgraduate qualification and autonomy in the management of dysphagia is essential, as is evidence of ongoing continued professional development.

The Fife Speech & Language Therapy Service is currently engaged with Better Communication CIC to support transformation of delivery of services, ensuring easy access, locality-based services and a continuum of support. You will influence changes in practice as we consider how to deliver a tiered model of intervention within the areas of family support, environment, workforce, identification and intervention. There are many opportunities to demonstrate leadership qualities within the role.

The Learning Disability SLT team is part of the wider Fife SLT Service which is fully integrated and professionally led. There are well established PDP and peer support processes with opportunities for clinical and professional development, with a strong focus on staff wellbeing. Clinical decision making in the service is supported by The Kate Malcomess Care Aims Framework so an understanding of this methodology, and personal outcome focused intervention is essential. You will be joining a dynamic, forward thinking service with opportunities to practice in a role where you can make a difference to this specific population.

Informal Enquiries: Any informal enquiries should be directed to Fife.SLTManagers@nhs.scot

Show us the real you: Your application should reflect your skills, experience, and motivations authentically.Use AI wisely: It’s fine to use AI for ideas or to check spelling and grammar, but don’t let it write your answers.Why this matters: Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.Tip: Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand you—not an AI tool.

NHS Fife is legally obliged to ensure all its employees are legally entitled to work in the United Kingdom. All applicants are required to confirm their right to work in the UK in their application. If you are not a United Kingdom (UK), European Community (EC) or European Economic Area National please state the visa category under which you are legally entitled to work in the UK on your application form and the expiry date of your leave to remain in the UK For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licenced Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or ‘going rate’. Further information on these criteria can be found in the government website.It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored BEFORE submitting your application form.

We offer flexible working and family-friendly policies and fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.

Are you interested in working in a multidisciplinary team supporting the needs of forensic patients? Do you have experience working in adult learning disability services?

A vacancy has arisen in our Adult Learning Disability Team, creating a unique highly specialist forensic post, providing specialist assessment and intervention for patients and families, alongside colleagues from other professions, as part of a tiered service delivery model across Fife.

You will be a key member of the multidisciplinary team within the regional treatment unit for adults with learning disabilities at Lynebank Hospital, as well as the other inpatient wards on that site. You will also have a role in supporting adults with learning disabilities in the community.The Learning Disability team is made up of mixed grade therapists and Support Practitioners, and you will work in conjunction with them to deliver and develop a quality service. You will be based at Lynebank Hospital with this team but also, as part of our recent service expansion, work across inpatient and community settings where specialist forensic care is delivered within Fife.

As a senior and highly experienced member of the wider service you will contribute to strategic planning, policy interpretation and implementation, supporting and influencing consistent, reflective clinical decision making and application of quality improvement methodology. You will bring comprehensive knowledge and experience of responding to Requests for Assistance, and managing a mixed caseload of communication and swallowing difficulties. A relevant postgraduate qualification and autonomy in the management of dysphagia is essential, as is evidence of ongoing continued professional development.

The Fife Speech & Language Therapy Service is currently engaged with Better Communication CIC to support transformation of delivery of services, ensuring easy access, locality-based services and a continuum of support. You will influence changes in practice as we consider how to deliver a tiered model of intervention within the areas of family support, environment, workforce, identification and intervention. There are many opportunities to demonstrate leadership qualities within the role.

The Learning Disability SLT team is part of the wider Fife SLT Service which is fully integrated and professionally led. There are well established PDP and peer support processes with opportunities for clinical and professional development, with a strong focus on staff wellbeing. Clinical decision making in the service is supported by The Kate Malcomess Care Aims Framework so an understanding of this methodology, and personal outcome focused intervention is essential. You will be joining a dynamic, forward thinking service with opportunities to practice in a role where you can make a difference to this specific population.

Informal Enquiries: Any informal enquiries should be directed to Fife.SLTManagers@nhs.scot

Show us the real you: Your application should reflect your skills, experience, and motivations authentically.Use AI wisely: It’s fine to use AI for ideas or to check spelling and grammar, but don’t let it write your answers.Why this matters: Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.Tip: Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand you—not an AI tool.

NHS Fife is legally obliged to ensure all its employees are legally entitled to work in the United Kingdom. All applicants are required to confirm their right to work in the UK in their application. If you are not a United Kingdom (UK), European Community (EC) or European Economic Area National please state the visa category under which you are legally entitled to work in the UK on your application form and the expiry date of your leave to remain in the UK For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licenced Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or ‘going rate’. Further information on these criteria can be found in the government website.It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored BEFORE submitting your application form.

We offer flexible working and family-friendly policies and fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.