Job overview
The post holder will support the provision of the Autism Team to autistic individuals and complex healthcare needs across Lancashire and South Cumbria. Your role will be to ensure that the person’s communication needs are assessed and considered. You will be a registered Speech and Language Therapist who will undertake appropriately delegated work to support the care and treatment of autistic adults within the community and inpatient settings. You will be a key member of the multi-disciplinary team and will work with the team to develop and deliver person centred care plans with the emphasis on preventing unnecessary hospital admissions. Where hospital admission is deemed appropriate, you shall support the inpatient team by providing intervention support regarding communication. You will 30 hours between the hours of 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Some flexibility is required to meet the needs of the team and the wider network. The specific hours are open to discussion however you will be require to work the same days at the team core meetings, currently these are a Tuesday and Thursday but may change.
The post holder shall support the delivery of the Specialist Autism Service team model through the provision of routine speech and language therapy assessment and interventions in order to maintain, restore or create a match beneficial to the individual between the abilities of the person, and the demands of the environment/ communication culture around them.
Main duties of the job
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 6 Speech and language therapist to join the Specialist Autism Team, a unique and continuously developing service which works closely with secondary mental health care services to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions for autistic individuals.
This role is to work within the team supporting the outreach and inpatient pathways with expert knowledge and neuroaffective practice. You will be required to support the team with the whole team tasks, such as duty and assessments as well as delivering your own specialist interventions. Therefore this post is a fantastic opportunity for a creative and innovative practitioner with a passion for delivering person-centred care, which is driven by the individuals whom we support.
The Specialist Autism Team adopts a multidisciplinary team approach to working which supports the evolutionary scope of the service. The MDT is made up of Occupational Therapists, Nurses (RMN & RLD), Speech and Language Therapists, Social Workers , Therapy Assistants & Clinical Psychologists.
Through such an approach we are continually learning, developing and findings different ways of working in order to meet the needs and wishes of the individuals we work with. For this reason we have regular team development sessions and each team member plays a vital role in sharing knowledge and information.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
If you would like to learn more about this opportunity, please review the attached job description and person specification.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Ability to support autistic people on an individual and group basis
- Knowledge of evidence-based practice
- Knowledge of contemporary autism policy
Experience
Essential
- Previous experience pre or post qualification in learning disability, autism or mental health setting
- Awareness of a range of SLT assessments and interventions
- Broad range of under graduate practice placement experience
Qualifications
Essential
- Bsc/ Msc in Speech and Language Therapy
- Documented evidence of continuing professional development
- Our vision: high quality care, in the right place, at the right time, every time.
WhatsApp job alerts
Get instant WhatsApp alerts for Band 6 Speech and Language Therapist roles in Preston
Create your Job Clerk account first. We'll collect your alert preferences during onboarding and help you turn on WhatsApp notifications for matching healthcare roles.
Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Specialist Senior Speech and Language Therapist with Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust in Preston, North West, England. It is listed as a Band 6 Speech and Language Therapist role. The advertised salary is £39,959 - £48,117 Per Annum Pro Rata. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 22 Jul 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (08 Jul 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
For more context, review related Job Clerk pages for the same profession, band or location where they exist, then use the application-support guides to tailor your statement and prepare for interview.