Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist ALD/Dysphagia

Job Overview

Are you an experienced Speech & Language Therapist, with a passion for supporting adults with learning disabilities with communication and dysphagia? We are looking for a compassionate and motivated Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist to join our Adult Learning Disabilities Service, within Hywel Dda University Health Board, based in beautiful Pembrokeshire, West Wales.

You will provide highly specialist assessment, diagnosis and management of complex communication and swallowing needs, across the Hywel Dda region. Working within our multidisciplinary Community Learning Disabilities Team and wider SLT team, you will help deliver high‑quality, person‑centred care. You will contribute to service development and work closely with supportive colleagues.

At Hywel Dda UHB, our values—putting people at the heart of everything we do, striving for excellent services, and working together to be the best we can be—guide our work. In this role, you will embody these values by supporting individuals with complex communication and/or dysphagia needs, ensuring their voices are heard, their choices respected and their goals central to every decision.

Applications are welcomed from candidates who do not currently hold the required competencies, where suitable, appointment may be made under Annex 21 with support to achieve these whilst in post.

Main duties of the job

You will provide highly specialist assessment, diagnosis, and intervention for adults with learning disabilities and dysphagia, using evidence‑based approaches to support safe, effective care. Working collaboratively with individuals, families, and colleagues, you will develop person‑centred care plans and offer clear specialist advice.

You will contribute to the development and review of clinical pathways, guidelines, and service standards within the Adult Learning Disabilities service. You will support clinical audit, inform service planning, and help promote best practice across the Health Board.

You will provide supervision to SLT colleagues and students, and deliver specialist training to staff, carers, and partner professionals to support skill development and confidence across the team.

You will manage your own caseload independently, prioritising to meet service needs across Pembrokeshire. You will maintain accurate documentation, contribute to routine data collection and ensure the safe use of clinical equipment in line with professional and organisational standards.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.

Working for our organisation

Hywel Dda University Health Board plans and provides NHS healthcare services for people living in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, and bordering counties.

We have over 13,000 staff and together we provide primary, community, in-hospital, mental health and learning disabilities services.

We work in partnership with the three local authorities, as well as public, private and third sector colleagues, including our valued team of volunteers.

Our services are provided in:

• Four main hospitals: Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth; Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen; Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli; and Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest
• Five community hospitals: Amman Valley and Llandovery hospitals in Carmarthenshire; Tregaron Hospital in Ceredigion; and Tenby and South Pembrokeshire hospitals in Pembrokeshire
• Two integrated care centres: Aberaeron and Cardigan in Ceredigion, and several other community settings
• 47 general practices (six of which are health board managed practices); dental practices (including four orthodontic); 99 community pharmacies; 43 general ophthalmic practices; and 8 ophthalmic domiciliary providers
• Numerous mental health and learning disabilities services
  
  

Hywel Dda University Health Board operates a bilingual policy. All applicants are invited to apply in Welsh, any application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application made in English.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR APPLICANTS: Applications for our roles are carefully reviewed and shortlisted based on specific criteria, which varies from job to job. Using a generic application to apply for multiple roles or relying on automated AI application services, such as Lazy Apply or AI Apply, may not provide the necessary information, leading to your application being overlooked. To ensure your application is given full consideration, we recommend submitting a tailored application that directly addresses the criteria listed in the Person Specification section of the advert.

By submitting your application to NHS Jobs/Trac, you are giving your consent for elements of your application data to be transferred to the NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) and other secure, internal NHS Workforce systems in order to support and manage your recruitment and employment within your employing organisation; to be used by Recruitment for purposes of checking your Professional Registration online (where applicable).

These processes are in line with Fair and Lawful processing in line with current Data Protection Legislation especially those in relation to your personal or sensitive personal data (sensitive personal data is defined as any declared physical or mental health conditions, racial or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, trade union membership, political opinion, religious beliefs). As an organisation, we ensure that the legislation defining confidentiality is observed such as use of data for specific, defined purposes, and use of data that is relevant and not excessive whilst practicing data accuracy and security of all held personal identifiable information (PII)

If you are successfully appointed, by completing the application form you authorise the UHB to obtain any previous NHS service details including all electronically held sickness information, via the Inter Authority Transfer process on the national Electronic Staff Record (ESR).

To work in the UK, all candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (RoI) nationals require sponsorship to obtain either a Health and Care visa or Skilled Worker visa , unless you have permission to work via another route. Non UK / RoI candidates wishing to apply should self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship by visiting Work in the UK . If you are eligible for the Health and Care visa, application costs are lower and you do not need to pay the annual Immigration Health Surcharge.