Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

As a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (SALT) you will be responsible for the provision of a qualified SALT Autism assessment service for preschool and primary school aged children referred to the Community Paediatric team and the preschool ASD Pathway multiagency assessment service at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

The team offers a dedicated service for children and young people referred with Neurodevelopmental difficulties in line with NICE guidance and NHS England standards; delivering timely assessment and evidence-based treatments. You will contribute and commit to promoting a positive team-based attitude, striving for the highest standards of care and achieving excellence in order to deliver effective ASD services in an integrated model with key partner agencies.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, highly motivated and dynamic Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapists to take on a specialist role within our Autism Team.

The post holder will be required to undertake Autism assessments for children and young people. The Autism team works within the multi-agency school aged Autism pathway in West Cheshire.

The Trust's services are provided from three locations: o The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 473 general and acute beds. o Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 60 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility. o Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population. The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust employs 5,964 staff (headcount) to provide care and treatment to a population of over 400,000 people living in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System. Due to its location on the border with North Wales, the Trust also works closely with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust treats patients from England and some parts of Wales. During 2024/2025, there were approximately 643,000 patient attendances (inpatient, A&E,
outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery