Speech and Language Therapist Employment Contract UK

Responsibilities reflected in the contract

• Assess communication or swallowing needs.
• Develop and review individual therapy plans.
• Provide evidence-based strategies and exercises.
• Document consent, risk and measurable outcomes.
• Train carers or colleagues within the plan.
• Maintain registration and clinical competence.

A realistic working scenario

A patient coughing during meals has no current swallowing plan. The therapist assesses immediate risk, advises interim precautions and coordinates medical and dietetic input before making longer-term recommendations.

Outputs to agree

• communication or swallowing assessments
• practical therapy and support plans
• reviewed progress and trained carers

Records and evidence

• Assessment and consent.
• Communication or swallow plan.
• Equipment and training.
• Risk, referral and review.
• Clinical notes.
• Assessment records.

Reporting relationship

Typically reports to Clinical Lead, Therapy Lead, Service Manager or Practice Manager. Confirm the employer's actual reporting structure in the builder.

Authority and escalation

• The therapist makes speech, language and swallowing recommendations within competence; medical diagnosis, nutrition prescription and instrumental procedures outside authorisation require the relevant professional.
• May allocate routine work and make operational decisions only within documented staffing, financial, contractual and policy limits.

Supervision

• Train carers or colleagues within the plan.
• Allocate and review assigned work within delegated authority and escalate formal people matters through the Employer's procedures.

Tools and systems

• Clinical systems.
• Patient record systems.
• Therapy or diagnostic equipment where authorised.
• Secure clinical communication tools.
• Incident reporting systems.

Workplace context

• Clinic, therapy, diagnostic, community or approved patient-facing areas.

Training and certification

• Complete employer-required safeguarding training.
• Complete employer-required health and safety training.

Contract priorities

• registration and specialty
• dysphagia competence
• community travel
• communication-aid custody

Information the employer should prepare

• the client group and clinical pathway
• the communication and swallowing scope
• the clinic, school or community locations
• the caseload and appointment pattern
• the equipment and communication systems
• the supervision and registration provisions