Location: Redditch, Worcestershire (Hybrid working available for appropriate non-diagnostic activities)
Hours: 37.5 hours per week (Full-time) | Part-time applications welcomed
Contract: Permanent
Join Vertis Health and Help Shape High-Quality Adult Autism Services
Vertis Health is a federation of general practices delivering high-quality NHS services across Worcestershire. Founded by local primary care clinicians and owned by the practices we serve, we are a purpose-led organisation that reinvests profits back into the local healthcare economy to strengthen services, support innovation and improve patient care.
As our Neurodevelopmental Services continue to grow, we are seeking an experienced and motivated Speech and Language Therapist to join our Adult Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Assessment Service.
This is an exciting opportunity to contribute specialist expertise in speech, language, communication and social interaction assessment within a multidisciplinary adult autism diagnostic pathway. You will play a key role in supporting high-quality, evidence-based diagnostic decision-making while helping individuals understand their communication strengths, support needs and preferred ways of engaging with the world.
Working within a supportive and clinically driven MDT, you will contribute to assessments, diagnostic discussions, report writing, support planning and ongoing service development, ensuring care remains accessible, neurodiversity-affirming and aligned with NICE guidance and best practice.
About Our Neurodevelopmental Services
Vertis Health delivers four specialist Mental Health and Neurodevelopmental Services:
- Adult ADHD – assessment, ongoing clinical reviews and medication titration within agreed prescribing governance arrangements.
- Adult ASD – multidisciplinary diagnostic assessment pathway.
- Children and Young People (CYP) ADHD – assessment and diagnosis pathway.
- Children and Young People (CYP) ASD – multidisciplinary diagnostic assessment pathway aligned to national guidance.
This role will focus primarily on the Adult ASD Service, supporting adults aged 16 years and over who are registered with a Worcestershire GP.
Our assessment pathway includes:
- Referral screening
- Pre-assessment questionnaires
- Initial clinical contact
- Face-to-face diagnostic assessments
- MDT diagnostic decision-making
- Report production
- Personalised support planning
- Post-diagnostic signposting and recommendations
Why This Role Matters
Communication and social interaction differences are fundamental diagnostic domains within adult autism assessment. This role embeds specialist Speech and Language Therapy expertise within our multidisciplinary pathway, helping ensure assessments are clinically robust, consistent and evidence-based.
You will provide specialist insight into social communication differences, pragmatic language, interaction styles, masking and communication adaptations, contributing to accurate diagnostic decisions and meaningful outcome recommendations.
This role offers an excellent opportunity for an experienced clinician to influence the development of a growing service while maintaining a strong focus on clinical quality, governance and person-centred care.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
As a Speech and Language Therapist within the Adult ASD Service, you will:
- Conduct specialist communication and social interaction assessments for adults referred for autism assessment.
- Review referral information, screening questionnaires, developmental histories and supporting evidence to inform assessment planning and clinical reasoning.
- Explore social communication differences across relationships, employment, education, healthcare access and community participation.
- Assess communication strengths and needs using structured assessment approaches, validated tools and professional judgement within scope of practice.
- Review developmental communication histories, including language development, social reciprocity, peer relationships and pragmatic communication skills.
- Gather and integrate information from service users, families, carers, partners, support workers and historical records where available and appropriate.
- Contribute specialist Speech and Language Therapy expertise to multidisciplinary diagnostic discussions and decision-making.
- Present evidence relating to communication differences, social interaction, masking behaviours and communicative adaptations.
- Produce high-quality assessment summaries and contribute to diagnostic reports using clear, accessible and neurodiversity-affirming language.
- Develop personalised support plans outlining communication strengths, preferred communication styles, reasonable adjustments and support recommendations.
- Provide practical advice regarding communication strategies, healthcare adjustments, workplace or educational support and environmental adaptations.
- Maintain accurate clinical records, coded activity and correspondence using EMIS and approved documentation templates.
- Identify and escalate safeguarding, mental health, risk or capacity concerns in line with organisational policies and governance requirements.
- Participate in MDT meetings, clinical supervision, audit activity, service evaluation and quality improvement initiatives.
- Support effective signposting to autism support services, social care, mental health services, Talking Therapies, voluntary sector organisations and other relevant pathways.
What We're Looking ForEssential Qualifications
- Degree or equivalent qualification in Speech and Language Therapy.
- Current HCPC registration as a Speech and Language Therapist.
- Membership of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) or eligibility to practise within professional standards.
Essential Experience
- Significant post-qualification experience within adult neurodevelopmental, mental health, learning disability, community or related services.
- Experience assessing communication and social interaction differences in adults.
- Experience contributing to multidisciplinary clinical assessment and decision-making.
- Strong report-writing and clinical documentation skills.
- Recent UK experience relevant to adult autism assessment.
Desirable Experience
- Experience contributing to Adult ASD diagnostic pathways.
- Experience using structured communication and social interaction assessment tools.
- Experience of ADOS-2, ADI-R or equivalent autism assessment methodologies.
- Experience working within Right to Choose or community neurodevelopmental services.
Essential Knowledge and Skills
- Understanding of autism across adulthood, including masking, pragmatic language differences and reasonable adjustments.
- Knowledge of NICE guidance relating to autism assessment and diagnosis.
- Working knowledge of ADOS-2 guidance and autism diagnostic frameworks.
- Understanding of safeguarding, consent, confidentiality and the Mental Capacity Act.
- Ability to integrate evidence from multiple sources into coherent clinical reasoning.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
- Strong organisational skills and ability to manage clinical workload effectively.
- Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and neurodiversity-affirming practice.
Why Join Vertis Health?
At Vertis Health, clinical quality, innovation and person-centred care are at the heart of everything we do.
We offer:
- A supportive multidisciplinary working environment.
- Regular clinical supervision and peer support.
- Access to continuing professional development opportunities.
- Involvement in service development and quality improvement initiatives.
- Clinical leadership and career progression opportunities.
- Flexible and hybrid working arrangements where appropriate.
- Access to the NHS Pension Scheme.
- A collaborative culture that values inclusion, learning and clinical excellence.
Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to help build a clinically rigorous, compassionate and sustainable neurodevelopmental service that makes a meaningful difference to the lives of adults undergoing autism assessment.
If you are passionate about delivering high-quality, evidence-based and person-centred autism assessment services, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Pay: £40,000.00-£50,000.00 per year
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Redditch B97 5JX: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Adult ASD Assessment: 1 year (preferred)
Work Location: In person
