We employ over 180 speech and language therapists (SLTs) working across diverse services from children to adults with both acquired and developmental conditions. Our work includes prevention and promotion across universal, targeted and specialist settings.
We work collaboratively and can provide you with a range of experiences from children’s centers, schools and colleges, to hospital settings in acute and secondary care, learning disabilities, mental health, and forensic services. We provide many of the speech and language therapy services in Nottingham City and County, including Bassetlaw.
Whatever the care group, specialism or geographical area we are committed to working together with service users, their families and carers as well as staff and professionals who support them, to ensure better lives for people with communication and swallowing needs.
Speech and language therapists across the Trust are involved in a range of continuing professional development, research and audit opportunities. We are actively engaged with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, with key roles including advisors. All SLTs are members of the East Midlands Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists hub, and many are also members of regional and national clinical excellence networks.
Career stories
Carla Morrell, Speech and Language Therapist, Intellectual Disabilities Division
Pre-registration
Speech and Language Therapy wasn’t on Carla’s radar when she was in school. She went to University to study linguistics and ‘get a better paid job’. Family had specific ideas of ‘respectable’ healthcare roles and it took Carla some time to match her passion for language to a career as a SLT, including a lecture from an SLT in her linguistics degree and her research project. Before getting onto the postgraduate course, Carla secured herself a volunteer position in Scotland supporting adults with intellectual disabilities. Carla got onto the MSc at City University and noticed at this point the lack of diversity of both students, lecturers and placement supervisors. Financing the study and logistics of getting around took commitment, hardwork, drive and sacrifice, but Carla showed it can be done.
Preceptee experience
As a newly qualified SLT, Carla was prepared to move to wherever the right job was. She nterviewed for a community Intellectual Disabilties post on the same day as her final exam and her journey started there. If I’m nice and I work hard I can do it. Culturally, I need a career not a job, that’s my narrative.
Lessons
Carla reflected that that the Trusts’ BAME network is encouraging, conversations are happening. Carla has never felt that she coulnd’t progress because of her culture, but she did need access to more robust career advice at a younger age.