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About Vertis Health
Vertis Health is a federation of general practices delivering high-quality NHS services across Worcestershire. We were founded by local primary care clinicians and are owned by the practices we serve. As a purpose-led limited company, the money we generate is reinvested into the local healthcare economy, helping to strengthen services, support innovation and improve patient care.
Our neurodevelopmental services are being built around clinical quality, meaningful outcomes and strong governance. You will join an organisation that understands NHS systems and values while giving experienced clinicians the opportunity to influence, develop and improve services.
Depending on the role, our benefits include access to the NHS Pension, structured learning and development, clinical leadership opportunities, career progression and genuine flexibility.
Why this role exists
To contribute specialist speech, language and communication assessment expertise within the CYP ASD and/or ADHD diagnostic pathways, supporting safe, timely and evidence-based diagnostic decision-making through structured assessment, multi-informant evidence gathering, MDT discussion, and high-quality reporting.
Social communication and language profiles are central to the differential diagnostic process in CYP neurodevelopmental assessments. This role strengthens MDT capacity by embedding specialist SLT expertise directly within the pathway, improving the quality and defensibility of diagnostic formulation while supporting timely, family-centred outcomes.
About the Service
The CYP services are part of a wider Mental Health & Neurodevelopmental Service offering at Vertis Health:
Adult ADHD – assessment and ongoing clinical reviews, with medication titration delivered under appropriate prescribing governance and shared care with GPs where agreed.
Adult ASD – diagnostic assessment pathway delivered through an MDT model.
Children and Young People (CYP) ADHD – an assessment and diagnosis pathway (with onward treatment and medication pathways subject to commissioning and wider system arrangements).
Children and Young People (CYP) ASD – a diagnostic assessment pathway delivered through a multidisciplinary model, aligned to national guidance and local commissioning arrangements.
The postholder will be working primarily within the Children & Young People’s ADHD service and its commissioned scope and agreed clinical governance arrangements, contributing to pathway improvement without over-promising provision outside current remit. From time to time however, you may have opportunities to collaborate with colleagues elsewhere across these four services, particularly the CYP ASD service—as these services work in tandem as a combined CYP service area.
Diagnostic assessments are delivered face-to-face at our Redditch HQ or a similar Worcestershire location. The service is open to eligible patients aged 6-17 who are registered with a Worcestershire GP.
The end-to-end pathway includes referral screening, pre-assessment questionnaires, initial contact, face-to-face clinical assessment, MDT diagnostic decision-making, report production, support planning and post-diagnostic signposting, with clinicians contributing to all aspects of the assessment process.
Key responsibilities
Contribute specialist speech, language and communication assessment within CYP ASD and/or ADHD diagnostic pathways, working within service SOPs and NICE guidance.
Review referral information and supporting evidence, applying SLT-specific clinical knowledge to support pathway triage and readiness decisions.
Conduct structured communication and language assessments as part of the MDT model, using validated tools and professional judgement to inform diagnostic formulation.
Gather and integrate multi-informant evidence from home and education settings, within consent and information governance requirements.
Contribute to MDT discussion and diagnostic decision-making, providing clear SLT-informed clinical reasoning aligned to DSM-5 criteria.
Identify co-occurring communication, language, social communication and interaction needs; escalate safeguarding concerns and clinical risk via appropriate governance routes.Produce high-quality SLT assessment reports and MDT contributions within agreed timeframes, written in neurodiversity-affirming language and accessible to families and professionals.
Communicate assessment findings sensitively to children, young people and families, and contribute to outcome-sharing in line with consent and information governance requirements.
Provide practical recommendations on communication support, reasonable adjustments and environmental strategies within service remit.
Ensure records are accurate, timely and complete using agreed templates and documentation standards.
Liaise with partner services (CAMHS, community paediatrics, local education and support organisations) to facilitate safe onward planning and signposting within service scope
Person specification
Qualifications and registration: Speech & Language Therapist with HCPC/RCSLT registration and graduate/postgraduate training in Speech & Language Therapy
Experience: Recent and extensive UK CYP assessment experience.
Knowledge and skills: Working knowledge of ADOS-2 ASD guidance, local formulary, risk and safeguarding; strong written communication and clinic time management.
Values: Person-centred, fair, improvement minded, committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Location(s)
Vertis Health
38 Kenilworth Close
Crabbs Cross
Redditch
B97 5JX