Here at Integrated Treatment Services, our team incorporates therapists with many years of experience alongside Speech and language therapists from the beginning of their careers. But how do you know if Speech and Language Therapy could be the right career path for you?

What we do?

Speech and language therapists (SLT) assess, diagnose and treat speech, language and communication problems in people of all ages. They also work with people who have eating and swallowing problems.

Speech and Language Therapists do not work alone, key to providing a seamless and holistic service to our clients mean that we also work closely with family members, and other health professionals, such as doctors, nurses, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Psychologists.

Who we see?

SLTs assist children and adults who have the following types of problems:

  • Difficulty producing and using speech
  • Difficulty understanding or using language
  • Difficulty with feeding, chewing or swallowing
  • A stammer
  • A voice problem.

We often work with clients that have:

  • Strokes
  • Learning disability
  • Neurological disorders e.g. Parkinson’s disease
  • Head injury
  • Hearing loss and deafness
  • Cleft lip and palate

Where we work

SLTs work in number of different settings, including:

  • Hospitals
  • Community health centers
  • Mainstream and special schools
  • Day centers
  • Opportunity groups and nurseries
  • Clients’ homes

How to become a Speech and Language Therapist

Entry requirements

To become a SLT you need to successfully complete an HCPC-approved programme in Speech and Language Therapy, this is usually 4 years fro undergraduates and 2 years for postgraduates.

The minimum academic entry requirements for approved degree programmes in Speech and Language Therapy is a minimum of five GCSEs passes and three A levels.

To be accepted on a degree course most universities require you to have had at least 2 weeks work experience prior to applying.

Personal Qualities

To be a Speech and Language Therapist, you should:

  • Be a good communicator
  • Have good listening skills
  • Have good problem solving abilities
  • Be able to show care and empathy
  • Enjoy working with people of all ages and with members of other professions
  • Want to be part of a dynamic, rapidly developing profession

How integrated Treatment Services can help

Our graduate scheme, open for newly qualified speech and language therapists registered with HCPC has been running successfully for well over a year. We are extremely proud of our ability to welcome newly qualified SALTs into the working world and to help you flourish into highly skilled and well rounded therapists.

We have already supported NQPs sign off their competencies within the recommended timescale.

If you have recently qualified and are looking to develop your understanding of a range of clinical approaches for both assessment and therapy and to use these approaches on a daily basis with your caseload, our service would be perfect for you!  We have a clinical specialist in every clinical field, for referrals, advice and second opinions.  Our innovative use of technology will ensure you are soundly connected and supported to the team of therapists.  We have plenty of opportunities for face to face cross over as well as ongoing online support.

Our next graduate scheme recruitment phases will be as follows:

Interviews for phase 10 and 11 will be carried out on:

  •                            Phase 10:  Tuesday 17th December 2013
  •                            Phase 11: Monday 11th February 2014

If you have any more questions about becoming an SLT or joining Integrated Treatment Services (I.T.S) contact a therapist at ITS today. We are happy to speak with you over the telephone on: 0845 038 2921 or by email info@integratedtreatments.co.uk.

If you have found this article helpful and have more questions then you can contact us with ideas for topics you would like us to cover in future blogs by simply clicking ‘Ask us a Question’.


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