Locum Speech Therapy Careers Toolkit - The Definitive Guide To Working As an Agency Speech Therapist
Speech therapy is an innovative area of healthcare that looks to help people with speech or language problems by helping them communicate better. This transformative form of therapy has become ingrained in both healthcare and education sectors, helping people of all ages with their speech and communication.
Working as a speech therapist in the UK is an incredibly satisfying career path, and can be even more adaptable if you decide to work as a locum speech therapist. So, in this guide, we’ll provide you with the definitive guide to working as an agency speech therapist to help you find the perfect career trajectory.
About Speech Therapy in the UK
Speech therapy has been an influential part of UK healthcare for decades at this point, with the first professional organisation - the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists - celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2020. During this period, speech therapy has helped to address a wide spectrum of communication and swallowing disorders in patients of all ages. Speech therapists work across various private health clinics, in schools and as part of the National Health Service (NHS).
Speech therapy is a regulated profession in the UK, which means that all speech and language therapists must register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). As a result, all speech therapists must hold an undergraduate degree (or equivalent) to work in this role. Another key area of registering with the HCPC is maintaining continuous professional development to stay updated and informed in your role.
What is Locum Work?
Locum work as a speech therapist is an alternative form of employment that allows you to pick up temporary assignments across various workplace environments. You’ll work with a locum agency that will provide you with different opportunities, giving you the freedom to choose where and when you work. This approach to working unlocks numerous benefits when compared to permanently contracted roles, such as:
