18 January 2006

Speech and language therapists back debate on communication support needs

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists is supporting a call for research into the needs of the estimated 250,000 people with communication support needs in Scotland, including people who have had a stroke, cancer and/or mental illness.

Speech and language therapists say the research is urgently required to inform comprehensive action to improve the lives of these individuals.

Members of the Scottish Parliament will debate the issues faced by people with communication support needs at 5pm on Thursday 19 January.

Nanette Milne MSP has sponsored a motion, supported by four party leaders and spokespeople on equality, health, education and justice, that seeks to address the problems faced by people with communication support needs.

Problems include discrimination, mental Illness, difficulty accessing education, employment and services; and difficulties for family members and communities.

People who have communication support needs say:

  • "The way people treat me makes me feel less than human"
  • "They said 'we don't talk to robots'" (to a person using an electronic communication aid)
  • "I feel exposed to others' amusement...losing my voice seems to be a fair target for teasing"

The motion calls for:

  • Comprehensive research to accurately identify the population concerned and to find out from people with communication support needs and service providers what they think are priorities for change
  • The development of a communication strategy for Scotland to deliver appropriate communication support needs to everyone who has them, so they have equal opportunity to enjoy a better quality of life

RCSLT Scotland Policy Officer Kim Hartley says, "It is vital for policy makers and service providers across Scotland's communities to take a much broader view of who has communication support needs if there is to be an end to the current patchy approach to research and provision, which only meets the needs of a limited number of people in a very restricted set of circumstances.

"By doing the research we have proposed, the Scottish Executive would be the first government ever to get to grips with the communication needs of everyone they serve thus ending the life long, day-to-day struggle experienced by thousands of people who are cut off from what life has to offer because of communication difficulties."

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