18 May 2004
HRH The Countess of Wessex presents innovation award to Sedgefield speech and language therapist
HRH The Countess of Wessex was the special guest of honour today on 18th May 2004 at Northwick Park Hospital Speech and Language Therapy Department where she saw the work of two award winning speech and language therapists.
During her visit The Countess of Wessex met patients who have benefited from the innovative work of speech and language therapists Claire Wells and Graham Williamson, the joint recipients of the RCSLT 2003 Sternberg Award for Clinical Innovation. The Countess presented the awards along with Sir Sigmund Sternberg.
Dr Graham Williamson, Consultant Head of Speech and Language Therapy for Sedgefield Primary Care Trust received the award for his work in improving the evaluation of voice difficulties in children and adults. Graham wrote a software programme that guides clinicians through a systematic evaluation of voice difficulties. The programme suggests diagnoses and has reduced the time needed to analyse data and write reports, greatly improving efficiency. The quality and consistency of data has also greatly improved, as has the clarity of reporting. The project has proved particularly useful for working with students as it helps to structure their analytical skills and allows comparison of their decisions against those proposed by the software.
Claire Wells, chief speech and language therapist at Northwick Park Hospital (NPH), Harrow, has dramatically improved the services offered by her department. Claire, with the support of ENT consultants and managers, runs a therapist-led voice clinic that has significantly improved the patient's journey through the voice disorders service at NPH. The innovative feature allows patients to be seen in the most appropriate place by the most appropriate health care professional, and evaluation of Claire's work by patients shows there has been a measurable improvement in the quality of the service offered. Claire's clinic has reduced waiting times in other ENT clinics, and patients who come to see Claire are seen within three weeks (for treatments that would have been delayed for up to six months).
RCSLT CEO Kamini Gadhok said: "We are particularly pleased that The Countess of Wessex will be present today. The event will provide an opportunity to meet people who have benefited from speech and language therapy services and will showcase the work of two truly innovative therapists.
"The two projects featured show how the development of extended practitioner roles in ENT can add value to the NHS and improve patient care, experiences and outcomes."
Ends
Notes for editors:
Claire Wells is available for comment, email: claire.wells@nwlh.nhs.ukDr Graham Williamson is available for comment, email: graham.williamson@smtp.sdhc-tr.northy.nhs.uk
- The projects
above are just two examples of the wide-ranging work that speech and language
therapists are undertaking to meet the NHS modernisation agenda. The RCSLT and
NHS modernisation agency held a combined conference in March, where over 160
speech and language therapists, met to discuss innovation in ENT speech and
language therapy services. Visit: http://www.modern.nhs.uk for details.
- The Sternberg Award for
Clinical Innovation is
an annual £1,000 prize donated and presented by RCSLT's
Senior Life Vice President Sir Sigmund Sternberg, KCSG. The award began in 1996
and specifically rewards outstanding projects that contribute to the
development of speech and language services.
- The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists is the professional body for speech and language therapists in the UK and has over 11,000 members. It is responsible for setting, promoting and maintaining high standards in education, clinical practice and ethical conduct. The RCSLT provides an information service and careers guidance about speech and language therapy. Visit: www.rcslt.org
For more information contact Steven Harulow, email: steven.harulow@rcslt.org tel: 020 7378 3004