Closing the communication impairment gap in Scotland

25th August 2005

The RCSLT and Scottish SLT Managers Network Communication Impairment Group (CIAG) held a successful meeting with Malcolm Chisholm MSP, Minister for Communities (including Equalities Policy) on 2 August.

At the meeting, CIAG Chair Mary Turnbull outlined the discrimination faced by those with communications impairments across sectors, emphasising that the group is campaigning, not as health workers, but as representatives of the profession uniquely focused on the needs of people with communication impairment.

RCSLT Scotland Officer Kim Hartley presented the Minister with evidence of the Scottish Executive's lack of engagement with people with communication impairment. She pointed out this has lead to an extremely limited range of communication supports in local communities.

"The CIAG has called on the Executive to undertake comprehensive primary research to raise awareness of the issue and to lay the foundation for a communication impairment strategy for Scotland," Kim said.

At the meeting the Minister agreed there was strong evidence, "of a big gap across the Scottish Executive," regarding the needs of people with communications impairments.

David Thomson, Head of Disability at the Scottish Executive's Equality Unit, also said he would speak to the CIAG to arrange appropriate representation for people with communications impairments on Equality Unit Disability Working Groups and the Linguistic Access Group.