Celebrating Speech and Language Therapy Week, 10-14 October 2005

Monday 3 October 2005.

Breaking down the barriers to communication: Celebrating Speech and Language Therapy Week, 10-14 October 2005

Speech and language therapists, support workers and their clients will celebrate Speech and language therapy Week, from 10-14 October 2005.

The theme for the week is Breaking down the barriers to communication and events in hospitals, schools, shopping centres and other public places across the UK will highlight the important role speech and language therapy plays in the lives of many people with communication, eating, drinking and swallowing problems.

The week is part of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists' (RCSLT) diamond jubilee celebrations in 2005.

To start the week, the RCSLT will announce the results of its first national search for the speech and language therapist and support worker of the year at a special awards ceremony on 10 October in central London. The award is kindly sponsored by Fesenius Kabi.

The RCSLT will also host a national conference, The Communication Context, at the Royal College of Surgeons in London on 11 October. Key speakers, including Professor Sally Byng OBE, will discuss the communication environment and look at the good practice and barriers that help or hinder children, adults with learning disabilities and adults with acquired disorders face in today's complex society.

The RCSLT acknowledges the kind support of the following Speech and Language therapy sponsors:

Thick and Easy, RS Locums, Inclusive Technology, Speechmark, Novartis

Ends

Notes for editors:

1. Governments across the four UK countries have recognised the importance of communication as key to improving quality of life and reducing inequality and inequity, for example in accessing employment and educational opportunities.

2. There is increased need for speech and language therapy intervention because of a number or reasons:

• people are living longer, and many more are living longer after cancer treatment and with lifelong problems such as dementia and stroke that affect communication
• there is increased recognition of problems such as autism and learning difficulties in children
• improvements in neonatal care mean the number of pre-term babies surviving with developmental problems, such as cerebral palsy is increasing

3. There is a recognised shortage of speech and language therapists in the UK, caused by recruitment and retention problems, which means many clients (particularly children) are experiencing severe delays in accessing therapy

4. The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) is the professional body for speech and language therapists in the UK and has over 12,000 members. Nearly 10,000 of these are speech and language therapists working across the UK. It is responsible for setting, promoting and maintaining high standards in education, clinical practice and ethical conduct.

The RCSLT is working with therapists to look at innovative ways to provide quality services to meet the needs of their clients and their carers.

The RCSLT has therapists ready and willing to talk to the media about their work and clients who want to demonstrate the impact that speech and language therapy has made to their lives.

Visit: www.rcslt.org for more information

For more information contact RCSLT Head of Communications Steven Harulow. Tel: 0207 378 3004, email: steven.harulow@rcslt.org