10 April 2007

SLTs call for better speech and language therapy services in Scotland

For immediate release Tuesday 10 April 2007. Page one of two

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) is calling on all political parties ahead of the Scottish elections to guarantee better speech and language therapy services for all people in Scotland with communication support needs.

The RCSLT today welcomed the Scottish Labour Party's pledge to guarantee maximum nine-week waiting times for allied health professions services by 2011.

An RCSLT spokesperson says, "If delivered through a quality, evidence-based programme, the nine-week pledge will improve the lives of the many thousands of Scots children, young people and adults with communication disability.

"The RCSLT looks forward to working with Scotland's next government to tackle the significant challenges service improvement targets, like this pledge, will present to the current speech and language therapy workforce."

Kay Fegan, RCSLT Councillor for Scotland, says, "Speech and language therapists in Scotland are keen to develop a strong workforce able to respond effectively and timeously to patient need. Delivery of this pledge will need significant investment in workforce."

Melanie Derbyshire, Chief Executive of Speakability - the national charity supporting people with aphasia says, "People with acquired communication problems following injury to the brain should be offered appropriate access to speech and language therapy.

"Clearly, early intervention should be a priority and we therefore welcome the pledge to cut waiting times."

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Notes for editors:

Background:

The RCSLT has called on Scotland's next government to:

· Deliver increased speech and language therapy for all children and young people with communication support needs

· Continue research into the needs of people with communication support needs.

· Fund provision of 'talking machines' and the essential speech and language therapy support services required to make these work for people.

Scots with communication disability need effective speech and language therapy services to achieve equity of opportunity and optimise their capacity to communicate.

However currently:

· Children across Scotland are waiting 10 months or more for speech and language therapy

· Young people are getting severely restricted or no speech and language therapy services

· Speech and language therapy services in the community for people who have had strokes are severely restricted or non-existent.

· Some young people who use 'talking machines' have their means of communicating and speech and language therapy support removed when they leave school.

· There are only 13 whole-time-equivalent speech and language therapists serving the population of people of all ages with mental illness in Scotland.

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) is the professional body for speech and language therapists in the UK and has over 13,000 members, 1000 of whom work in Scotland. It is responsible for setting, promoting and maintaining high standards in education, clinical practice and ethical conduct. Visit: www.rcslt.org for more information.

For further information contact:

Steven Harulow, tel: 020 7378 3004, email: steven.harulow@rcslt.org

For more information contact Steven Harulow, email: steven.harulow@rcslt.org tel: 020 7378 3004