Where SLTs provide professional knowledge and clinical leadership

In any service structure, the RCSLT believes that professional advisory roles must be maintained or developed. SLTs in advisory roles provide significant benefits for patients and staff. Whether services are provide on a locality, care group or other basis, the managers and staff in that service will at least need to draw on sound professional and clinical advice.

When dealing with people with communication support needs, ensuring safe, effective, evidence based practice is essential. SLT leaders and managers will have the knowledge, skills and experience to ensure that clinical practise is developed and delivered on the basis of evidence of efficacy. Services that design care programmes for people with communication support needs who do not involve SLTs in the design of those programmes and pathways are putting those in their care at risk.

SLTs must always be involved in the planning and delivery of training of others who are involved in the care of people with communication support needs.

SLTs must always be involved in the interpretation of national professional policies for a specialist area. The RCSLT provides SLT managers and leaders with guidance and knowledge on policy issues that non-SLTs are unlikely to be able to provide.