Building back better: Speech and language therapy services after COVID-19
Published 16 March 2021, the RCSLT’s Building back better report shares people’s experiences of accessing speech and language therapy during the first UK-wide lockdown.
The Building back better report
Between November 2020 and February 2021, we conducted a survey of people’s experiences of accessing speech and language therapy during the first UK-wide lockdown (March–June 2020).
The report – Speech and language therapy during and beyond COVID-19: building back better with people who have communication and swallowing needs – tells the stories of the five hundred people who filled out the survey.
- While some people were able to access speech and language therapy during lockdown, many more were not.
- The report details the impact on them and their families and carers of not having speech and language therapy, or having less therapy than they had before lockdown.
- It also sets out what needs to happen to ensure that people with communication and swallowing needs can access the speech and language therapy that they need.
Read the full report
- Download the full Building back better report (PDF)
- Download the Easy Read summary (PDF)
- Watch the Easy Read summary video
Read the report by section
- Download the Introduction (PDF)
- Download the Policy implications (PDF)
- Download the Wider policy context (PDF)
- Download the Design of the survey (PDF)
- Download the 0-18 Executive summary (PDF)
- Download the 18+ Executive summary (PDF)
- Download the 0-18 survey (PDF)
- Download the 18+ survey (PDF)
- Download the 0-18 Easy Read survey (PDF)
- Download the 18+ Easy Read survey (PDF)
- Download the Aphasia survey (PDF)
- Download the Appendix (PDF)
Next steps
As the RCSLT works to build back better with people who have communication and swallowing needs, we need your help.
Please let us know if you would like to support our national influencing work or if you would like to use the report to influence locally.
Email peter.just@rcslt.org or padraigin.oflynn@rcslt.org to get involved.
Sector letter to the Prime Minister
Following the publication of Speech and language therapy during and beyond COVID-19: building back better with people who have communication and swallowing needs on 16 March, a coalition of over 80 organisations have written to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.
They have urged the Government to implement the recommendations in the report.
The organisations work across education, health, social care, justice, disability, employment and poverty, and include charities and professional bodies.
Letter
Download the letter to the Prime Minister (PDF)
Policy statement
Download the accompanying policy statement (PDF)
Social media graphics
Graphics are available for promotional purposes.
Download the Twitter graphic (PNG)
Download the Facebook graphic (PNG)
Download the Instagram graphic (PNG)
More information
If you would like more information, please contact peter.just@rcslt.org or padraigin.oflynn@rcslt.org.
Resources to support promotion and influencing
Headlines
- Download the Introduction and Findings video
- Download the Impact video
- Download the Future video
- Download the What Next video
Impacts
Communication and swallowing
Face masks
Most and least deprived areas
- Download the lack of SLT / SLT after lockdown for adults graphic
- Download the lack of SLT / SLT after lockdown for children and young people graphic
- Download the lack of in person SLT / SLT after lockdown for adults graphic
- Download the lack of in person SLT / SLT after lockdown for children and young people graphic
- Download the less SLT / in person SLT for adults graphic
- Download the less SLT / in person SLT for children and young people graphic
Future worries
Your ideas
If you had any ideas about resources that would support your influencing, please contact peter.just@rcslt.org or padraigin.oflynn@rcslt.org.