Further resources and reports about COVID-19 are available below.
You may also wish to review our specific long COVID resources.
Last updated: Dec 2023
RCSLT surveys and reports
Discover the findings from the surveys we’ve undertaken since 2020 to better understand the affects and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Sustained impact report (2022)
- Post COVID report (2022)
- Long COVID and speech and language therapy: Understanding the mid- to long-term speech and language therapy needs and the impact on services (2021)
COVID-19 Research
For members who are interested in the developing area of research around COVID-19, please visit out COVID-19 research page.
Supporting clinicians to identify speech and language therapy needs post COVID-19
This guide supports clinical staff in identifying speech and language therapy needs post COVID-19.
It offers signposting to speech and language therapy services and offers preliminary advice to support patients who may be experiencing issues with voice quality, throat comfort, swallowing, cognitive communication and/or laryngeal/airway sensitivity.
The guide consists of questions to ask patients within your consultations to promote earlier identification and access to treatment and improve patient outcomes.
Identifying speech and language therapy needs post COVID-19 (2023)
CAPA campaigning
The COVID-19 Airborne Protection Alliance (CAPA), of which RCSLT is a part, has written a number of letters to organisations and individuals, seeking clarification on issues relating to the pandemic:
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE), May 2022 (PDF)
- HSE, April 2022 (PDF); response from the HSE, May 2022 (PDF)
- Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (PDF)
- First Minister of Scotland (PDF); response from the Scottish Government, April 2022 (PDF)
- The chief medical officers (PDF); response from the chief medical advisor, March 2022 (PDF); CAPA response, April 2022 (PDF)
- The chief nursing officers (PDF); response from deputy chief nursing officer, May 2022 (PDF)
- NHS Confederation (PDF)
External tools
A number of different organisations have created tools which we believe can be utilised by SLTs in their own practice.
Please note: these resources are provided for information only. No endorsement is expressed or implied, unless otherwise stated. The RCSLT make efforts to ensure the information is up to date, however the RCSLT has no responsibility for pages maintained by external agencies.
Long COVID training programme HEE
The long COVID Programme at NHS England has developed a training programme for healthcare professionals working within specialist post COVID-19 services for adults. This programme was created by multiple healthcare professionals including, nurses, physios, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, pharmacists and physicians. The hope is that it will help have up to date training resources to access, provide a quality service, and improve knowledge in the clinical management of long COVID.
RCN publication on standard and transmission-based precautions
‘Raising the Bar’ is a Royal College of Nursing (RCN) commissioned review of national and international guidelines and the evidence they present to underpin standard and transmission-based precautions. It was written by Professor Dinah Gould, Dr Edward Purssell and Rose Gallagher, professional lead for infection prevention and control at the RCN.
The COVID-19 pandemic emphasised concerns and highlighted opportunities regarding infection prevention and control (IPC) guidance. This publication has been written to support all healthcare professionals, including SLTs, in delivering care where infection risk is present to both themselves and their patients.
Read the the RCN’s Raising the Bar.
