5 December 2025
On 19 November 2025, RCSLT Wales attended a North Wales members event to celebrate 80 years of the RCSLT.
Over 70 members from across North Wales, representatives from the local health board and local partners all joined together to celebrate 80 years of the RCSLT with an afternoon reception.
Together guests listened to speeches from Irma Donaldson, RCSLT Chair, Steve Jamieson, RCSLT CEO, Jan, a speech and language therapist who is coming to the end of a nearly 40-year career in the NHS, and recent graduates embarking on their careers. These speeches were both reflective and anticipatory, highlighting significant changes the profession has gone through in the past as well as looking towards the future of the profession.
Also speaking at the event were service users Steve, alongside his partner Janice, and Josh, with his father Pete. Steve spoke about his experiences of aphasia following a stroke, whilst Josh spoke about communication difficulties due to brain injury following a road traffic accident.
In his speech Josh spoke about how speech and language therapy has helped him, saying: “Doctors saved my life, but therapy gave me my life back. Speech and language therapy gave me something more, a confidence to interact socially so that I could meet new people.”
Their emotional talks were a reminder of the privilege of our work and profession and of the incredible resilience within our communities and why we strive to do more.
There was also a chance to share and discuss the main recommendations from the ‘The State of the Nation Report: The Speech and Language Therapy Workforce in Wales’, which include the need for sustainable funding for speech and language therapy services to meet growing demand as well as increases to training places.
The event was a great opportunity to recognise our profession and celebrate the amazing work of speech and language therapy.
Dathlu RCSLT yn 80 yng Ngogledd Cymru
Ar 19 Tachwedd 2025 mynychodd RCSLT Cymru ddigwyddiad i aelodau Gogledd Cymru i ddathlu 80 mlynedd o’r RCSLT.
Daeth dros 70 o aelod o bob rhan o’r Gogledd, cynrychiolwyr o’r bwrdd iechyd lleol a phartneriaid lleol ynghyd i ddathlu 80 mlynedd o’r RCSLT mewn derbyniad yn y prynhawn.
Clywodd gwesteion areithiau gan Irma Donaldson, Cadeirydd RCSLT, Steve Jamieson, Prif Swyddog Gweithredol RCSLT, Jan, therapydd lleferydd ac iaith sy’n agosáu at ddiwedd gyrfa bron 40 mlynedd yn y GIG a graddedigion diweddar sy’n dechrau ar eu gyrfaoedd. Roedd eu hareithiau yn bwrw golwg yn ôl a hefyd yn edrych ymlaen i’r dyfodol, gan dynnu sylw at newidiadau sylweddol y bu’r proffesiwn drwyddynt yn y gorffennol yn ogystal ag edrych ymlaen at ddyfodol y proffesiwn.
Hefyd yn siarad yn y digwyddiad oedd defnyddwyr gwasanaeth sef Steve a’i bartner Janice a Josh a’i dad Pete. Soniodd Steve am ei brofiadau o affasia yn dilyn strôc tra siaradodd Josh am anawsterau cyfathrebu oherwydd anaf i’w ymennydd yn dilyn damwain ffordd.
Yn ei araith siaradodd Josh am sut mae therapi lleferydd ac iaith wedi ei helpu, gan ddweud: “Fe wnaeth feddygon arbed fy mywyd, ond rhoddodd therapi fy mywyd yn ôl i mi. Rhoddodd lleferydd ac iaith rywbeth mwy i mi, hyder i gysylltu’n gymdeithasol fel y gallwn gwrdd â phobl newydd.”
Roedd eu sgyrsiau emosiynol yn ein atgoffa am fraint ein gwaith a’n proffesiwn a’r gwytnwch anhygoel o fewn ein cymunedau a pham yr ymdrechwn wneud mwy.
Roedd hefyd gyfle i rannu a thrafod prif argymhellion Adroddiad ‘Cyflwr y Genedl: Y Gweithlu Therapi Lleferydd ac Iaith yng Nghymru’, sy’n cynnwys yr angen am gyllid cynaliadwy ar gyfer gwasanaethau therapi lleferydd ac iaith i ateb y galw cynyddol yn ogystal â chynnydd mewn lleoedd hyfforddiant.
Roedd y digwyddiad yn gyfle gwych i gydnabod ein proffesiwn a dathlu gwaith gwych therapi lleferydd ac iaith.
