6 May 2020

RCSLT president Nick Hewer and Dr Jackie McRae, consultant speech and language therapist at University College London Hospitals, were interviewed on ITV’s Good Morning Britain (GMB) about the vital frontline work of speech and language therapists in supporting patients with COVID-19.

Joining GMB presenters Susanna Reid and Ben Shepard by video link, Jackie McRae highlighted the unique role that speech and language therapists play in the rehabilitation process of coronavirus patients, helping them to speak, eat and drink safely after their ventilators have been removed.

Nick Hewer also emphasised how speech and language therapists have been aiding patients in their communication with other medical staff, as well as their loved ones.

During the interview, which was broadcast across the UK, reaching an audience of more than 3.7 million in London alone, Nick took the opportunity to highlight the wide range of clinical work that speech and language therapists carry out, such as neonatal care, dysphagia, and supporting stroke survivors.

The RCSLT would like to thank both Nick and Jackie for the incredible job they did of raising awareness of the valuable work all our members do.

Do you have a newsworthy story to share about your COVID-19 experiences? If you work in a trust, get in touch with your communications team who can help you get in touch with the media, or you can contact the RCSLT press team at press@rcslt.org