Northern Ireland policy
Our work in Northern Ireland
Follow @RCSLTpolicy and @RCSLTNI on Twitter for latest news and updates.
Northern Ireland Assembly elections 2022
Following the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly elections, the RCSLT NI team will be working with all politicians elected to improve the lives of people in NI with communication and swallowing needs.
Find out what we’re asking for.
RCSLT NI Manifesto
‘Communication at the heart of health and wellbeing’
RCSLT NI are calling on politicians to work with us to improve outcomes for people in Northern Ireland with communication and swallowing difficulties while, also, supporting the work of the speech and language therapy profession.
View our 2022 manifesto:
- NI Manifesto Summary Flyer 2022 (PDF)
- NI Workforce Manifesto Briefing 2022 (PDF)
- NI Communication Access Manifesto Briefing 2022 (PDF)
- NI Children’s Manifesto Briefing 2022 (PDF)
For additional information please contact RCSLT NI on 028 9044 6387 or contact us.
Voice Box Northern Ireland
Voice Box is Northern Ireland’s national joke competition designed to raise children’s awareness of the fun and importance of communication.
Voice Box 2017 was the most successful Voice Box Awards so far with more than 3,000 school pupils taking part. The live grand final was hosted by the Lord Mayor of Belfast on 5 June 2017. All entries from the 2016 and 2017 are included in the Voice Box joke book (PDF).
My Journey My Voice
My Journey My Voice is a powerful exhibition designed to raise awareness about communication disability. It features photographic portraits and audio recordings of individuals who have communication disabilities, as they tell listeners about a favourite journey, in their own words.
Briefings
- RCSLT NI briefing to the NI Education Committee on seclusion and restraint assembly motion debate, May 2021 (PDF)
- RCSLT NI Ministerial briefing: The communication needs of young people in contact with the youth justice system, February 2021 (Word)
- RCSLT NI response to Phase 2: Mapping core AHP provision to LAACYP across HSCTs and regional facilities, November 2020 (Word)
- RCSLT NI response to Expert Panel in persistent educational underachievement, October 2020 (PDF)
- RCSLT NI Ministerial briefing: Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) in mental health services, October 2020 (Word)
- RCSLT NI briefing to the Health Committee on AHP workforce, March 2020 (Word)
- RCSLT NI briefing to the Health Committee on SLT Workforce, February 2020 (Word)
- RCSLT briefing to the Northern Ireland Affair Committee: Stroke services, January 2019 (PDF)
- RCSLT briefing: NI Assembly Health Committee review of the impact of the AHP professions to community care, November 2016 (PDF)
- RCSLT MLA briefing, March 2013 (Word)
Consultation responses
- RCSLT NI Response to Draft NI Cancer Strategy 2021-31, October 2021 (PDF)
- RCSLT NI Response to the Health and Social Care NI Future Planning Model – Targeted Stakeholder Consultation, September 2021 (PDF)
- RCLST NI Response to the Draft Regional Policy on the Use of Restrictive Practices in Health and Social Care Settings and Regional Operational Procedure for the Use of Seclusion, July 2021 (PDF)
- RCSLT NI response to the Draft Adult Protection Bill, April 2021 (PDF)
- RCSLT NI response to Draft Mental Health Strategy, April 2021 (PDF)
- RCSLT NI response to “Empowering change in women’s lives” strategy for supporting and challenging women and girls in contact with the justice system, March 2021 (PDF)
- RCSLT NI response to the Regional Justice and Care Campus consultation, January, 2021 (PDF)
- RCSLT NI response to the PBNI Draft Corporate Plan 2020-23, October 2019 (PDF)
- RCSLT response to Reshaping Stroke Care consultation, August 2019 (PDF)
- RCSLT response to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee inquiry into education funding, September, 2018 (PDF)
- RCSLT response to the Draft Strategy for Looked After Children, August 2018 (PDF)
- RCSLT response to Mental Health and Wellbeing Framework 2018-2021, May 2018 (PDF)
- Response to The Future Provision for Children in the Early Years with Special Educational Needs (SEN), May 2018 (PDF)
- Response to Regional Equality and Disability action plans, November 2017 (PDF)
- Reshaping Stroke Services – Response Questionnaire, September 2017 (Word)
- Submission to the Northern Ireland Programme for Government Consultation, January 2017 (PDF)
- Response to consultation on draft Special Educational Needs Regulations, May 2016 (PDF)
- Submission to the Sign Language Framework, Department of Communities, July 2016 (PDF)
- Submission to Improving Health within Criminal Justice consultation document, June 2016 (PDF)
- Co-operating to Safeguard Children and Young People in Northern Ireland consultation questionnaire, August 2016 (PDF)
- Submission from the RCSLT to the Ad Hoc Joint Committee on the Mental Capacity Bill, June 2015 (PDF)
- ‘Supporting the best start in life’ Infant Mental Health Framework and Action Plan 2015-2018 Consultation questionnaire, May 2015 (PDF)
2014
- Response to NI Draft Mental Capacity Bill, August 2014 (PDF)
- RCSLT NI submission to The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) in Northern Ireland, July 2014 (PDF)
- Response to Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Employment and Learning inquiry into post special educational need provision in education, employment and training for those with learning disabilities, March 2014 (Word)
2013
- Response to consultation on ‘Who Cares? The Future of Adult Care and Support in Northern Ireland’, March 2013 (PDF)
- Response to consultation on draft Autism Strategy and Action Plan, March 2013 (PDF)
- Response to consultation on Western Education and Library Board development proposals, March 2013 (PDF)
Campaigns and projects
Giving Voice aims to ‘give voice’ to people with speech, language and communication needs, to ensure that their needs and those of their carers and families, are met. We equip our members to demonstrate locally how speech and language therapy makes a difference to individuals and society, whilst RCSLT officers work to engage decision makers and the media at a national level.
- NI CEN Sure Start; The role and impact of SLT provision in Sure Start in Northern Ireland (PDF)
- Children’s Services Share and Learn event 2019 (PDF)
Stroke
Proposed changes for NI
Care Standards allows for the regulation of a range of health and social care services, and for the development of minimum standards for these services.
Education Training Inspectorate promotes the dissemination of good and innovative practice identified across the education, training and youth sectors.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence provides guidance, advice, quality standards and information services for health, public health and social care.
Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman provides for an independent review of people’s complaints, and ensures that public services improve as a result of the complaints.
Patient and Client Council is the independent voice for people using health and social care services.
Quality 2020 – A 10 Year strategy designed to protect and improve quality in health and social care in Northern Ireland.
Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) is responsible for monitoring and inspecting the availability and quality of health and social care services.
‘Up to standard’ (PDF) – A guide to the Quality Standards for Health and Personal Social Services.
Who should I influence in NI?
External stakeholders in Northern Ireland you can seek to influence include:
- Local government departments
- NI Assembly Committees
- Elected representatives – MLAs
- Local Councils – Council officials/Councillors
- Department of Health Lead AHP Officer
- Health and Social Care Board Programme of Care Directors and Commissioners
- Public Health Agency Programme of Care and Allied Health Profession Directors
- Children and young people strategic commissioning programmes
- Children and Young People Care Services and policies
- Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership
- Schools
- Director of Education
- Local Youth Justice teams – Youth Justice Agency
Resources
Resources to support you in responding to any proposed changes to your service’s structures and priorities.
Nation specific resources
Contact
- Contact us via the website
- Telephone: 02890 446385
- Postal address: Arthur House, 41 Arthur Street, Belfast BT1 4GB