Leading a guidance project

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be part of a RCSLT guidance project? Paula Walker, Lead Author for the RCSLT’s recent project to update our guidance on HCPC standards and associated topics, talks about her experiences of being part of a working group of SLT colleagues sharing their knowledge and experience with the profession.

 

There are moments in everyone’s career when you realise you are ready for something different. For me, joining an RCSLT working group to review and update guidance, including the RCSLT’s HCPC guidance, came at exactly that moment.

I have spent much of my 20 plus year career working in roles which are less typical for a speech and language therapist. My work had almost entirely been within the independent education sector, supporting children and young people with complex neurodevelopmental needs, and working closely with schools, families and multidisciplinary teams. I loved the work, and knew it mattered, but I was also aware that my career had not followed a traditional NHS based pathway and because of that, I sometimes wondered where my professional voice fitted within the wider speech and language therapy landscape.

When the opportunity came up to contribute to a guidance review group, my first thought was “Can I actually do this?” I was really not sure whether my experience would be seen as relevant enough, or whether my perspective would be welcomed in a national, professional space. It felt very daunting. But my then clinical supervisor encouraged me to apply and helped me see that my experience was something that could add value to the project. She encouraged me to trust my professional judgement, and to recognise that the profession is strengthened by a range of voices and practice contexts, and that I had something to say in this space. A week after submitting my application, I was offered a place on the project. The following week, Senior Project Manager Lorna Baxter contacted me again to ask whether I would consider taking on the role of Lead Author.

 

Joining the working group

Our first scoping meeting took place in November 2024 at the RCSLT offices in London. and gave everyone in the project group the opportunity to meet, begin building working relationships, and agree the overall scope of the guidance together.

The wider review group was made up of colleagues with different roles, settings and areas of expertise. Working with them was one of the richest parts of the whole experience, and I gained valuable insight into how other SLT’s were practising, thinking and navigating professional responsibilities in a range of contexts.

It reminded me how broad our profession is, and how much we can learn from one another when we make space for different experiences.

 

My contract with RCSLT ran for a year and as Lead Author, I was paid a project fee for my time. This particular project was unusually large and complex, and the Lead Author role required approximately 20–30 days of my time across the year. Supporting authors contributed on an unpaid basis, with a smaller overall time commitment (around 4-6 days across the year). My employer was very supportive of the work and allowed me the flexibility to schedule meetings and guidance work when needed.

They answered my questions, helped me understand the process, and helped me navigate what initially felt like an intimidating piece of work. That support helped me to move from feeling like the odd-one-out to feeling like I had something useful to contribute.

Being invited to become lead author was both a surprise and a privilege. It was not something I would have imagined for myself at the start, especially considering the calibre of the colleagues who sat in the committee with me, and I very nearly said no because it felt like such a big responsibility! The role certainly stretched me, but in the best possible way. It helped me write, think and collaborate at a different level but it also helped me reconnect with my identity as a speech and language therapist.

I began to realise that the questions I had been asking in my own practice around standards, accountability, supervision, professional identity and ethical decision-making were highly relevant to the guidance work. My route into those questions might have been a bit different, but the professional foundations were the same and my confidence in what I had to contribute started to grow.

 

If you’re thinking about applying to a working group

I would really encourage other members to get involved in the work of the RCSLT, especially if your first thought is that it might not be “for someone like me”.

Our profession needs voices from all settings, sectors and career stages.

 It needs people working in schools, hospitals, community teams, independent practice, research, leadership, specialist services and everything in between. If you have ever wondered whether your experience is relevant enough, or if you have ever felt unsure whether you belong in those conversations: it is and you do.

Looking back, the project came at a real turning point in my career. It helped me re-establish my view of myself as a SLT, not only as someone working in a particular sector, but as someone with a professional voice that could contribute more widely. That renewed confidence later supported me to confidently move into a more senior strategic role, where I continue to draw on the learning from this rich experience.

If you’re inspired by Paula’s journey and would like to nominate yourself to take part in a working group or are looking for other opportunities to support RCSLT projects, visit our section on how to Get Involved with RCSLT for all the latest opportunities.

Delivering Quality Services

Paula was the Lead Author for a project which saw updates to almost 20 different guidance topics, all aimed at providing information to help SLTs Deliver Quality services. Our updated advice on meeting HCPC Standards, safeguarding, writing legal reports, service planning and many more topics can be found on our website. We’d like to thank Paula and all the members of the working group for their work on this project.