Ruth Sedgewick, Head of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists NI
The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) have warned that the Speech and Language Therapy workforce in Northern Ireland is at a critical juncture.
The warning comes as the Speech and Language Therapy workforce meet on Thursday for its hub leadership conference at the Titanic Centre in Belfast.
RCSLTNI is calling on the Department of Health to set out how it plans to address the challenges facing the profession. Demand for services is unsustainable without measures to grow the SLT workforce. This includes commissioning more undergraduate places in NI as well as developing apprenticeships and alternative routes in the profession. Many of the challenges facing the profession were predicted, and measures to mitigate these were outlined in 2018 Workforce Strategy. This report has yet to be implemented in full.
Speech and Language Therapy vacancies across all five trusts and in schools in Northern Ireland remain unfilled due to a lack of investment in the workforce.
The body remains very concerned that the current and projected shortfall in speech and language therapists will especially impact children over the coming years. This warning follows on the back of evidence that SLT services for children in the community are hugely overstretched. As highlighted in a recent report by the Northern Ireland Children’s Commissioner, there has been an 87% increase in the numbers of children waiting for speech and language therapy in the community, compared to the same month in 2021.
The body also raised concerns in August regarding the need to ensure there is greater support for pupils with speech, language and communication needs associated with their special education needs (SEN). Additional funding from the Department of Education for SEN services in September was welcome, however the historical funding gap remains following years of underinvestment.
(L-R) Kamini Gadhok, CEO of the Royal College of Speech Language Therapists; Robin Swann MLA and Ruth Sedgewick, Head of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists NI.
Head of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists NI, Ruth Sedgewick said:
“We are putting those in Northern Ireland with speech, language, communication and swallowing needs at a disadvantage if investment is not made to the SLT workforce in Northern Ireland. Our members have reported that they are under extreme pressure in recent years to meet the growing demands for speech and language therapy services. This simply cannot continue.
“In contrast to other parts of the UK, Northern Ireland has failed to take any specific measures to mitigate the impact of COVID on children’s early language development. We are now seeing the increases in children being referred to SLT with delays and significant needs have taken longer to identify. This is one of the issues that will be impacting on longer waiting lists.
“As with many areas of the health and social care system, the Speech and Language Therapy workforce is at a critical juncture. We have made it clear to the Department of Health that greater investment, and increased SLT training places, must be made available to ensure all those living with a speech, language and communication need have access to essential treatments – especially our children with special educational needs. Closer cooperation between Health and Education is welcome and must continue to ensure services are meaningful and children are not left behind here.
“While we recognise that the political limbo in Northern Ireland makes it difficult for funding decisions to be made, people who need speech and language therapy should not be collateral damage.
“We are calling on the Departments of Health and Education to ensure that all those who need speech and language therapy are not failed, and the right funding and support is given to our profession to ensure services are delivered on a sustainable footing.”