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Lack of speech therapists as demand for help grows

Rhodri Lewis
BBC News
BBC Ceri Maher is smiling at the camera. She has a cream-coloured jumper on with a leopard-print tie at the front. Her brunette hair is in the shape of a bob cut and behind her is a cream sofa that is covered by a mint-green throw. BBC
After her stroke Ceri Maher was helped by speech and language therapists to communicate again

"My speech had gone really. I think my understanding was there, but the speech wasn't right at all."

This is how Ceri Maher, from Cardiff, described what she faced after having a stroke.

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) has called for more professionals after demand for services rose by more than 30% among children, adults and people with a disability.

A Welsh government spokesperson said more training was taking place and waiting times were going down.

It is 18 months since Mrs Maher had her stroke. She is now back home in Cardiff, and looking forward to enjoying the garden again once winter is over.

As part of her recovery programme, speech and language therapists helped Mrs Maher to communicate again.

She said: "My face was lopsided. I was just in a bit of a blur really.

"That's the nearest thing I can describe it as, it was a blur."

The RCSLT said as well as people such as Mrs Maher, there needs to be a particular focus on those in the youth justice system.

It has released a report, outlining how demand has increased since 2019.

For children and young people, it has risen by 31%, for adults by 37%, and for those with a learning disability by 43%.

"Youth justice is definitely an area where we'd like to see more speech and language therapy," said Philippa Cotterill, head of the college's Wales office.

"Mental health services is another area."

Ms Cotterill said neonatal services were also able to provide support for babies and families on eating, drinking and swallowing, but also early communication skills that need to be developed in children if they are premature, or if they have difficulties.

Philippa Cotterill is looking at the camera. She is smiling with her brown shoulder-length hair framing her face. She has a black top and in the middle it has pink flowers with blue and green leaves. She is stood in front of black blinds that are closed with a green wall to the left of her.
Philippa Cotterill wants more therapists for people of all ages

At the moment, people who want to become therapists can only train in Wales at either Wrexham University or Cardiff Metropolitan University.

But there are not enough people currently graduating to meet the increased demand for their skills.

Trainers such as Lauren Salisbury, a senior lecturer at Wrexham University, have been trying to address that.

"We would benefit from postgraduate options, and possibly study-while-you-earn options as well, diversifying the career routes and the training routes, so that we can widen our student demographic and allow more opportunities for people to train as a speech and language therapist," she said.

But Philippa Cotterill believes a more focused approach is needed.

She added: "What we're calling on is for there to be sustained funding for services for speech and language therapy.

"We know there's many places where there's grant funding and other sources of funding but which are not permanent, and we need those sustainable services."

A Welsh government spokesperson said it was committed to reducing waiting times and strengthening and retaining the workforce.

"We recognise that demand is high," they added.

"Despite this, the total waits for children and adults over the 14-week target has shown nearly a 59% improvement over the last 12 months.

"There has also been an improvement of 46% in children's waits against the stretched target of eight weeks.

"Training places for speech and language therapists in Wales have increased by 12.2% in the last three years."