30 November 2021 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists launches Giving Voice campaign by highlighting the opportunity for SLT to deliver savings to the UK Government Findings published today (30 November 2021) by Matrix Evidence (Matrix) have found that speech and language therapy delivers an estimated net benefit to the UK economy of £765 [...]
Category Archives: About Us
Speech and language therapy delivers £765 million in benefits to UK taxpayers
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Key Message Four
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Urgent changes are needed to support timely access to speech and language therapy for those who need it. Mainstream services must support the early identification of speech, language and communication difficulties, and ensure timely access to specialist services that are sustained in proportion to need. With more coherent planning and sharing of resources across traditional boundaries [...]
Key Message Three
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Tackling communication and swallowing problems reduces avoidable costs and waste in the NHS, local authorities, the criminal justice system and the wider economy. Communication difficulties lead to poor educational achievement and under-development of the key skills that are essential for a high performing economy. The UK has lower output than France, Germany and the US [...]
Key Message Two
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Problems with speech and language imprison the individual, and severely limit their participation in family life, the community, education and the world of work Human dignity and the ability to lead a rewarding life can be unlocked or denied by the presence or absence of speech and language therapy services. People with serious cancers and [...]
What is speech and language therapy?
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Speech and language therapy is concerned with the management of disorders of speech, language, communication and swallowing in children and adults. Speech and language therapists (SLTs) are allied health professionals. They work closely with parents, carers and other professionals, such as teachers, nurses, occupational therapists and doctors. There are around 13,000 practising SLTs in the [...]
Key Message One
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Speech and language therapists are specialists who enable people to develop or regain vital communication and swallowing skills Speech and language therapists enable people to express themselves, to listen to and understand others. They provide accurate identification, assessment and diagnosis of speech, language, communication and swallowing disorders. Speech and language therapy is based on continuous [...]
How to calculate the cost savings of your local SLT service
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- Jun
Open this step-by-step guide to calculating the cost savings your service makes for the UK tax payer by providing speech and language therapy to children with SLI, children with autism and stroke survivors You will need the four Excel spreadsheets below to make your calculations. Aphasia Autism Dysphagia SLI Please contact Ele Buckley if you have any questions about [...]
An economic evaluation of speech and language therapy
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- Jun

It is estimated that nearly 20% of the population may experience communication difficulties at some point in their lives. Communication difficulties are strongly prevalent in children and older people and can be related to, for example, head and neck cancer, brain injury, learning difficulties and hearing impairment. One in 10 children have a speech and [...]
Giving Voice on Social Media
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Social Media is all about interacting with others and getting your message out there, which is great for campaigns such as Giving Voice. To make sure you never miss out on what the RCSLT is up to or our latest news then join us on Facebook and Twitter. Click the Facebook and Twitter icons at [...]
What is the Giving Voice campaign?
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The RCSLT launched the Giving Voice campaign as a vehicle through which our members and their service users can demonstrate the unique, life-transforming and cost-saving work of the profession. It is more important than ever that speech and language therapy is understood and valued by colleagues, service users and the public. The Giving Voice campaign [...]