Unite Welcomes Report Into Childrens' Speech Difficulties, UK

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 11 Jul 2008 - 3:00 PST

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Unite has welcomed the Bercow's review of services for children with speech, language and communication difficulties.

But Unite, the largest union in the UK, is worried that increased 'privatisation' in the NHS could hamper the implementation of the recommendations.

The final report offers a landmark opportunity to reverse the cuts that have been affecting speech and language therapy services over the last three years.

The current 'postcode lottery' for speech and language therapy provision lets down very many families. The report's call for a universal, targeted and specialist service, delivered by an appropriately skilled and supported workforce is welcomed

Unite members share the belief that communication difficulties blight the life chances of children, and that early identification and intervention are essential.

Barrie Brown, Unite Lead Officer for Nursing said: 'Our members will be tremendously pleased by this report. A recent survey of our speech and language therapy union reps showed that morale was at an all-time low.'

'And that the quality of speech and language therapy provision was being steadily eroded by service cuts, the loss of leadership and specialist posts, and cuts to specialist training for speech and language therapists. We now hope to see the sustained investment that will reverse this decline.'

'We welcome the understanding implicit throughout the report that high quality services require adequate resourcing and sufficient numbers of skilled and specialist staff.'

'We share the belief in effective multi-disciplinary working, and for 'joined up' service provision across health, education and other children's services. Our ongoing concern is that the accelerating trend towards fragmentation and privatisation in community NHS services will make this process far harder.'

'Cuts in the services that support speech and language therapy provision - particularly the catastrophic cuts in health visitor numbers - also make adequate support for children and their families difficult to achieve.'

'Our own research shows that around half of our own members in speech and language therapy now pay for their own clinical training. We absolutely support the report's suggestion that training should be an entitlement.'

The government pledge of £12 million initial investment to implement these recommendations is welcomed, as is the announcement of a further £40 million to support speaking and listening in early years.

Notes

Unite has more than 6,000 members who are speech and language therapists and speech and language therapy assistants.

Unite NHS Day of Protest - 18 July - Cut our pay - No way!

Unite members across the country will take part in day of protest against the NHS pay offer on the 18 July, 2008. Workers will be campaigning around the slogan: 'Cut my pay? No way!' For more information visit: http://www.unitetheunion.com/nhsdayofprotest

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