Last week a number of different articles popped up throughout the UK discussing the cost benefits of speech & language therapy in the NHS.We know that speech & language therapy is of great benefit to its clients, and also to parents, carers and friends of those affected. We know that – qualitatively – speech & language therapy can greatly improve a personís quality of life.

But what about the numbers? In this day and age of economic downturns, financial crises and cost-cutting measures, the government needs hard quantitative facts. And unfortunate as it may be, it is these financial facts that receive the most attention.

How can those working in speech & language therapy prove that the services they provide are beneficial to their clients AND cost-effective for the government?

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) have released figures in conjunction with research group Matrix as part of their Giving Voice campaign, clearly demonstrating how speech & language therapy saves the government money:

The Western Mail: http://tinyurl.com/sltwonline 

Investing in speech and language therapy saves the Welsh economy almost £38m. This is despite the 84.4% of speech and language therapists who have seen cuts to their services of between 5 and 30% in the past year.

For the 10,000 Welsh school children with speech and language impairment, the annual net benefit to Wales is £36m. Every £1 invested generates a return of £6.43 in enhanced lifetime earnings.The Scotsman: http://tinyurl.com/sltsconline 

Investment in speech and language therapy could help boost the Edinburgh economy by more than £10 million a year.ï    Experts from Matrix said helping those who had communication difficulties to find work could save the government and the NHS in the long-term, as well as boosting individuals’ prospects.UK-wide, from Mediplacements: http://tinyurl.com/sltsmedsonline 

Therapy for stroke survivors saves the NHS an estimated £13.3 million in costs for further treatment for those that struggle with swallowing.The overall net benefit to the UK economy of speech and language therapy is around £765 million.

The return for the NHS is equal to £2.30 for every £1.The RCSLT is hoping to publicise and raise awareness of speech & language therapy. It aims to ìdemonstrate SLTs unique value to national and local decision makers, while showing evidence of their efficiency and value for money.

You can find more information at the Giving Voice website – http://www.givingvoiceuk.org/ Sarah Bennington – December 2010

Written on behalf of Integrated Treatment Services. ITS is a private Speech and Language Therapy service based in Leicestershire and the East Midlands. It specialises in providing highly-skilled Speech and Language Therapists, but also associates with other therapeutic professionals, including Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Psychologists and Arts Therapists.