Speechmag

In Giving Voice we are proud to be speech and language therapists

I have watched with admiration as the Giving Voice campaign has spread the message across the UK that speech and language therapy transforms lives.  

Having been active in both Speak Weeks (circa 1987 and 1990) and the rather oddly named SpeakWatch (1994), it is fascinating to see how tools for raising awareness and ways of measuring success have changed, while the passion and many of the issues have not.

The Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists now has a Policy and Public Affairs Team which has provided the advice, coordination and resources to inspire and enable therapists at a local level to get active. One of the most useful of these is the report from Matrix Evidence into the cost benefits of speech and language therapy. (College members can calculate the savings for local services to people with dysphagia, aphasia, specific language impairment and autism here.)

Although the hard statistics following Tuesday's mass mobilisation event and awards ceremony are encouraging enough in themselves (255 turned out for the Giving Voice rally, over 100 MPs were met, and over 400 tweets including #givingvoiceuk were published), the softer ripple effects count even more in the longer term. This includes the increased camaraderie among teams and the success of shared projects and a common purpose with service users.

For Jennie Marshall - who cycled 180 miles to the event using a Lightwriter to communicate - it has provided a great deal of insight and opportunity for reflection. As she said at the Giving Voice rally, "The cycling is child's play compared to using a communication aid...I can't imagine how life would be if I didn't have a voice." A number of younger members of the profession including Sophie Jankel (Social Media Campaigner of the Year award) and Julie Carr (Outstanding Contribution award), have found their campaigning voice and I have no doubt we will all benefit from this in the years to come. 

As veteran campaigner Pam Enderby said, we want to do something about the fact that speech, language and communication difficulties affect relationships, education and employment, and we need to do it "in the context of an ever-moving NHS." Compared with times of previous campaigns we have more evidence, our therapy is more effective we will not be driven into losing our care. "It's not just a job, it's a part of our lives...I am very proud to be a speech and language therapist."

The photos show Ele Buckley, RCSLT National Coordinator for Local Campaigns, with the rally on Westminster Bridge, and Sophie Jankel receiving her award at Church House from Rt Hon John Bercow MP.  

 

Penultimate issue of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice now out

The Autumn 11 issue of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice has been mailed today, so subscribers can expect it through their door very soon!

Cover star Dan sustained a severe head injury in 2007, and Lindsay King describes how revisiting Melodic Intonation Therapy has helped his recovery. Our second 'How I manage acquired brain injury' contribution comes from Laura Flynn in Jersey and is written in memory of another inspiring client, Suzannah Pemberton.

The client-centred theme continues with Karen Leadbitter's reflection on empowering Rhys, a man in his thirties with Down's syndrome, to participate in training his own staff. Lynsey Paterson also concentrates on training, using a literature review to develop parent training following an autism diagnosis.

In the well received Journal Club, Jennifer Reid tackles critical appraisal of observational studies, and subscribers can download two associated frameworks from the members' area of www.speechmag.com. Sam Simpson & Cathy Sparkes continue their goal negotiation series, and include discussion of the thought-provoking Model of Change by Prochaska and DiClemente (1986).

In 2009, Louise Greenstock wrote an interim report on her PhD research into the use of graphic symbols in schools, and here she shares her final findings. These include a theoretical framework which looks as if it would be very helpful in practice.

Alison Roberts is back with 'Here's one I made earlier'. Her low cost and fun therapy suggestions for groups have proved so popular that Speechmark has released a book of them! Cynthia Pelman tells us about one of her top resources, Stern Structural Arithmetic, and Jan Broomfield explores the ethical issues raised when your new referral is the son of your Trust's Chief Executive Officer... 

As well as reviews and editor's choice from the journals, we have brief contributions from Diana James about Paget Gorman Signed Speech, and a delightful snapshot of Nicola Grove's granddaughters talking about talking. As always there are great reader offers, including a Grow Words resource set, books from Plural Publishing and the recently released New Reynell Developmental Language Scales (NRDLS).

You can sign up for all 4 issues in the final year of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice. You will also receive the Winter 10 issue free, and get access to the members' area of www.speechmag.com until 29 February 2012.

Summer 11 Speech & Language Therapy in Practice out now!

The Summer 11 issue  of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice magazine was mailed to subscribers on Friday and Saturday, so should be with you very soon.

As well as the second instalment in the new goal negotiation series and an 'In Brief' contribution that puts the accent on aphasia, we have an uplifting story of the evolution and impact of a total communication project across Devon. In 'Journal Club', Jen Reid provides a framework for critical appraisal of intervention studies, while 'Boundary Issues' looks at the ethics of new professional roles.

We hear about a collaborative project with a children's centre and library service in an area of deprivation, which seems to highlight the benefits of targeting training on selected individuals. We also get a glimpse into the speech, language and communication needs of prisoners completing community sentences.

The cover feature is on using the evidence in dysphagia management. Hannah Crawford and Julie Bake explain why they have moved away from previous practice and introduced oral taster programmes with people with learning disabilities who gain their nutrition via PEG, while Celia Harding and colleagues use a problem solving framework to support appropriate intervention for infants and children with early feeding, eating and drinking difficulties.

We have reader offers for Photosymbols 4, I CAN Secondary Talk narrative and a Grow Words resource set, as well as Editor's Choice, three pages of reviews and 'Here's one I made earlier' on encouraging clients to make their own books. As always it is good to the very last page, where Kate Balzer shares some of the ideas for working with people with dementia from a SIGDOM therapy swapshop.

Enjoy!

Spring has sprung at Speech & Language Therapy in Practice

Mailing of the bumper Spring 11 issue of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice is now complete and, as always, it is blooming with practical and inspiring articles.

We have a new arrival, Whose goal is it anyway?, a series for 2011 on goal negotiation from Sam Simpson and Cathy Sparkes. Journal club continues with a look at critically appraising systematic reviews, Editor's choice is on stammering, and Boundary issues is back with the ethical minefield when work and home life meet.

Other articles are on:

• putting people with learning disabilities in control of where they live and with whom
• introducing TOPICC (Targeted Observation of Pragmatics in Children's Conversations)
• reducing the risk of choking in adults with learning disabilities or mental illness
• training people with aphasia and their carers to communicate effectively beyond therapy
• resources for being an effective national specialist adviser.

And, as you would expect, we have fantastic reader offers (for NDP3 Speech Builder, Grow Words, and Independence Through Communication) as well as reviews of books and resources and more low cost ideas for groups in Here's one I made earlier.

New subscribers to Speech & Language Therapy in Practice should note that, in addition to the 4 issues for 2011, they will get a free copy of the Winter 10 issue.

Happy reading!

New 'Communicating ethics' article explores use of Seedhouse grid

There wasn't room for 'Boundary issues' in the Winter 10 issue of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice - but don't despair if you missed your ethics fix, as I have just published an online only article which explores the use of the Seedhouse grid.

'Communicating ethics' is a collaborative effort from Professor Jois Stansfield of Manchester Metropolitan University and Jane Handley, one of her former students and now a practising therapist.

When Jane was in her final year she found a series of workshops on a case-based approach to ethical reasoning very helpful. As she says, we frequently need to make decisions that "are often difficult to resolve because they present ethical dilemmas which cannot be reasoned out with logic alone. To achieve the best possible outcome, it seems that a moral judgement is also required." 

The article explores how Jane used David Seedhouse's Ethical grid with a hypothetical client, Bryan (5), who has profound physical and cognitive disabilities. His parents are looking for a second opinion, as they do not believe sufficient time is being allocated to his feeding in school or in respite. This was the first Manchester Metropolitan University speech and language therapy case to be presented in Seedhouse's Values Exchange, an online approach to ethical decision-making.

Conference for health professionals on paediatric gastro-oesophageal reflux disease

The charity 'Living with reflux' is running a conference to ensure health professionals working with young children - including speech and language therapists - have sufficient information to identify the condition and refer on for treatment.

Speech and language therapist Analou Louw is presenting a session on the management of feeding in infants and children with reflux. She is also doing a joint workshop with dietitian Jackie Falconer on practical issues around feeding, textures and behaviour of affected children.

'Living with reflux' is keen to point out the differences between gastro-oesophageal reflux - which is normal - and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, which is not. Explaining her enthusiasm for the subject Analou says, "Speech and language therapists play an important role in the assessment and treatment of children with feeding difficulties. Understanding of GORD and how this impacts on children's feeding, as well as of current trends in treatment, is imperative. This knowledge enables the speech and language therapist to make a differential diagnosis and plan the management of these children's eating and drinking difficulties within a multidisciplinary framework."

'Paediatric Gastro-oesophageal Reflux' is on Monday 17th May 2010 at the Mercure Sheffield St Paul's Hotel and Spa. The cost is £70.

RHN Guide to artificial feeding for people with Huntington's disease

The Spring 10 issue of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice is with the printer and should be mailed out to subscribers next week.

One of the news items (p.2) is about a report on end-of-life nutrition strategy which has been endorsed by the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists. 'Oral feeding difficulties and dilemmas - A guide to practical care, particularly towards the end of life' is published by the Royal College of Physicians and the British Society of Gastroenterology. It was written by a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals, medico-legal experts and patient representatives, and concludes that 'nil by mouth' should be a last resort rather than the default option.

The Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability in Putney commented positively on the strategy but also wanted to highlight the value of tube feeding to care and quality of life in certain circumstances. As an example of their work in promoting informed decision making, they sent a guide to artifical feeding for people with Huntington's disease, and have given me permission to share it.

CPD courses for speech and language therapists

The CLaSS unit at University College London has added new titles to its range of continuing professional development courses for speech and language therapists.

Among them is a two level course on supervision with Sam Simpson and Cathy Sparkes of intandem called 'Are You Getting Enough?' This was also the title of a series of four articles the duo wrote about supervision for Speech & Language Therapy in Practice in 2008. As a speech and language therapy and counselling partnership, they are also offering a new two level course to help therapists develop their counselling skills.

Myra Kersner, one of the authors of A Career in Speech and Language Therapy, is running a new course with Ann Parker aimed at speech and language therapy assistants and teaching assistants. This will include "the practical development of interpersonal communication skills with children and adults who have communication difficulties, with parents and carers, and with other colleagues." Another intriguing and topical option is 'Getting the most out of interagency meetings'.

The full programme also covers dysphagia, mutism, dyspraxia, autism, goal setting, voice, storysharing, psycholinguistics and analysis of sign language.

NICE and Slo

Mathew Done from Slo Drinks has been in touch to say that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has finally approved Slo Hot Chocolate and Slo White Coffee on prescription at Stage 1 and Stage 2 consistencies.

Pre-thickened Slo cold drinks in blackcurrant, lemon, orange and peach were already approved as a "nutritional supplement for patient hydration in the dietary management of dysphagia" for anyone over the age of 3 years. The new additions appear to be the only pre-prepared [thickened] hot drinks available on prescription.

The company started three years ago with the aim of addressing the many practical difficulties caused by a variety of people measuring and adding thickener and trying to bring drinks to the prescribed consistency. It has taken two years to get this approval from NICE. I asked Mathew what he thought had made the difference: "I'd like to think we changed their minds by providing them with research we had done over several months. That proved the worth of providing elderly dysphagia patients - who prefer hot drinks to cold - with safe hot drinks."

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