Commissioning arrangements have changed in recent years, and are likely to change further. 

This has manifested itself in several ways:

• Schools are now responsible for providing additional speech and language support. If schools are unable to provide this support, there may be increased referrals.

 

• In the justice sector, more centralised offender health boards have been created, which have changed existing local arrangements.

 

• Any qualified provider (AQP) could lead to small organisations providing SLT services and the possibility of SLTs working in isolation.

 

• Commissioners may seek a more flexible workforce to cope with financial pressures and increased demand.

Proposed workforce impact

• A poor link-up between new commissioners may lead to an increase in demand.
• The changes in arrangement offer an opportunity for SLTs to increase their role and influence.
• A flexible workforce may require more generalist skills.

Sources or references

• http://www.cfwi.org.uk/publications/speech-and-language-therapists-workforce-risks-and-opportunities-education-commissioning-risks-summary-from-2012
• www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/media/12895/slcn_tools-_workforce-planning_1_.pdf

Additional research questions

• How are the priorities of commissioners likely to change in the future?
• How have current SLT services reacted to AQP?

Some of the information in this section is provided by stakeholders and expert groups, and does not necessarily represent the views of the CfWI.