• News & events
• Archived news releases
• 2011 archived press releases
• NHS reforms likened to ‘poll tax’ by top City executive
• Unite rejects 'poisonous' two-year pay progression freeze proposal
• British Airways cabin crew ballot result
• Ministers urged to step in as Remploy workers face redundancy
• The NHS bill is ‘a charter for private profit at the expense of patients care’ says Unite
• Southwark PCT speech and language therapists to strike over cuts to service and jobs
• Unite reaction to the latest unemployment figures
• Unite condemns ideologically driven plans by government to sell off England's forests
• Unite's reaction to CBI Leader's warning to the government on economic growth
• Unite response to 1,000 Barclays job cuts

Southwark PCT speech and language therapists to strike over cuts to service and jobs

19 January 2010

Southwark Primary Care Trust’s speech and language therapists have voted by a large majority to take strike action on Thursday February 3rd over cuts to their service and job losses at their trust, says Unite.

Unite believes these job losses will have a huge impact on many vulnerable children and will impact directly on the community they live in. Eight speech and language therapists (SaLT) and three SaLT assistants working across Surestart children’s centres, schools and community clinics across south London will lose their jobs.

Unite regional officer, Richard Munn, said: “Our members, who work with children with speech, language and communication difficulties, have decided to take a stand against the cuts being made which will have a detrimental effect on some of the most vulnerable children and families in our society.

“There is clear evidence that when communication problems are not addressed at an early stage it is far harder to address in later life. Undetected and untreated speech, language and communication problems can lead to low levels of literacy, poor educational attainment and difficulties finding employment.”

Evidence shows that early intervention gives children a better chance of adapting and succeeding in mainstream schools, making friends and living a happy and fulfilling life.

Richard Munn said: “By removing funding to the posts that offer this support, many vulnerable people in Southwark will find it even harder to access early intervention therapies necessary and feel they are effectively being abandoned by this government.”

This is not a unique situation in Southwark and other speech and language therapy services are being affected across the country. In the year which communication was supposed to be promoted and not attacked, Unite finds it ironic that 2011 was designated the National Year of Communication.

ENDS

For further information contact Richard Munn on 07739 078343 or Ashraf Choudhury in the Unite Press Office on 020 7420 8914 or 07980 224761.

Notes to editors:

"Hello" – the National Year of Communication, is a campaign by the Communication Trust to increase understanding of how important it is for children and young people to develop good communication skills.