I work in the NHS and I feel I am wasting my time

Please don't give up or be discouraged; you are changing lives and building lifelong confidence. I speak from personal experience. Most parents can't afford private sessions and rely on what you do as a lifeline.

We was offered 5 sessions of speech therapy through the nhs. There was nothing wrong with the therapist but so much was crammed into those few sessions my daughter did not even engage it honestly felt pointless. Like tick boxing. Again it’s no reflection on the therapists it’s that the service isn’t for for purpose.

The private speech therapists however have built great relationships with her and have seen her weekly for over two years now.

My child speaks because of an NHS speech and language therapist. We couldn't afford private. He was non-verbal and we very much worked hard at home, my DH and I would also go into nursery to do the PECS exercises with him because nursery didn't have the staffing to do it daily with him. People like my family still need you OP and appreciate all that you do for children like ours.

I understand your frustration@Yorkie66. I'm on the other side: I have a grandchild who needs more NHS SLT input than is provided. DGC has good vocab, reads easily and had lots to say, but faulty physical oral apparatus makes clarity of speech very difficult. I watch DGC try so hard to say it again more clearly, and eventually a fuse blows. DGC has regular but spaced-out NHS speech therapy, outside school. (Anyone who has had eg music lessons knows that frequent lessons bring more progress than infrequent ones.) In a ideal world, an SLT practitioner would be there, in school for DGC, every week and helping prevent explosions. Please don't give up your profession; there are too few of you, and your expertise is so very much needed. (

you sound lovely and dedicated. it's not our experience with NHS SALTs though. usually rushed sessions. nothing individual, copies that have been made from copies of copies and are barely readable so grainy and wonky. just really general advice... and then seen once in a blue moon. No progress tracked. mass. No wonder parents who can afford it go private. appointments are more frequent, truly individuals plans...

I recently met a 4 year old with a serious speech problem..you would be a gift from heaven for her..and her parents would not be using a private therapist. If a parent has a private therapist can you take them off your list and help another child with the time now available. You are sooo important t the lives of children.

This makes me sad. DS had a severe speech disorder. We had an amazing NHS speech therapist who worked with him for three years, first weekly in a Children's Centre then twice weekly in a specialist speech and language base in school.

You are right, the difference wasn't the quality of the therapist, it was that, by some good luck, we got intense support on the NHS. His NHS speech therapist changed my son's life. I always made sure she (and her boss) knew we thought she was great.

I work in the NHS as a manager in admin and if I was clinical I would 100% go private. I pay to use private healthcare. You lot need to vote with your feet.

I agree with the previous poster OP, please don't give up because people are so frustrated by the system, and think that by paying for a service, which they'd have to wait for on the NHS, means that they are somehow getting a better treated. I'm sure there are loads of people who can't afford to pay for therapy, who really DO appreciate all the effort and work you put in. It's just a shame that they don't always think to tell you, how much they appreciate you, which is much the same as so many people who deal with the public, are treated these days. So many people are so entitled, thinking that you're only there to serve them, and are paid for doing a job, but they forget that a little appreciation goes such a long way, and helps keep all of us motivated to carry on.

DS saw an NHS SLT when he was 3, and I really appreciated it!

Work as private salt, as pp said??

im clinical in nhs…..I go in, do my job and come home, I couldn’t give a monkeys what a parent says to me

Surely there are lots of people you see that couldn't dream of affording a private SALT? There are always going to be a few assholes who want to use you to make a point about the NHS but I bet there are loads of people who are desperate to see you and appreciate the help you are able to give.

It sounds like you are really dedicated and doing a fantastic job so please don't feel deflated. You are definitely not wasting your time. It's a shame that you are told how many sessions you can do rather than it being based on need but that is beyond your control.

Don't stop trying hard OP, it's people like you that make the NHS amazing even if it's on it's knees. No one could blame you for doing the bare minimum so be proud of the effort you put in even if others don't always appreciate it. I think you need a little treat to give yourself a boost if that's a possibility.