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Original poster

Regret ever training as a Speech and Language Therapist

88 replies

oneanddonemaybe · 18/10/2023 14:05

I am a SLT and have been working for 9 years. I haven't liked my job for most of this time. Its too long to get in to aaaall the reasons why i don't like my job, if anyone has specific questions I am happy to help. If you go on reddit there are so many people like me but most of them seem to be American. Would love to speak to UK SLT's who feel the same as me.
i don't see myself retraining because it took a lot of effort to graduate. Had a lot of personal stuff going on at the time and also an absolute nightmare final year placement which I had to 're-sit'. I know i am good at my job. But its costing me my mental health and my personal time outside of work. I am also a mum of a 3 year old.
I don't want a paycut and there is no job i could slide into with no further education, which would give me the same salary as I am on now (top of band 6 payscale).

I think i like working in a health related career, but out of all the Allied health professions i could have chosen, i think SLT was the worst decision. I wish i did audiology or radiography. At the same payscale as me, i know for sure there is less admin and less pressure in one of those careers.
I am going to be doing dysphagia training next month, which means about 7 months of studying, coursework and a final exam, but i am willing to put in the work. I have wanted to do dysphagia training for the last 5 years or so but the only way you can do it is if your workplace will allow you the time and give you a supervisor for those 7 months, this is even if you are willing to pay the 1k it costs to do the training, which i was. thankfully my work is paying for this. I really hope i feel a lot happier with a dysphagia caseload. i really think i will. Time will tell!

Would love to hear from any UK SLT's or even students who are regretting their decision. Just so I don't feel like the only one out there!

OP posts:

Catsfrontbum · 18/10/2023 14:08

Just say your post and didn’t want to read and run…. Such a shame you have this regret. Interestingly I had thought about retraining in this field. (I am currently a teacher) but feeling less like it now!

What is it about the job that you don’t like?

UnalterableSpaceCadet · 18/10/2023 14:11

I've just done a round of University open days for SLT and all the student ambassadors, lecturers and potential students seemed relentlessly positive about it. What area are you working in?

Fraudornot · 19/10/2023 15:35

I'd also like to know what you don't like about the job? I've heard lots of occupational therapists are happy? Is physiotherapy any god?

Interested in this thread?

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Lottapianos · 19/10/2023 15:52

Hi OP, I was a SLT for 20 years and got out a few years ago. I think a lot of people on the outside imagine it's a very rewarding and heartwarming job, which makes it very difficult to admit that you are struggling, but I get it! I know a few other former colleagues who left the profession after 10-20 years and I don't think any of them have regrets. I certainly have none. Wanted you to know that you're not alone

Please DM me if useful

Ozgirl75 · 19/10/2023 15:53

Both of my children had speech therapy when they were small and it was so amazing and clever that I kind of wished I’d trained to be one! It was amazing that one week they couldn’t pronounce sh or ch and a couple of weeks later they could.
What bits dont you like as I assumed it must be a really rewarding and interesting job!?

Ozgirl75 · 19/10/2023 15:54

ha cross post @Lottapianos

Finteq · 19/10/2023 15:56

I think any jobs in the public sector are currently overworked and underpaid. It's just not being addressed. And then id people leave it makes it worse for everyone else.

Shinyandnew1 · 19/10/2023 15:58

think SLT was the worst decision. I wish i did audiology or radiography.

I know two radiographers desperate to leave-what is it about radiography that you like the sound of?

What don’t you like about your role?

Letsgotitans · 19/10/2023 15:59

I presume you work in the NHS? I'm a private SALT and I love it. I'd recommend going private before giving it up altogether. It might feel totally different to you. I actually get to you know... Do therapy!!

Letsgotitans · 19/10/2023 15:59

Ozgirl75 · 19/10/2023 16:00

Could you go private? We saw a private SLT (in Australia so maybe it’s different here) and she worked out of home, picked her own hours and I think she also worked one or two days a week with a couple of schools which provided on site SLT.

Somanycats · 19/10/2023 16:01

Seriously if you are worried about the admin and pressure fgs don't do the dysphagia training! It's pretty much the only area of slt where you can out and out kill someone in double quick time.

Lottapianos · 19/10/2023 16:02

@Ozgirl75 😁
Really good to hear how much your children benefitted from SLT. It's hugely important, life-changing work, but ridiculously underfunded and under resourced

KidsDr · 19/10/2023 16:06

In what area of SLT do you work? Could you move sideways into a different area of SLT?

EG acute hospital Vs rehab Vs early years in a community centre

Ozgirl75 · 19/10/2023 16:08

@Lottapianos I don’t know how it’s funded in Aus but it’s pretty common to have it over there. I barely know any children that haven’t had at least a short session. My oldest couldn’t say sh or ch and was sorted in about 6 weeks. My youngest had loads of things he said wrong and was also sorted in no time! SLT was a miracle worker!
I remember our SLT telling us that it’s really important to get all the sounds sorted before school as it makes learning to read so much easier, as well as being so important for social skills. I can attest to this - kids that couldn’t say “th” properly really seemed to struggle with reading the letters as the sound.

BendingSpoons · 19/10/2023 16:12

What area do you work in? If paeds I second the suggestion to consider private work and focus on what interests you. Might be harder if you work with adults. I also know of people who have gone into other roles. One coordinates student placements, another got a job at a publishing company.

LegendsBeyond · 19/10/2023 16:17

I have a relative who’s a SaLT. She’s finding it difficult as she doesn’t feel parents value what she does. Lots of DNA’s & snide comments.

hiredandsqueak · 19/10/2023 16:27

Dd is now 20 and has fortnightly speech therapy with an independent SALT and her input is probably the most valuable of all the provision in her EHCP. Have you thought of being an independent SALT? The independent SALTs we have had have had the time to really assess dd's needs and tailor provision to meet them. NHS SALT was always disappointing and in fact discharged her at the earliest opportunity and refused re referrals likely because they didn't have the time and resources to offer what was needed.

NeurodivergentBurnout · 19/10/2023 17:36

I did 3/4 of a SALT degree before having a nervous breakdown and failing the course. It was brutal. This was 20 years ago but we lost so many students along the way (failed or quit). I think only 12 of the group of 30 actually qualified. I still have nightmares about it. I was fortunate (ish) to fail a placement rather than an academic module so I was able to graduate with a non-clinical degree and I went to do nursing post-grad. I later found out I’m Autistic/ADHD. Oh the irony of an undiagnosed AuDHDer trying to do a SALT degree!
I honestly am not sure there’s many ‘better’ areas out there. Almost everyone I know in the NHS is stressed and miserable - with radiography you have to do a lot of nights for example. It’s been harder for me to progress in nursing than it would have been as an AHP. In retrospect, I wish I’d done OT but I’m too old and too skint to retrain again.
I can sympathise with how difficult SALT is but I’d second looking at private practice. Most people I trained with have done that now and are much happier.

Fraudornot · 19/10/2023 19:34

Could someone say what it is about working as a SLT that is bad?

PieonaBarm · 19/10/2023 19:39

Have you ever thought of becoming a Registered Intermediary to help witnesses in court cases? A lot of them have speech and language backgrounds and it's a desired background to have.

www.intermediaries-for-justice.org/become-intermediary

KnickerlessParsons · 19/10/2023 19:49

A speech therapist cured my lisp when I was young.

But more importantly DH has had excellent care under the SLT team for post mouth surgery care and help with Trismus.

Don't give up - you SLTs do a fantastic job.

jenniferjane21 · 19/10/2023 19:59

Another speech and language therapist here. I worked in the NHS Goe twenty years and hated it by the end. It was ineffectual due yo the huge caseload numbers snd was affecting my mental health.

I'm another one to say try going private before you give up completely. I did, and it's changed my life. True job satisfaction.
Feel free to message me if you want.

Paradiseflycatcher · 19/10/2023 21:11

We have speech and language therapists in our neurodevelopmental assessment team (autism and ADHD assessments) and they are happy and enjoy it. It's busy like any NHS department but it's 9-5 with no need to work outside your hours and in a nice friendly multidisciplinary team. You could consider that OP.

WhatAreYouWaitingFor · 19/10/2023 21:18

I've been a SLT for 20 years. I got burnt out in my previous job (NHS) so moved into the independent sector a couple of years ago. I'm absolutely loving it. I work for a multi-professional organisation, with loads of flexibility and great work-life balance,

There's so many more different options for working as a SLT than when I qualified.

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