Impact of COVID-19 on digital practice in UK paediatric speech and language therapy and implications for the future: A national survey.
Rafiah Patel, Elena Loraine, Mélanie Gréaux
PMID 35925005WHAT IT FOUND
UK paediatric speech and language therapists reported using video calls much more during the pandemic, and said training, devices, protected time and clear guidance matter most.
They also warned about unequal access and some clinical risks.
Key findings
01Respondents reported a positive trend in their frequency, convenience and confidence in using technology when comparing before and during COVID-19.
02Video call use was reported by 2.8% of respondents before COVID-19 and by 51.2% during COVID-19, and this was the most noticeable change in technology use.
03Specialist training was the most commonly identified facilitating activity, listed by 27.4% of respondents.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Therapists recalled their digital practice before the pandemic while they were already working remotely, so the comparison may be affected by memory. The survey was advertised and completed online, which may have attracted therapists who already felt positive about technology. The responses came from a subset of UK paediatric therapists at one time point, so they are not a stable consensus for all services. Most survey items were closed-ended and were shaped by a small focus group, which may have influenced the questions asked. The paper reports clinician perceptions and aspirations, not child communication or feeding outcomes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that telehealth improves children's speech, language or feeding outcomes. It reports therapists' self-rated use, convenience and confidence, plus their hopes, not patient outcomes or tested effectiveness.