Speech and language therapists scoop top gong at awards night

Speech and language therapists scoop top gong at awards night

4 November 2015

THE South Eastern Trust’s speech and language therapists schools’ team, which operates in the Downpatrick area, was the overall winner of the organisation’s annual chairman’s award.

The awards recognise, reward and celebrate the exceptional achievements of staff, whether as an individual or a team, with the speech and language therapists delighted with their success.

Many children need intervention before the age of five and a half, or they will have reduced educational opportunities. The Down area has one of the poorest rates of uptake for speech and language therapy across the Trust area so the therapists decided if the children didn’t come to them, they would go to the children.  

The service is now provided in schools with a 100 per cent uptake and the additional bonus of easy access and support for parents.

Trust chairman, Colm McKenna, presented the award to the therapists at a recent awards ceremony when the Downe Hospital enjoyed a double success. The hospital’s ophthalmic team won the safety, quality, experience category award which was presented by Mr McKenna.

The team had to learn new skills to take on the challenge of providing cataract microsurgery in the Downe. Previously, patients had to travel to Belfast, with 450 of them now having their surgery in the Downpatrick hospital each year.

The service is still expanding as a result of pathways developed by the team to ensure safety, prevent cancellations and complications, and maximise theatre space. Their protocols are now being used as standard teaching by other health trusts.