MP Tables Motion to Save the Nuffield Speech and Language  Centre

06.04.06

Edward Davey, Liberal Democrat MP for Kingston and Surbiton, has championed the case of a special centre that helps children with communication difficulties.

The Nuffield Speech and Language Unit, at the Royal Free Hospital, is a centre of excellence providing diagnosis and treatment of hearing, speech and language disorders in children with needs that cannot be met locally.  Local health and education authorities are failing to make enough referrals to the unit and this may result in its closure. Edward Davey has tabled a Parliamentary motion to raise awareness and fight the threatened closure.

Edward Davey said,

“It is crazy that the Nuffield Speech and Language Unit is faced with closure. It only needs to have 14 children on its books to be financially viable.

“What this means is that if the local NHS and LEAs could be a bit more proactive in referring people to the Unit, it wouldn’t have to close.

“It’s closure would affect families across Kingston and across London who rely on the Unit for the welfare of their children.

“I have tabled this motion to urge the Government to do everything they can to support the Unit and to encourage local LEAs and NHS Trusts to make the most of this valuable resource before it’s too late.”