Marvin OnumonuA survey of speech and language therapists (SLTs) across the UK, carried out by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) between September and October 2024, showed high levels of time pressure and burnout.
61% of SLTs said they often or always faced unrealistic time pressures at work, rising to 68% for those in the NHS.
55% reported experiencing burnout in the previous year, with workload, caseload complexity and not enough staff given as main reasons.
One in three (33%) SLTs said work-life balance was a key reason for considering leaving the job.
42% reported having to use their own time for the continuing professional development (CPD) needed to stay clinically safe.
28% did not think there were opportunities to develop their career where they worked.
Among SLTs working with children and young people, 71% of NHS staff were concerned about how long children, young people and families waited for a first appointment, rising to 81% for those worried about follow-up support.
Burnout was more common among SLTs who were concerned about waiting times.
Only 40% of SLTs said their service could always or usually provide the therapy children and young people needed, dropping to 33% among NHS staff.
The main barriers to delivering therapy were not enough staff (79%), time constraints (75%) and funding (58%).
RCSLT recommended that service provision, caseload sizes and time pressures should be reviewed by services, and any concerns escalated to those who plan and fund services.
They added that workforce planning should recognise the need to retain and support therapists already delivering services, as well as develop new routes into the profession.
Additionally, RCSLT advised that the importance of access to CPD for safe and effective practice should be recognised and time for this should be built into workloads.
Hannah Goldstraw, senior recruitment consultant at Barrow Mount Recruitment, said: “These findings paint a stark picture of a stretched workforce operating under sustained pressure.
“In healthcare recruitment, we’re seeing rising concern from candidates about burnout, development opportunities, and the ability to work safely.
“Employers that ignore these issues risk losing experienced staff—and in this sector, that can have a real impact on patient care.”
