Nuffield Speech and Language Unit

Nuffield Speech and Language Unit was an internationally recognised centre of excellence for providing intensive therapy to children who suffered from severe speech and language disorders:

It took in children as young as four years of age, who without expert therapy would not be able to ever go on to enter and survive in mainstream education.

It was administered to by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust.

History

In 1947 Edith Whetnall went to work for the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital where she became the first director of what would become the Nuffield Hearing and Speech Centre. This was built at a cost of £100,000 which was promised after a presentation to Lord Nuffield by Whetnall.[1]

As hearing problems became diagnosed earlier through better and more sensitive screening methods the unit's speciality or expertise expanded to include disorders of speech and language. So as not to hold the children back educationally from their peers who could attend normal schools the unit then included an educational curriculum so as to ease the children's eventual transition into mainstream education. The unit then became part of the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital. The unit also went on to develop the Nuffield Centre Dyspraxia Programme.

Ealing PCT held a public consultation[2] on the future of the Nuffield Speech and Language Unit, which closed in April 2011, and the matter was the subject of an Adjournment Debate in the House of Commons in 2006.[3]

References
  1. Beagley, HA (1978). "Edith Whetnall's contribution to British audiology". J R Soc Med. 71 (12): 870–878. doi:10.1177/014107687807101205. PMC 1436295. PMID 368335.
  2. Public consultation on the future of the Nuffield Speech and Language Unit
  3. Nuffield Speech and Language Unit - 25 Apr 2006 : Column 541

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