2023 European Speech and Language Therapy Day

Every year on the 6th of March, the European Speech and Language Therapy Association
(ESLA) celebrates the European Day of Speech and Language Therapy, as this day marks
the anniversary of the founding of this Europe-wide organisation. On this day, Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) across Europe come together to organise workshops, trainings, media coverage, and conferences.

ESLAs annual campaign aims to raise awareness about communication and swallowing disorders and the role of speech and language therapists. The theme for 2023 is “Speech and Language Therapists Role in Critical Care and Emergency Medicine".

Norma Camilleri, President of ESLA, states that SLTs make an important contribution to the multidisciplinary teams working in the critical care settings, in services such as Intensive Care Units (ICU), Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU), Trauma Centres, Stroke Units, etc.

SLT’s role is critical in identifying and treating swallowing disorders and cognitive-communicative disorders, which are very frequent in the critical care patients. However, SLTs presence at emergency and critical care units isn’t uniform across Europe. ESLA invites Health Care authorities and stakeholders to commit to providing SLT care to all European citizens, when and where they need it, including the critical care area.

This year the European Speech and Language Therapy Association (ESLA) will be
celebrating European Day of Speech and Language Therapy by holding a free online webinar event on Saturday the 11th of March, 2023 at 10 am CET.

Registrations are open via the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/537903723517

The webinar will be presented by Dr. Jackie McRae, SLT from the United Kingdom, who has over 30 years of experience working with adults with complex acquired dysphagia in
specialist and general critical care units.