Referral via GP, hospital consultant, or self-referral in some areas.
 

Visit NHS.uk and search “speech and language therapy” with your postcode for local details.

 How to find a speech and language therapist  | RCSLT 

Pros:

• Free at the point of access
   
• Multidisciplinary input (e.g., coordinated with OT, teachers, doctors)
   
• Therapists are HCPC-registered and work under NHS guidelines
   

Cons:

• Waiting lists can be long (often several months)
   
• Sessions may be time-limited or group-based
   
• Less flexibility in appointment times

How to Access:

Directly contact a private therapist via the Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice (ASLTIP)
 

Most therapists offer a free or low-cost consultation to discuss needs 

Average Costs 

• Initial assessment: £100–£180
   
• Therapy sessions: £60–£90 per 45–60 minutes
   
• Travel/home visits may cost extra
   

Pros:

• Short or no waiting lists
   
• Flexible scheduling, including evenings and weekends
   
• Personalised, one-on-one care and more frequent sessions
   

Cons:

• Cost can be a barrier
   
• May not be integrated with NHS services or education/healthcare plans
   
• Quality can vary – check HCPC registration

 Available through private therapists or specialist online providers
 

Some NHS services now offer online sessions post-COVID

Average Costs:

• Private online sessions: £50–£80
• NHS free if available
• Packages may include resources
   

Pros:

• Convenient – accessible from home, anywhere in the UK
   
• Ideal for people with mobility, transport, or anxiety-related challenges
   
• Often quicker access than face-to-face NHS services
   

Cons:

• Not suitable for everyone (e.g., severe speech impairments)
   
• Requires a reliable internet connection and tech confidence
   
• Can lack the personal touch of in-person therapy

• Check if registered

Apps can be useful but get guidance on your needs from an SLT first. Look at this list to see if any fit.

2021 App Guide - Final 

See our product review of the Tactus Therapy- Apraxia App

 An evidence-based approach designed for patients with severe apraxia of speech who are caught in verbal motor loops, helping them create new neural pathways for effective communication. 

Severe apraxia of speech often traps patients in frustrating verbal motor loops where they produce stereotypic utterances—repetitive, invariant phrases that aren't contextually appropriate. These patients typically have limited functional vocabulary and minimal phrase production ability. 

 MIPT harnesses the brain's neuroplasticity to create new neural pathways for speech production. By systematically using existing stereotypic utterances as a foundation, therapists help patients build bridges to new, functional speech patterns.

This approach recognizes that even damaged brains can form new connections when presented with consistent, structured sensory input across multiple modalities

First, note is made of patient's stereotypic utterance and model it while providing gestural and prosodic cues. This is repeated 6-10 times to establish pattern recognition.

The the therapist gradually reduces verbal prompts until they are silently modeling with gestures only. The patient should follow their mime while producing the utterance.

Then new target words are selected that share the same initial phoneme as the stereotypic utterance, creating a phonological bridge to functional vocabulary.

Then these are systematically ramped up with challenges by increasing target word count, introducing multisyllabic words, and building toward phrases and sentences.

Stevens and Glaser (1983) conducted a cohort study (N=5) with stroke patients aged 49-73, demonstrating significant gains in verbal expression and reduction of perseverative utterances at the single word level.

While initial research supports MIPT's effectiveness, the field would benefit from additional studies with larger sample sizes and diverse patient populations. Current evidence suggests MIPT is particularly valuable for patients who have not responded to traditional apraxia treatments.

A systematic approach to addressing motor speech disorders through targeted consonant and vowel rehearsal, progressing from nonwords to functional communication.

The speech motor learning treatment addresses the underlying inability to plan and program speech motor targets in varying phonetic contexts and utterances longer than single words.

This approach is specifically designed for individuals with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) or acquired apraxia of speech (AOS) following neurological injury.

 Begins with personalized assessment of sound production ease

Uses nonwords constructed from target consonants and vowels

Gradually increases complexity of phonetic contexts

Transitions from imitation to self-initiated production

Initial Assessment

Rating of production ease for all speech sounds from the client's perspective serves as the foundation for treatment planning.

3-4 consonants and 3-5 vowels with greatest ease of production are selected as the first target set and introduced simultaneously.

Each addition of new, more difficult sounds marks a new stage in treatment, with consonant sets typically expanded before vowel sets.

Treatment follows a systematic progression of increasing phonetic complexity:

Initial treatment begins with simple consonant-vowel-consonant-vowel nonwords using the easiest sounds for the client (e.g., "paba").

Progress to consonant-vowel-consonant structures, increasing articulatory challenge (e.g., "pam").

Advanced stages incorporate longer nonwords (e.g., "patik" or "patikam"), preparing for real word transition.

Final stages integrate real words and phrases containing practiced phonetic elements until mastery criteria are met.

Van der Merwe's Studies

"Rationale and effects of intervention with an adult with acquired apraxia of speech"

"Positive effects of the speech motor learning approach"

Research indicates clients may improve sound production and appear to make steady gains, yet increases in consonant/vowel accuracy alone may not reflect changes in underlying movement patterns.

Advanced motor learning techniques are required to maintain and generalize improved speech patterns beyond the clinical setting.

The approach has demonstrated effectiveness in improving automatic speech production, reducing the cognitive load required for communication.

 Strengths

• Systematic progression from simple to complex
• Individualized starting point based on client's abilities
• Research-validated approach for both children and adults
• Targets underlying motor planning deficits directly

"We don't know how motor learning can address limitations in activity/participation"

Research is still needed to determine how improvements in speech motor control translate to functional communication outcomes and quality of life measures.

 An evidence-based approach for improving functional communication in people with aphasia and apraxia of speech

 Script training is a personalized intervention where:

• SLT and client collaborate to create scripts for specific social interactions
• Client repeatedly practices until the script is fully memorized
• Scripts are tailored to the client's specific communication needs and interests
• Practice leads to improvements in speech rate, sentence formation, and confidence

Clients with Fluent Aphasia

Helps organize thoughts and provides structured language models

Clients with Non-Fluent Aphasia

Offers predictable language patterns to practice repeatedly

Clients with Apraxia of Speech

Allows for targeted practice of specific motor speech patterns

Ideal for Functional Needs

Best for clients who need to master specific, predictable interactions

Client selects a meaningful, recurring communication situation (e.g., ordering at a restaurant, speaking with cashier)

Therapist and client work together to craft natural, personalized dialogue for the chosen situation

Client practices until the script is fully memorized, with therapist providing feedback and support

Client uses the script in actual situations, building confidence and communication success

• Study of 3 individuals with apraxia of speech
• All participants successfully acquired scripts
• Scripts retained 6 months post-treatment
• Two clients showed increased speaking rate

• Study of 2 participants with aphasia
• Improvements in accuracy, fluency, and speaking rate
• Enhanced grammatical productivity
• Benefits transferred to functional conversational tasks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=hrv0r4Oqxs0&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Frest.sydney.edu.au%2F&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjY

ReST is an evidence-based treatment for treating children with childhood apraxia of speech or ataxic  dysarthria. Both disorders are motor speech disorders, where children know what they want to say but cannot  plan in their heads the movements required for clear speech.  

The ReST treatment uses nonsense words – words that sound and read like real words, but do not have any  meaning. This allows children to concentrate on their movements, lessens the need for working on old words which  already have errors and allows clinicians to make words specifically for each child’s needs 

Pacing involves breaking up words or syllables into smaller segments (blocks)
 

Helps to reduce words and sounds from ‘running into each other’
 

Increases speech clarity and intelligibility.

Useful for; 

• Apraxia of Speech
   
• Stuttering
   
• Aphasia (with co-occurring motor speech issues)

• Reduces the impact of blurred speech
   
• Encourages slowed and more deliberate speech
   
• Enhances listener understanding
   
• Especially useful in motor speech disorders

• Pacing boards: contain dots or circles on a plain background
   
• Visual cue for each syllable or segment
   
• User points to each dot while speaking

• Speech and language therapist models: points to each dot while sounding out a word
   
• Service user repeats: pointing to each dot per syllable
   
• Use agreed everyday words or phrases
   
• Builds independence and self-monitoring

• Traditional: Paper-based pacing boards
   
• Modern: Apps with added features (audio, animations)
   
• Both approaches support clarity and consistency

• Studied: Sound Production Treatment (SPT) vs. Metrical Pacing Therapy (MPT)
   
• 3 out of 4 participants showed greater improvement with SPT
   
• Benefits observed with either or both therapies

• Improved speech intelligibility
   
• Increased communication participation
   
• Reduced vocal fatigue
   
• Improved prosody and expression
   
• No special equipment required

• Removes cognitive load
   
• Encourages self-monitoring and awareness
   
• Enhances breath control
   
• Flexible and complementary to other therapies