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The costs of using trained and supervised volunteers as part of a speech therapy service for dysphasic patients
Author(s) -
Quinteros B.,
Williams D. R. R.,
White C. A. M.,
Pickering M.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
international journal of language and communication disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.101
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1460-6984
pISSN - 1368-2822
DOI - 10.3109/13682828409029836
Subject(s) - speech therapy , service (business) , medicine , voice therapy , audiology , physical therapy , psychology , economics , economy
Speech therapy for dysphasic patients outside hospital, using trained and supervised volunteers, group therapy and home visits from trained speech therapists, was compared with hospital out‐patient speech therapy. The cost per case (direct NHS costs only) for providing community speech therapy for 12 patients was greater than that for providing monthly hospital speech therapy for a similar number. However, when estimated costs per case for a larger group of patients are compared with fortnightly or weekly hospital therapy, community speech therapy is less costly. An assessment of the effectiveness of the speech therapy in these patients suggests that the group given community speech therapy with volunteer support made greater progress than those given therapy as hospital out‐patients.