What assessment has the Minister made of the need to expand the cohort for the new undergraduate speech and language therapy course at Wrexham University, given the popularity of the course and the high vacancy rate for speech and language therapists in Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board?
The first intake to the Speech and Language Therapy Course at Wrexham Glyndwr University was in 2022/23, this course will help develop a more diverse speech and language workforce across Wales and operate alongside the existing speech and language therapy course run by Cardiff Metropolitan University.
HEIW is responsible for the annual education and training commissioning process in Wales, to address workforce requirements on behalf of the NHS Wales.
There is increasing demand for speech and language therapist services in Wales along with a need to educate more therapists who can deliver care through the medium of Welsh. HEIW commissioned 49 places for 2023/24, against the service need identified in the Health Boards and NHS Trusts Integrated Medium Term Plan (IMTP) submissions of 44 places. Therefore, commissioning an additional 5 places, which is 11% above the IMTP numbers identified. The 49 places represented continuity from 22/23 and were commissioned due to the availability of this second course in Wales and the need to ensure there was a feasible cohort size in north Wales, whilst not destabilising the provision in south Wales.
HEIW have continued to engage with NHS health boards, trusts and wider stakeholder groups including Social Care Wales to create and inform the education and training plan for 2024/25.