What assessment has the Cabinet Minister made of the impact of reducing the number of commissioned Speech and Language Therapy training places in Wales for the 2026-27 academic year on applicants and the future speech and language therapy workforce?
Decisions on education commissioning are informed by workforce planning, service needs and affordability considerations. While the number of commissioned Speech and Language Therapy training places for 2026-27 has reduced, places continue to be commissioned to support the future workforce needs of NHS Wales.
I recognise the concerns this decision may have caused for applicants and the profession. For that reason, officials continue to engage with key stakeholders, including the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT), to understand the potential implications for the workforce and future supply.
I have also agreed to meet the RCSLT after the summer recess to discuss these matters further. This will provide an opportunity to hear directly from the profession and discuss how we can continue to support a sustainable Speech and Language Therapy workforce in Wales.
We will continue to keep workforce requirements under review to ensure future education commissioning decisions are informed by the best available evidence and aligned to the needs of patients and services.