Recovery for Aphasia Sufferers will be seriously affected by Speechmatters funding blow - Wilson
South Antrim MLA Jim Wilson has expressed dismay that funding cuts by the NHSSB has forced Speechmatters to announce the closure of its services in Homefirst Areas.
Mr Wilson appealed to Minister Shaun Woodward for advice and is disappointed that the Minister offered little solution to help those with Aphasia in South Antrim.
Mr Wilson said:
“It is a disgrace that this funding has been stopped in the Homefirst area. To remove support from speech matters to victims of strokes or head injuries is a huge obstacle blocking their road to recovery.
“My office has been inundated with letters from people affected by this, including not just those who suffer from aphasia, but family and friends who support them as they come to terms with their disability.
“The letter I have received from the Minister in response to my complaint is vague and frankly not very helpful. The whole fiasco has been a bureaucratic nightmare and the NHSBB is, in my view, using red tape as an excuse. It is a clear example of how a postcode lottery can throw a patient’s life into turmoil”.