NHS Employee Stammering Network

We are the many voices of the NHS workforce!

About

The NHS Stammering Network has been created by NHS employees who have lived experience of stammering. We provide NHS staff with support and information on stammering and how it can impact on individuals managing their speech impairment in the workplace. We provide easy access to useful resources and offer recommendations on how to support staff in the workplace who may be managing a speech impairment.

Our Vision

To build a supportive and inclusive workplace environment for all NHS staff, patients and the public who experience speech and language impairments.
To advocate for a greater recognition of the diversity of communication and speaking styles across the NHS workforce and wider society
To challenge prevailing and unhelpful perceptions of what it means to be an ‘effective’ communicator.

Our mission

To provide NHS staff with access to information, practical advice and helpful resources and support
To provide access to workplace peer mentoring and support for all NHS staff who stammer. Our specially trained mentors are fellow NHS staff who stammer, who understand the NHS work environment and represent different professional backgrounds (medical, nursing, allied health and administration and corporate services)
To showcase and celebrate diverse ways of speaking and recognise the strengths and experience that stammering can bring to the organisation through positive role models of NHS staff who stammer
To raise awareness of stammering at a local and departmental level
To challenge stereotypical and unhelpful ideas around what are acceptable and effective ways of speaking/communicating
To link up NHS staff who experience other speech or language impairments (such as aphasia, dysarthria, selecting mutism, cluttering etc) should they wish to access peer support, and assist them in setting up their own networks if desired.

If you would like to join the network, would like to access support from one of our peer mentors or would like to become a trained mentor then please do get in touch. The NHS Employee Stammering Network is in support of STAMMA (a national charity providing information and support to people who stammer in the UK). In recognition: The Network recognises and honours Aneurin (Nye) Bevan who established the National Health Service (NHS) (and who managed a stammer during his life).

Dr Mike Stuart

Head of Medical, NHS

Redactive Ltd