Last week, Stephen attended a parliamentary event hosted by Aphasia Support, where he found out more about their efforts to support the 350,000 people living with Aphasia in the UK.
Aphasia is a devastating hidden disability caused by damage to the brain, affecting a person’s ability to speak, read, write and communicate with the world around them. A third of people who experience a stroke will develop some form of Aphasia. The neurological condition can also be caused by a head injury, brain tumour or a form of dementia.
Speech and language therapy is the most common and most effective treatment for Aphasia. Provision is inconsistent across various regions, so Aphasia Support have developed a Branch Network model, which aims to embed support in local communities.
After attending the event, Stephen remarked “I was proud to join Aphasia Support in raising awareness and commend them on their efforts to widen access to speech and language therapy provision. I look forward to continuing to work alongside them in this through my work as Minister for Disability. Together, we can ensure that people with Aphasia receive the care, compassion and support they deserve.”