Nuffield Speech and Language Unit has become an internationally recognised centre of excellence for providing intensive therapy to children who suffer from severe speech and language disorders. More specifically these can be:
It can take in children as young as four years of age, who without expert therapy would not be able to ever go on to enter and survive in mainstream education.
It is administered to by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust.
History
In 1947 Edith Whetnall went to work for the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital where she became the first director of what would become the Nuffield Hearing and Speech Centre. This was built at a cost of £100,000 which was promised after a presentation to Lord Nuffield by Whetnall.
As hearing problems became to be diagnosed earlier through better and more sensitive screening methods the unit's speciality or expertise expanded to include disorders of speech and language. So as not to hold the children back educationally from their peers who could attend normal schools the unit then included an educational curriculum so as to ease the children's eventual transition into mainstream education. The unit then became part of the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital. The unit also went on to develop the Nuffield Centre Dyspraxia Programme.
The Royal Free Hospital is currently holding a public consultation on the future of the Nuffield Speech and Language Unit and this matter has been the subject of an Adjournment Debate in the House of Commons.