In 2019, the Trust provided funding to cover the costs of exploratory research into the impact of stammering in the NHS workforce. The research was led by Dr Vaughan Parsons at Guy’s and St Thomas’s Foundation Trust and, following completion of this work in early 2021, the NHS Workplace Disability Equality team offered further funding to cover the establishment of the new NHS Stammering Network for staff who stammer. This has included the development of a bespoke website for staff and managers to access information and resources, alongside provision of half day peer mentoring workshops to support stammering staff, eg to discuss practical strategies to disclose stammers; developing skills to support future job promotion opportunities; building confidence in public speaking in the workplace (eg speaking up during team meetings at GP practice). Feedback from staff has been extremely positive: “It’s fantastic – such a great resource and the content is very relatable from someone with a stammer, I recognise many of my own behaviours and strategies there. There is some great information to help others respond to colleagues who have a stammer and really encouraging to see the career paths of other fellow stammerers, as it can certainly hold you back.”
