New research study to improve speech and language support for stroke survivors
11 Jun 2025
A new report from the Stroke Association has found less than a quarter of stroke survivors receive support for speech and language difficulties, despite around 40% experiencing aphasia.
Aphasia is a condition which affects a person’s ability to understand, speak, read or, write. Without professional support, aphasia can result in frequent communication breakdowns, extreme frustration, distress, depression, anxiety, and disrupt relationships and quality of life.
Previous research suggests Communication Partnership Training (CPT) is effective and can help to improve communication between people with aphasia and their specified communication partner, however existing research highlights that it is not routinely delivered in the NHS speech and language therapy services.
To address this gap, academics have received funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research to work with clinicians and people with lived experience of aphasia. Together, they will assess current NHS services and evaluate how Communication Partner Training (CPT) can be implemented effectively in the NHS, assessing its clinical benefits, cost-effectiveness, and impact on communication between people with aphasia and their partners.
The research will address known under-representation of specific groups including ethnic minorities and non-English speakers.
Leading the project is the University of Sheffield and City St Georges, The University of London, working with Canterbury Christ Church University, University College London, The University of Technology, Sydney and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Dr Sharon Adjei-Nicol, Senior Lecturer in Speech & Language Therapy, in the School of Allied and Public Health, is a co-investigator for the project.
This research is an important step towards making everyday communication easier for people with aphasia after a stroke. By finding practical ways to deliver Communication Partner Training across the NHS, we hope to improve conversations between stroke survivors and their loved ones—and reduce the frustration and loneliness, that so often comes with communication difficulties. It’s also vital that this support reaches everyone who needs it, and an important part of this study is including those who have historically been underrepresented or underserved in aphasia research.Dr Sharon Adjei-Nicol,Senior Lecturer in Speech & Language Therapy
The project team will develop clear guidance for delivering CPT in the NHS and then conduct a large randomised controlled trial
Back to
Related links
Did you find this page useful?