How do you actually get therapists to do the therapy you need them to?
Reviewed by Anna Volkmer

Aphasia is an acquired communication disorder that affects approximately a third of people who have a stroke and for which speech and language therapy is the main treatment. However, there are known gaps between evidence-based recommendations and the delivery of speech and language therapy. Implementation science has potential to reduce this gap but is usually selected by the research team. The aim of this study was to develop and pilot test a champion-led implementation toolkit prototype for “provision of written aphasia-friendly information to people with aphasia”. The authors developed an implementation toolkit by analysing and extracting determinants from the research literature. Over a 12-month period, identified change champions were trained to use the toolkit and the process was evaluated. The toolkit was found to be feasible and acceptable to participants. Additionally, the toolkit was found to have potential to improve practice, given the significantly improved provision of written aphasia-friendly information. This study demonstrates the potential that implementation toolkits have to reduce the gap between evidence and practice.

Does a champion-led implementation toolkit have the potential to improve aphasia guideline adherence? Results from a feasibility study.
Shrubsole K, Levine R, Lynch E, et al. 
INT J SPEECH-LANG PATHOL
2025; Early Online:1–16.