Football legend Chris Kamara watched on as MPs heard demands for greater investment in speech and language therapy on the NHS.
The former player and commentator has spoken publicly about having apraxia – a neurological disorder disrupting the transfer of thought from brain to speech. MPs paid tribute to his awareness work as he sat in the public gallery at a Westminster Hall debate on Monday.
The former midfielder, who was a Sky Sports staple for 30 years, has backed calls for greater investment in speech and language therapy. He was joined by campaigner Mikey Akers for the debate after more than 13,000 people signed a petition supporting their demands.
Kamara, known affectionately as Kammy, said last year: “Once I developed the condition, like I had, I was surprised and so amazed at the lack of help for hidden disabilities. I am always amazed, when you are in your own little bubble, before I got my condition, you wouldn’t have known these things going on everywhere.”
Labour MP Dave Robertson described the treatment as a “lifeline”, stating: “Speech and language therapy is more than just a clinical service – it is absolutely vital to a huge number of people across this great country.”
(
Amazon Prime Video)
Paying tribute to Kammy, Tory MP Saqib Bhatti said: “I have talked about verbal dyspraxia, so I will say that Chris—I hope he will not mind me saying this, as he has spoken about it in public—suffered during lockdown from apraxia. In his role, voice and speech matter so much, with the intonations and being able to get thoughts out. I will not try to copy his most famous lines, but those things matter so much. He was so brave in the way he spoke about it.”
And Labour’s starstruck MP David Williams said: “I cannot miss the opportunity to say that I am delighted to see Chris Kamara in the Public Gallery. I am a Stoke MP, and my twin sister is a massive Stoke City fan, so she will be most envious that she is not in Westminster Hall today.”
There was also praise for the football icon from Tory Dr Caroline Johnson, who said: “He is doing great work on raising awareness too. The more awareness we raise, the better it will be for everybody, and the easier it will be for people to be treated for the conditions they have.”
Stephen Kinnock, Labour’s Care Minister, said he would like to sit down with Kammy and Mikey and discuss ways to move forward. He said demand for speech and language therapy is growing faster than the NHS’s ability to meet it.
Mr Kinnock said: “The importance of such services is not in doubt, nor is the life-changing impact that timely access to high-quality services can have, from helping a child to develop the right skills to engage with education to supporting adults to regain their ability to speak.
“Speech and language services are facing challenges, but sustainable, accessible and high-quality community health services are vital, and I will continue to work closely with NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education on this critical issue.”