The trial was led by experts from the Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham, as well as Sandwell and Dudley Hospital Trust, University College London, King's College, London, University of Bangor, Canterbury Christ Church University and Glasgow Caledonian University. It was carried out in NHS speech and language therapy (SLT) services across the UK.

Funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme, the trial revealed that LSVT LOUD® was more effective at reducing the participant's reported impact of voice problems than no speech and language therapy, as well as the NHS-provided speech and language therapy. LSVT LOUD® is an effective speech treatment for people with PD and other neurological conditions. The treatment trains people with PD to use their voice at a more normal loudness level while speaking at home, work, or in the community. Patients are given voice exercises to do this.

Academics from Canterbury Christ Church University contributed their expertise in process evaluation research, helping to understand how trial interventions were implemented within practice through the experiences of the staff that delivered them, and the patients that received them.

Professor Christopher Burton, Head of School of Allied and Public Health Professions at Canterbury Christ Church University, said: “Our contribution to this important study focused on understanding how the different components of the interventions within the trial worked together. By understanding the experience of the therapists implementing the different interventions, and how patients and their family members experienced them, we are able to plan how we can implement those trial findings. Our hope is that everyone living with Parkinson’s Disease can have the opportunity to benefit from the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment.

“Our contribution reflects the wide-ranging programme of implementation research we lead out of the University, which is supporting our commitment to creating the evidence base for the development of Allied Health Professional practice, and ensuring our students experience first-hand the most up-to-date evidence during their studies.”

Between September 2016 and March 2020, 388 people with PD and Dysarthria (difficulty speaking) took part in the trial. 130 were allocated to the LSVT LOUD® group, 129 to the NHS therapy group and 129 received none. The findings of the trial showed that LSVT LOUD® was more effective at reducing the impact of Dysarthria. The NHS SLT therapy showed no evidence of benefit compared to no speech and language therapy.

The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research, Health Technology Assessment programme, and can be read in full here.