Adult speech and language therapy services

We provide inpatient and outpatient services for adults with a variety of communication and/or swallowing disorders. There are multiple causes for communication and swallowing disorders and the role of the SaLT is to assess and diagnose the difficulty, hypothesis the cause, establish potential for improvement and provide management, treatment, therapy or rehabilitation.

Patient groups in adults

• Progressive neurological disorders eg Parkinson’s, MND, multiple sclerosis.
• Stroke
• Brain injury
• Spinal injury
• Dementia
• Frailty
• Respiratory illness
• Voice and ENT disorders
• Head and neck cancers and facial surgery
• Autoimmune disorders eg gullian barre
• Learning disabilities
• Patients with altered airways and/or requiring ventilator support
• Anterior cervical spine surgery.

Speech, language, and swallow difficulties

• Dysphagia – swallowing difficulty
• Dysphonia  – hoarse, breathy or harsh voice quality
• Dysarthria – slurred speech
• Dysphasia – difficulties understanding speech or reading and/or difficulties expressing yourself and finding the right words and phrases.
• Cognitive/thinking disorders that affect your communication and interaction with others.

Standards and Networks

We adhere to the standards of the Health and Care professions Council and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists ensuring our practice is informed by current evidence, clinical guidelines and professional standards.  We continue our professional development throughout our careers.

Clinical settings

Inpatients

We see all patients referred on the wards with speech, language and swallowing difficulties including those with tracheostomies.

Outpatients

We see patients presenting with communication, voice or swallowing difficulties in outpatient clinics either face to face or virtually.

We offer instrumental assessments for swallowing disorders where appropriate:

Videofluoroscopy

This is a detailed filmed x-ray of swallowing a variety of food and fluid consistencies.  This enables the therapist to trial different textures, consistencies, techniques and strategies and is an objective assessment of the risk of aspiration (food and fluid entering the lungs).

Fibreoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES)

This involves passing a small endoscope with a camera on the end through a nostril and into the throat.  This enables a dynamic assessment of the structure and function of the throat as you eat, drink and swallow.

Both procedures can take place during an inpatient stay or as an outpatient appointment. They can be recorded and you are able to review the images with your therapist to examine risks and to make plans and decisions about eating and drinking safely.

Where we are

Princess Royal Hospital