Speech and Language Therapists work with patients who are admitted under many specialities and areas but mainly:

• General medical - including the stroke unit
• General Surgery
• Neurosciences including neurology and neuro surgery
• Ear nose and throat (ENT) and Maxillofacial surgery
• Oncology
• Trauma and Orthopaedics
• Coronary care
• Critical care wards
• Burns

The department work as part of a team that includes Doctors, Nurses, Dietitians as well as Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists. Our role within these teams is to help patients and their families with some of the symptoms that might be experienced as a result of a head injury, stroke, cancer or progessive neurological disease.

If you have been admitted to hospital and have acquired a problem with speech, language, swallowing or voice, please ask any member of the ward team to arrange a referral to Speech and Language Therapy.

The role of the Speech and Language Therapist is to assess, diagnose and provide appropriate and relevant therapy or management of speech, language, voice and swallowing problems.

If you are having an operation the team will discuss beforehand how that may affect your speech or swallowing, then to help you regain, as much as possible, your ability to eat, drink and talk after surgery.