Speech and Language Therapy

We are a team of trained healthcare professionals whose range of specialist skills ensures that we can respond to the needs of adults with communication and swallowing difficulties arising from a wide variety of medical conditions. All of our speech and language therapists are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and are members of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Our team works in a variety of settings such as your own home including nursing homes, outpatient departments and the wards of community hospitals.

When you are referred to our service, you will receive a specialist assessment that may lead to an individually tailored treatment programme to maximise recovery and maintain function in a range of medical conditions.

We work closely with our colleagues in the acute hospitals to ensure an easy transition from hospital to home. Once home, we work alongside a range of other health professionals including doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians and community nurses.

We support families and carers by providing patient focused advice to help support people experiencing difficulties with their communication and/or swallowing.

How to access the service

Referral to Adult Speech and Language Therapy can come from your GP, Consultant, other Health Care Professional or Care Home.

Information for patients

Your referral will be reviewed by a Speech and Language Therapist and if the referral is accepted, you will be placed on a waiting list. A letter will be sent to you from our service confirming this and we will give you further relevant information.

When an appointment becomes available, you will be contacted by telephone or letter and an assessment will be arranged. Patients referred to Adult Speech and Language Therapy are seen in the outpatient department at Farnham Hospital or in their own residence, depending on their needs. We also provide a service to inpatients with speech, language and swallowing difficulties on Runfold and Bentley Wards at Farnham Hospital.

Information for referrers

Referral forms for our service are available below. In the case of care home referrals for swallowing difficulties, additional referral information is required from care home staff.  ‘Dysphagia Information Form V8’ and ‘Swallowing Diary for Care Homes’ must be included with the referral.

Your first appointment

Depending on your needs, what happens in the appointment may vary. Your therapist will be able to explain what will happen in more detail.

If you have swallowing difficulties you may be asked to eat and drink small quantities of food and fluid. An examination of the muscles involved in swallowing will be carried out.

If you have communication difficulties, standardised and informal tests will be conducted as appropriate. We will ask for your consent at the beginning of every appointment.  During the initial assessment you will be asked questions relevant to your problem so we can gain a full picture of your condition and how these difficulties impact your daily life.

Carers and family members are welcome to be present during assessments.  Everyone is welcome to ask questions to improve their understanding of the problem and to ensure that they fully understand any recommendations made.

The length of your appointment will depend on your individual needs as assessed. On average an initial appointment takes 1 hour and follow up appointments take approximately 45 minutes.