Description
Adult Speech and language therapy is provided at Dorset County Hospital for people aged over 16. Qualified and registered speech and language therapists deliver the service in accordance with their professional body the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
We provide both an inpatient and outpatient service and work with people with acquired speech, voice, communication and/or swallowing difficulties. Our speech therapists specialise in stroke rehabilitation, critical care, palliative care, head and neck surgery, and elderly care.
We see patients with the following conditions, as well as patients with no confirmed diagnosis: Stroke, acquired brain injury, progressive neurological disease such as Motor Neurone Disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, as well as Dementia.
Throughout the different services within the hospital, Speech and Language Therapy work in partnership with individuals and their families or carers, and other professions and agencies, with the main goals to maximise the person's communication potential and/or minimise the risks of eating and drinking impairments.
Referral Criteria
Speech and Language Therapy provision is also included in The Acute Hospital At Home service (AHAH). AHAH work within the hospital to treat patients who are medically unwell but are able to be treated at home by the team. We accept patients who live in the Weymouth and Dorchester area who have a range of diagnosis and health difficulties. Within the speech and language therapy department we offer assessment and therapy for both swallowing and communication difficulties in your own home whilst you are with our team.
The outpatient service takes referrals for patients with voice disorders and disorders as a consequence of head and neck cancer. We work closely with the Multidisciplinary team to jointly run the Videofluoroscopy Clinic and Head and Neck Clinic.
We accept referrals from within hospital via our ICE online referral system from doctors/consultants, GPs and specialist nurses.
