Salford Speech and Language Therapy Services for adults are provided by Salford Royal.
We are team of qualified Speech and Language Therapists who assess and treat adults with a wide range of communication and swallowing difficulties in a variety of settings.
The ability to communicate, and eat and drink, is something which we often take for granted but is an important part of our everyday lives and wellbeing.
All of our therapists are registered with the Health Professionals Council (HPC) and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT).
Where do we work?
Speech and Language Therapists see people:
- On a ward whilst a person is in hospital
- At regular outpatient appointments in a clinic
- If a person still needs speech therapy after they have returned home from hospital, the SLT will make arrangements to visit them at their own home, clinic or in a nursing home.
- We see patients during their admission to Salford Royal hospital, and see adults of all ages who live within the Salford area, or who have a Salford GP
Who do we see?
SLTs see adults who have communication and swallowing difficulties, as well as those with a stammer or a voice condition.
These difficulties can be caused by a variety of conditions including:
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Dementia
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Stroke
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Parkinson's Disease
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Multiple Sclerosis
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Huntington's Disease
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Respiratory conditions
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Motor Neurone Disease
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Head and Neck Cancer
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Head injury
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Brain tumours
Reasons for Referral
Signs of Swallowing Difficulties
The following are signs that someone might have a swallowing difficulty.
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Coughing / choking
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Chest infection
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Difficulty chewing
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Slow to swallow & meals taking longer
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Storing food in the cheeks
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Drooling
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Breathless after swallowing
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Wet / gurgly voice
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Problems with taking medication
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Weight loss
Signs of communication difficulties
The following are signs that someone might have a communication difficulty:
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Difficulties understanding spoken or written language
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Difficulty speaking and getting the right words out
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New spelling and / or reading difficulties
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Difficulties saying words consistently
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Slurred or unclear speech
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Voice difficulties (i.e. hoarse, strained, weak voice)
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A dysfluency (stammer or stutter)
A Speech and Language Therapist will be able to provide assessment and advice in managing difficulties with communication, and swallowing.
During your initial appointment, the therapist will usually assess your swallowing and / or communication, to determine what future management can be offered.
The therapist may want to see you eating and drinking something as part of their swallowing assessment, therefore please ensure you have some food and drink available if required.
Appointments in community and clinic usually last between 45 minutes to one hour.
Following the initial appointment, the therapist will decide which will be the most beneficial way to help you. You may be offered a session of advice or a block of therapy.
If you, or someone you know, is in hospital and needs to see a Speech and Language Therapist, one of the medical team in the hospital will carry out a referral on your behalf.
If you, or someone you know, is in the Community and needs to see a Speech and Language Therapist, a referral can be made by a GP, Nursing home, or other health professional. We also accept referrals from the person themselves, or their family and friends. All new referrals will be screened by telephone to check their suitability - please see our contact details.