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Worcestershire Adult Speech and Language Therapy Service
We help adults in Worcestershire who have problems with their speech, language, communication and swallowing. There are many reasons someone may see a Speech and Language Therapist. These include neurological conditions and dementia. We can help with stammering, and we offer gender affirming voice therapy.
We see people at six clinics around Worcestershire. We also see people staying in local community hospitals and we make home visits for people who are housebound.
There are some conditions we do not treat. Your GP can refer you to specialist services for help with these. You can also view a list of conditions treated by other services. We treat people from age of 16. People under 16 can be referred to the children’s Speech and Language Therapy service.
If you feel you need to see a Speech and Language Therapist, please speak to your GP about this. We also take referrals from other health care professionals, such as specialist nurses if you have one. Community hospital patients can be referred to us directly by the ward they are staying on.
Information for patients
What happens after I am referred to the service?
We will read the referral letter to work out how urgently you need to be seen. We may contact you for more information by phone. If we can give you advice at this stage, we will. You will then be added to a waiting list. Unfortunately waiting times can be long. You will be seen sooner if your referral is urgent. Please contact your GP if your condition is getting worse while you are waiting.
We will call or write to you offering you an appointment at the clinic that is closest to your home. Please tell us straight away if you need to change the appointment or if you are housebound.
Where will I be seen?
We have clinics in Kidderminster, Bromsgrove, Droitwich, Worcester, Malvern, and Evesham. Our service operates Monday to Friday during office hours. Clinics are not available in every place every day. We will add you to the waiting list closest to your home. If you would prefer a different clinic, please let us know.
What will happen at my appointment?
We will ask you questions to work out how to help you. You are welcome to bring someone with you to your appointment. Please wear your hearing aid and bring reading glasses if you need them. This is very important for communication assessments as we may ask you to read.
We will ask you to bring food and drink if you have swallowing problems. We will ask you to eat and drink to see how you swallow. We do not use any devices which go inside your body. We may ask to touch your throat. We may ask to listen to your throat with a stethoscope, or put a device on your fingertip. You can say no to any of these.
Your first appointment will last around an hour. Your Speech and Language Therapist will give you advice after the first session. We may ask you to come back and see us again. Follow up appointments are normally shorter.
What if I am housebound?
We offer home visits for people who are fully housebound or in care homes only. We will contact you to arrange this. Please call us straight away if we have sent you a clinic appointment and you are housebound. Please let us know if there are any access issues at your home. We may ask you to put pets in another room.
What if the appointment is for somebody with memory or behavioural difficulties?
We will try to have someone who knows the person well at the appointment. We will do everything we can to avoid any distress. Please tell us if there is something important you want us to know before the appointment.
How can I help myself? Useful links
This is different for everyone.
Please see below for links to charities, associations and advice sheets which you may find useful while waiting to see a Speech and Language Therapist. As these are external links, we cannot take responsibility for the content.
Dementia
DemTalk: Information and advice on communication in dementia DemTalk | DemTalk | Newcastle University
Communicating with someone with dementia: Information and advice on communication in dementia Communicating with someone with dementia - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Dementia UK: Information, advice and support for people living with dementia. The Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline can be contacted on 0800 888 6678 or by email to helpline@dementiauk.org Living with dementia - Dementia UK
Alzheimer’s Society: Information, advice and support for people living with Alzheimer’s Disease. The dementia support line can be contacted on 0333 150 3456 Mon to Weds: 9am – 8pm, Thurs and Fri: 9am – 5pm, Sat and Sun: 10am – 4pm Alzheimer's Society (alzheimers.org.uk)
Information and advice on changes to eating and drinking in Alzheimer’s Disease: factsheet_eating_and_drinking.pdf (alzheimers.org.uk)
The Young Dementia Network: An online community of people living with young onset dementia, their family, and friends. The network can be contacted by email to youngdementianetwork@dementiauk.org Online community for young onset dementia - Young Dementia Network
Primary Progressive Aphasia
PPA Support Group: The national PPA support group holds several meetings a year in London, helping people living with PPA to meet and talk to others. The group can be contacted by email to contact@raredementiasupport.org Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) – Rare Dementia Support
Alzheimer’s Research UK: Information and advice on primary progressive aphasia What is Primary progressive aphasia? - Alzheimer's Research UK (alzheimersresearchuk.org)
Stammering
Stamma: Information, advice and support for people who stammer. The helpline is available Mondays to Thursdays, 10am-2pm & 4pm-8pm on 0808 802 0002 or you can email hello@stamma.org STAMMA home page
Stroke
Stroke Association: Information, advice and support for people who have had a stroke and their loved ones. Contact the helpline Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm or Saturday 10am to 1pm on 0303 3033 100 or email helpline@stroke.org.uk Stroke Association | Rebuilding lives for stroke survivors
Information on communication changes following a stroke: What is aphasia? | Stroke Association
Information on swallowing changes following a stroke: Swallowing problems | Stroke Association
Headway: Information, advice and support for people who have had a brain injury, including stroke, and their loved ones. Contact the helpline on 0808 800 2244 or email helpline@headway.org.uk Headway - the brain injury association | Headway
Headway Worcestershire: For local Headway information contact 01905 729729 or email enquiries@hwtl.org.uk Acquired Brain Injury Support Across Worcestershire (headwayworcestershire.org.uk)
Motor Neurone Disease (MND)
MNDA: Information, support and advice for people living with MND and their loved ones. Contact MND Connect Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and 7pm-10.30pm on 0808 802 6262 or email mndconnect@mndassociation.org MND Association | Fighting motor neurone disease
Information on speech and communication in MND: Speech and communication | MND Association
Information on swallowing, eating and drinking in MND: Swallowing, eating and drinking | MND Association
Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s UK: Information, advice and support for people living with Parkinson’s and their loved ones. Contact the helpline on 0808 800 0303 Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm or Saturday 10am to 2pm, or email hello@parkinsons.org.uk Homepage | Parkinson's UK (parkinsons.org.uk)
Speech and communication problems | Parkinson's UK (parkinsons.org.uk)
Eating, swallowing and saliva control | Parkinson's UK (parkinsons.org.uk)
Multiple Systems Atrophy (MSA)
MSA Trust: Information, advice and support for people living with MSA and their loved ones. Contact on 0333 323 4591 Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm or Friday 9am to 4pm or email support@msatrust.org.ukMultiple System Atrophy Trust (msatrust.org.uk)
Eating & drinking – Multiple System Atrophy Trust (msatrust.org.uk)
Saliva management – Multiple System Atrophy Trust (msatrust.org.uk)
Communication – Multiple System Atrophy Trust (msatrust.org.uk)
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy or Corticobasal Degeneration (PSP or CBD)
PSPA: Information, advice and support for people living with PSP or CBD and their loved ones. Contact the helpline Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm or 7pm to 9pm on 0300 0110 122, or email helpline@pspassociation.org.ukPSPA | A charity that helps those living with PSP and CBD (pspassociation.org.uk)
Swallowing-eating-and-drinking.pdf (pspassociation.org.uk)
Speech-and-Communication1-1.pdf (pspassociation.org.uk)
Functional Neurological Disorder (FND)
FND Action: Information, advice and support for people with FND and their loved ones. Online support groups can be accessed at Online Support Groups - FND Action
FND Guide Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) – A Patient's Guide to FND (neurosymptoms.org)
The Brain Charity: Information, advice and support for people living with neurological conditions including FND. Contact on 0151 298 2999 Functional neurological disorder - The Brain Charity
FND Hope: Information, advice and support for people living with FND and their loved ones FND Hope UK - FND Hope International
Voice disorder (dysphonia)
RCSLT: Information on voice disorders and Speech and Language Therapy treatment. Voice disorders – Clinical information for SLTs | RCSLT
Advice on looking after your voice:
RCSLT-Voice-Care-factsheet.pdf
Take care of your voice.pdf (britishvoiceassociation.org.uk)
Dysphagia (swallowing difficulty)
IDDSI IDDSI framework
If you have previously been given food texture or fluid recommendations, these will be in line with the IDDSI framework. Please follow this link if you need further information about the IDDSI framework or detailed level definitions.
Contact us
Worcestershire Adult Speech and Language Therapy Service,
Droitwich Medical Centre,
Ombersley Street East,
Droitwich,
Worcestershire
WR9 8RD
Tel: 01905 681049
Email: Whcnhs.adultsltreferrals@nhs.net
Service lead: Jackie Murphy