St Joseph's Hospital
SPEECH PATHOLOGY SERVICES
Speech Pathology services are available to adults, for the assessment and management of communication and/or swallowing difficulties resulting from acquired neurological impairment. These difficulties can result from a range of medical conditions, including stroke, brain injury, cancer, dementia, Motor Neurone Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's Disease.
The Speech Pathology Department comprises 4 full time equivalent Speech Pathologists and includes a student unit which provides clinical education to undergraduate Speech Pathology students. Speech Pathology services are offered to adults on an inpatient and/or outpatient basis. Most outpatient services are provided within the speech pathology student unit. Students are supervised by qualified Speech Pathologists.
To assess communication skills, the speech pathologist may:
- evaluate the function of the muscles used when speaking,
- assess verbal expression, auditory comprehension, reading and writing skills,
- discuss the patient's communication abilities and changes in communication with the family,
- educate and support family & care givers in maintaining functional communication and suggest ways to help communication.
For those patients who are having difficulty chewing and/or swallowing, the speech pathologist may:
- assess the function of muscles used when chewing and swallowing,
- trial tolerance for various consistencies of food and thickness of fluids,
- evaluate the safety and effectiveness of different strategies in reducing the risk of aspiration of food and/or fluids,
- educate and support family & care givers on safe swallowing and feeding strategies
Where necessary, an X-Ray procedure known as a Modified Barium Swallow may be undertaken to fully evaluate swallowing function.
If appropriate, inpatients and outpatients may be seen for individual or group therapy to assist recovery of communication ability or help to compensate for lost skills. Outpatient therapy is usually conducted in blocks of 3-6 weeks. At the end of the block, progress is reviewed and if appropriate further therapy may be provided.
Interpreters will be used if English is not the patient's and/or carer's first language.
The Speech Pathologists can be contacted between 8am and 4.30pm from Monday to Friday (excluding Public Holidays).
