Communication service pathway
This section outlines our communication service pathway, including important information about referral, triage, your appointment, assessment, therapy, review, discharge, re-referral and other support available.
Referral
- You may be referred to a Speech and Language Therapists whilst in hospital
- Your GP or other professional may refer you as an outpatient
- You may refer yourself into the service
Triage
We want to make sure you receive the service which is right for you. This process is called triage. If you have been referred from community we may give you a call to ask about your communication skills and needs, your goals for therapy and to tell you about your service options.
Appointment
Inpatient referrals are usually seen within 1-2 working days. Community referrals will receive an appointment letter through the post once an appointment slot is available. There may be a waiting list for community referrals. To find out your position on the waiting list, please call: 01388 455 200 and we will try and find a day and time that best suits you.
Assessment
At your first appointment we will give you accessible information about our service and ask you to consent to treatment. During your first appointment we will:
- Find out about you, your communication and how your communication difficulties are affecting your life
- Assess your speech and language to help us understand your specific communication skills
- Give you advice on effective communication strategies and support for managing your communication needs.
Therapy
We will talk to you about your goals for therapy and agree with you the best route to reach them.
Therapy options include one to one therapy, group therapy, computer therapy, conversational partner therapy and other support and advice.
Review
Review appointments are a chance to catch up and see how you are managing, tell us about any concerns you may have or adjust your treatment plan to your needs. Review appointments may be at home, in clinic or via telephone.
Discharge
Sometimes communication difficulties do not get better. Our goal is to help you maximise your specific communication skills and ensure you have all the techniques and support you need, to feel confident about your communication. We will plan your discharge with you and ensure you have access to on-going support as required.
Re-referral
You can ask your GP or any other professional to refer you back to the Speech and Language Therapy service at any time, or you can refer yourself. Please email: cdda-trstaffcentraladmin
