Speech Language Therapy Adult

Community Support

Initial consultation to assess needs will be provided virtually, this will be primarily by telephone unless a video consultation is preferred.  A face to face appointments will be offered, if this is appropriate and if it is safe to do so.  

When attending the clinic customers are asked to: 

• Please arrive no more than 15 minutes prior to your appointment time.
• On arrival, wait in the car park until you are contacted by a member of the team.
• When entering the clinic building please wear a facial covering, unless exempt. Masks and sanitiser will be available if needed.
• The waiting area should only be used by users attending a community transport appointment.
• Not attend if you are feeling unwell or have symptoms indicative of Covid-19.

Please call the Care Co-ordination Centre if you have any concerns.

Voice Services

This part of the service is currently suspended.  Existing patients will be contacted over the coming weeks to assess ongoing needs. 

Acute Services

There is no change in the service delivered at Broomfield Hospital.

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) have launched a major survey seeking the views on how the first UK lockdown (March-June) affected their access to speech and language therapy, and their thoughts about the future. We'd like to encourage anyone who has speech and language therapy to complete this.  

You can access the survey's using the links below:

• For people aged 0-19yrs
• For people aged 18+ yrs

 NB, Survey closes at 5 pm on 8 January 2021.

Eligibility criteria

Adults (18+) who are registered with a GP in the NHS Mid Essex area, and have an acquired condition.

Service details

We treat people with acquired voice, speech, language, communication and/or swallowing disorders and difficulties. These include:

• Stroke, traumatic brain injury, dementia, critical care, chest infection, aspiration pneumonia, dehydration and nutritional compromise, head and neck cancer, voice pathologies and end-of-life care.
• Long-term conditions, including neurological ones such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis.
• Associated speech and language pathologies, such as aphasia, dysphagia, dysarthria, dyspraxia, cognitive language processing difficulties and dysphonia.

We are not able to treat people with developmental disorders which persist into adulthood.

We provide patient-centred, individualised packages of care according to need to inpatients, outpatients and patients in acute, intermediate and community care.

We train other staff groups to screen for dysphagia and to help manage patients with communication and swallowing difficulties.

We also take on Speech & Language Therapy students for weekly or block placements to develop their clinical skills.

Service delivery

We run sessions at various times Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm. We offer a range of booked appointments, including individual appointments, group workshops and home visits.

We run outpatient treatment sessions at:

• Various clinics in Chelmsford
• Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford (voice appointments only)
• Braintree Community Hospital
• St Peter’s Hospital in Maldon

We provide inpatient care at:

• Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford
• St Peter’s Hospital in Maldon
• Braintree Community Hospital

Referral process

You can be referred by any healthcare professional, such as a GP, district nurse, health visitor or dentist.

Or you can refer yourself directly using the details in the contacts box on this page, unless you’re a

dysphagia, voice, or head and neck cancer patient, when the following applies:

• Dysphagia: you need medical consent for assessment so talk to a member of your multi-disciplinary team.
• Voice: you must have had a laryngeal examination by an ear nose and throat (ENT) consultant or suitably qualified practitioner.
• Head and neck cancer: referrals are made by your medical/nursing team as part of a tumour staging and management plan.

We will contact you within 18 weeks of referral.

Customer survey results

• 100% said the clinic was clean.
• 100% said they had confidence in the therapist they saw.
• 100% said the therapist had a professional approach.
• 100% said they understood what the therapist said to them and that information was given in a way they could understand.
• 100% said they were treated with respect and that they were involved as much as they wanted to be in decisions about their care and treatment.

Self-pay services