What Our Patients Say
"When I explained what the problem was she did a few tests and she gave me something to try at home and it worked, I was amazed she sorted it out so quickly, I’ve never looked back since, was very impressed."
"Thank you for listening and for all your encouragement and support. Appreciate all the time to help, tips and booklets and information to help in my recovery. I am very grateful in providing a letter of support regarding PIP review. Thank you so very much! "
"From my very first appointment with Rachel she has made me feel at ease. She has always given full explanations as to what and why things were happening to me. She understood my worries, she is patient and always has time. Followed up by documents to read and exercises to do. Rachel is a true professional and a credit to your team."
What we do
Speech and Language Therapy is provided to adults across Pennine Lancashire in their own homes, in hospital and out patient clinics. Services are delivered by qualified and registered Speech and Language Therapists.
The service is open to people over 16 years of age who have acquired problems with speech, voice, language and/or swallowing, often as a result of an illness or surgical procedure. We also provide a service to some children with voice difficulties.
Speech and Language Therapy students from various universities gain clinical experience in the department, working under the supervision of experienced staff.
Adults with acquired disorders of communication and swallowing, including:
- Neurological conditions & progressive disease
- Stroke
- Acquired brain injury
- Adults with head & neck cancer
- Adults and children with voice disorders and trans/gender-diverse voice and communication therapy
- Long Covid
Assessments provided:
- Assessment and therapy for communication difficulties, including provision of communication aids
- Assessment and therapy for swallowing difficulties, including videofluoroscopic assessment & FEES (Fibroptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing).
- Assessment and therapy for voice disorders, including group therapy and objective assessment
- Assessment and therapy for speech, voice and swallowing difficulties related to head and neck cancer, including laryngectomy management
Please note the following services are provided by Lancashire Care Foundation Trust:
- Babies and children in Royal Blackburn Hospital / Burnley General Hospital.
You can refer yourself to Speech and Language Therapy or can be referred by a medical consultant, your GP or another member of the hospital or community team.
Long Covid referrals are made by the GP referring to the Pennine Lancashire Long Covid Service.
Voice Therapy referrals require ENT evaulation within the last 6 months.
Adults with acquired disorders of communication and swallowing:
- Community locations across East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen
- East Lancashire Hospitals Trust Stroke Therapy Team
- Rakehead Community Neuro-rehabilitation Team
- Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital and Burnley General Hospital in-patients and out patients
- Pendle Community Hospital and Clitheroe Community Hospital
- Rakehead Rehabilitation Centre
Adults and children with voice disorders
Adults and children with voice disorders are seen individually or in groups at St Peter’s and/or Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital
The service operates between Monday to Friday, 8.00 am – 4.00 pm and operates an open referral system for adults with communication and swallowing difficulties.
Speech and Language Therapy Departments
Burnley General Teaching Hospital 01282 804075
Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital 01254 732866
Please be aware all new Voice/head and neck referrals are made via the ENT Dept.
Dysphagia / swallowing information
| Title | |
|---|---|
| Dysphagia information | |
| Dysphagia in dementia | |
| Confusion on swallowing | |
| Swallowing advice for dementia | |
| RCSLT care homes document |
International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative
A common language and system for naming and describing food texture and drink thickness, used internationally for global standardisation
IDDSI Audit sheets
| Level 4-Puree audit sheet | |
| Level 5-Minced and Moist audit sheet | |
| Level 6-Soft and Bite-sized audit sheet | |
| Level-7 New Difficult Foods audit sheet | |
| Liquids audit sheet |
Communication information
| Title | |
|---|---|
| What is aphasia? | |
| Speech - Memory difficulties | |
| Speech - Dysarthria | |
| Speech - Cognitive difficulties | |
Voice Information
| Title | |
|---|---|
| Top 10 Voice Tips ELHT 2105 | |
| Vocal Hygiene |
Speech and Language Therapy Referral Criteria
Speech and Language Therapy is provided to adults across Pennine Lancashire in their own homes, in hospital, in out patient clinics and in other care settings.
The service is open to people over 16 years of age who have acquired problems with speech, voice, language and/or swallowing, often as a result of an illness or surgical procedure. We also provide a service to some children with voice difficulties.
Adults with acquired disorders of communication and swallowing, including:
-
Neurological conditions & progressive disease
-
Stroke
-
Acquired brain injury
-
Adults with head & neck cancer
-
Adults and children with voice disorders
-
Long COVID
Assessments provided include:
-
Assessment and therapy for communication difficulties, including provision of communication aids & voice banking
-
Assessment and therapy for swallowing difficulties, including videofluoroscopic assessment & FEES (Fibroptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing).
-
Assessment and therapy for voice disorders, including group therapy and objective assessment
-
Assessment and therapy for speech, voice and swallowing difficulties related to head and neck cancer, including laryngectomy management
Please note the following services are provided by Lancashire and South Cumbria Foundation Trust:
-
Blackburn with Darwen stroke team
-
Babies and children in Royal Blackburn Hospital / Burnley General Hospital.
-
Learning disabilities
-
Congenital/developmental/life long communication & swallowing difficulties
-
Fluency services
Speech & Language therapists are integrated into the neurorehabilitation services at Rakehead Rehabilitation Centre & the Pennine Lancs community neurorehabilitation team and the integrated stroke pathway – ASU, Marsden Stroke Rehab Unit, and the East Lancs community stroke team.
You can refer yourself to Speech and Language Therapy or can be referred by a medical consultant, your GP or another member of the hospital or community team. Referrals for voice disorders require an ENT assessment prior to referral to SLT.
For community referrals:
Speechtherapycommunity.elht@nhs.net
For further information:
https://elht.nhs.uk/services/speech-and-language-therapy
Referral Forms
Adult Referral Form - Please download this form to your computer and then complete the saved version. This form will not work if opened in the web browser!
1. Download the form to your device
2. Complete all Fields before submitting
3. Press the 'Save As' button, save in a secure folder and email as an attachment. Email the form to speechtherapycommunity.elht@nhs.net
4. Any issues please contact the Speech and Language Therapy Service on 01282 804075.
If you do not receive email confirmation after submitting a Referral Form, please email speechtherapycommunity.elht@nhs.net for advice.