Speech & Language Therapy

We work with every patient that comes to the RHN, rebuilding channels of communication and improving their potential to eat, drink and swallow safely.

How we help
Through dedicated clinics and assessments, we give patients the techniques and exercises they need to help strengthen one or more of the following:

-	Communication Assessing each person’s communication needs, both in terms of understanding information and expressing ideas, we maximise their existing skills and promote ‘total communication’ through gesture, expression and, where appropriate, communication aids.
-	Oral feeding and swallowing From saliva management to being able to eat and drink safely, we assess  patients’ swallowing abilities – including those who require tube feeding – working with them to improve their skills so they can manage a wider range of textures and meet their daily nutritional and hydration needs.
-	Tracheostomy care People who are unable to breathe through their mouth or nose, are fitted with a tracheostomy tube. Alongside other RHN specialists, we optimise the care of each tracheostomy, and run monthly clinics for those in our long-term care to review their tracheostomy needs.