Speech & Language Therapy – Adult

Adult Speech & Language Therapy for acquired disorders of communication and/or eating, drinking and swallowing:

Overview

Provide’s team of adult Speech and Language Therapists now work as part of the Mid and South Essex Community Collaborative Adult Community Speech Therapy Service.

The team offer comprehensive assessment, diagnosis, management and treatment (where appropriate) for people with disorders of communication and/or eating, drinking and swallowing in the Mid Essex region. People from other regions of the Mid and South Essex area may also access the service if they choose.

Who Is This Service For? Eligibility Criteria

This service is available to adults (18+) who are registered with a GP in the NHS Mid Essex area and have acquired conditions that affect their communication or swallowing abilities. Importantly, the service only accept referrals for conditions that emerge/are acquired in adulthood. We do not accept referrals for conditions that develop in childhood and persist into adulthood. 

Service Details

We specialise primarily in assessing and treating disorders that occur due to neurological changes in adulthood. These changes can happen abruptly (i.e., stroke or traumatic brain injury) or gradually (i.e., Parkinson’s disease or forms of dementia).

Damage to neural pathways can sometimes result in profound communication difficulty or complete inability to eat, drink or swallow, but even when damage is much less severe difficulties can hamper a person’s ability to work, to do everyday things for themselves, stay healthy, socialise and enjoy life.

The communication difficulties we treat are almost always the product of neurological change but sometimes eating, drinking and swallowing disorders occur for other reasons (including natural ageing). Difficulties with swallowing can lead to significant harm via choking, chest infection, reduced food/fluid intake and inability to take important medications.

Service Delivery

We offer sessions throughout the week, Monday to Friday, from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Our services include a range of scheduled appointments, such as individual sessions, group workshops, and home visits.

Our outpatient assessment and treatment sessions are offered at various clinics in Chelmsford, Braintree Community Hospital, Halstead Hospital, Crouch Vale Medical Centre in South Woodham Ferrers and St Peter’s Hospital in Maldon. 

Referral Process

You can be referred to our service by any healthcare professional (such as a GP, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, dietician or district nurse).

We aim to contact you within 18 weeks of receiving your referral.

What Do Patients Say? Customer Survey Results

Our patients have shared their positive experiences with our service:

• 100% found the clinic clean.
• 100% had confidence in their therapist.
• 100% appreciated the professional approach of their therapist.
• 100% understood the information provided by the therapist and felt it was delivered in an understandable manner.
• 100% felt respected and involved in decisions about their care and treatment.