Welcome to the Speech & Language Therapy Page

Contact Information:

Speech and Language Therapy,Trafford General Hospital, Moorside Road, Davyhulme. M41 5SL.

Telephone:           0161 746 2531

                         Safe Haven Fax:    0161 746 2530
                         e-mail to: susan.hawthorn@trafford.nhs.uk

About us

The Speech and Language Therapy Department is based at Trafford General Hospital. A team of qualified therapists assess and manage patients with communication and feeding and swallowing disorders as a result of acquired neurological disease such as stroke,Parkinsons Disease ,multiple sclerosis and dementia. Patients can be seen as out patients, in their own homes, in residential homes or Nursing Homes.

A medical referral is required and can be faxed to 0161 746 2530 or sent to the department at Trafford General Hospital

We are currently working with the community Dietitians on a project to support Nursing Home residents  at meal times. We have developed meal time standards and a meal time care plan as part of the project.

We are also involved in training care staff in nursing homes to identify and manage residents who have feeding and swallowing difficulty

Please see check lists for assistance with identifying those residents who may require a Speech and Language Therapy assessment.

 Communication Checklist

Does the patient:

• Use some speech but words are incorrect or  unrecognisable?
• Have difficulty finding the correct word?
• Have slurred speech/gropes for the sounds?
• Have decreased volume?
• Run out of breath when they are talking?
• Have facial weakness?
• Have limited understanding of the here and now?
• Have difficulty telling the time / handling money?

 Swallowing Checklist

Does the patient show any of the following:

• Cough or choke immediately after or during a swallow
• Voice become wet or gurgly when eating/drinking
• Have difficulty eating things they used to eg. Toast, apples
• Find food collecting in one cheek, or they find food in their mouth a long time after they have had a meal.
• Take a long time to chew and swallow even soft things.
• Deterioration of eating and/or drinking
• They are in some discomfort whilst eating and drinking
• Develop a chest infection along with the onset of one of the above.