Speech and Language Therapy
Community
A service for adults who have difficulty with communication or eating, drinking and swallowing.
About our service
We provide a comprehensive service to adults who have difficulty with eating, drinking, swallowing and communication, including developmental stuttering.
Who is it for?
We provide services to clients over 16 years of age registered with a GP in Birmingham who have communication or swallowing difficulties due to:
- Acquired neurological conditions, i.e. stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease and dementia.
Please note there are separate services for Adults with Learning Disabilities, and Specialist Voice Difficulties. We are unable to provide a service for clients with Predominant Mental Health-Related Difficulties.
Referral criteria are contained in the referral form.
Who provides it?
HCPC registered Qualified Specialist Speech and Language Therapists, with relevant dysphagia /dysfluency training.
Therapy assistants, Administrative staff, Speech & Language Therapy Students.
The service is provided in clinics, domiciliary settings, residential and nursing homes, hospices, or Rehabilitation centres.
All dysfluency clients are seen at Stockland Green Primary Care Centre.
What happens at your appointment?
You or your carer or Nurse will be contacted by telephone for an initial triage. Following discussion about your referral, we will prioritise the need and endeavour to see you within the categorised priority times for an initial assessment.
This assessment of your needs usually takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour. If it is felt that you need Speech and Language Therapy, you will be offered an agreed number of appointments.
This will be provided at Stockland Green clinic in Erdington, or at your home if you are not mobile.
Dysfluency waiting times may be longer, you will have initial assessment, followed by individual or group therapy sessions.
What can I do to help myself?
This depends upon your individual difficulties. Your speech and language therapist may suggest strategies to help with your communication or swallowing.
You may given certain exercises or tasks to carry out in-between therapy sessions.
It is important for you to follow the advice given in order to get maximum benefit from Speech and Language Therapy.
Referrals
Clients, carers and family members
Please complete the Adult Speech and Language Therapy referral form . If you have difficulty completing the referral form, or any general queries, please call the department on 0121 466 2150 for help and advice.
Professionals:
Please ensure all areas of the referral form are completed. Telephone referrals cannot be accepted
Please call us on 0121 466 2150 if you have any queries relating to a referral.
Food and drink descriptors for people with dysphagia
The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) is a project aimed at standardising the terms we use to describe food and drink textures. The IDDS has introduced a set of descriptors, covering all drinks and foods:
International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Descriptors
Dysphagia food and drink descriptors
The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDS) is a project aimed at standardising the terms we use to describe food and drink textures.
The IDDS descriptors have seven levels, covering all drinks and foods:
What do I need to do?
If you support people with eating, drinking or swallowing difficulties and you are unsure about what to do, seek advice from your local healthcare professional.