Speech and Language Therapy Services

Communication disorders can affect all aspects of everyday life. Our Speech and Language Therapy Service staff work with anyone who has a communication difficulty or swallowing problem.

Problems could relate to any of the following:

• Stroke
• Dementia
• Neurological intervention Find out more
• Progressive neurological disorders such as Parkinson Disease and Multiple Sclerosis
• Traumatic brain injury
• Autism
• Cleft lip/palate
• Developmental speech and language delay or disorder
• Fluency disorders
• Cancer of the head or neck
• Hearing impairment
• Learning disabilities
• Physical disabilities
• Voice Disorders

The Speech and Language Therapy Service in Bolton is an integrated service across Community and Hospital sites. Most therapists are employed by the Health Service, but close links are maintained with Local Education Authorities and Social Services Departments.

Aims of the service:

• to meet the changing needs of adults and children who have a communication impairment and/or related eating and swallowing problems.
•  to improve people's quality of life,
• to help carers to understand and respond to the clients' needs.

Types of Communication Difficulty

• Speech
  • Failure to appreciate differences between sounds resulting in the wrong use within words
  • Physical inability to make sounds resulting from physical abnormality or after oral or facial surgery.
  • Disturbance of neuromuscular control.
• Language
  • Delay or failure to develop comprehension of language and/or the failure to use it to convey appropriate information
  • Acquired loss of perception, recognition, comprehension and/or expression of language. This may affect spoken and/or written forms.
• Voice
  • When the quality, pitch, volume or flexibility differ significantly from the voices of those of similar age, sex and cultural group.
• Fluency
  • For example, problems caused by blocking sounds or words.
• Eating and Swallowing Disorders
  • Difficulty in preparing food in the mouth to swallow, or in swallowing the food from the mouth into the stomach, due to neurological or structural damage
  • Sucking or chewing.

How to Access the Service

Adults

Referrals for Consultation, Assessment and Advice can be made to
The Speech and Language Therapy Service at Royal Bolton Hospital. Tel No 01204 390603

Children

Referrals for Consultation, Assessment and Advice can be made to
The Speech and Language Therapy Service at Lever Chambers Centre for Health, Ashburner Street, Bolton BL1 1SQ Tel No 01204 462670

For more information please contact:
Speech and Language Therapy Services,
Lever Chambers Centre for Health
Ashburner Street
Bolton
Lancs. BL1 1SQ

Telephone 01204 462670.