Hospitals

The aims of SLP services in hospitals include:  

• the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of SLP conditions;
• education and awareness about speech-language disorders and dysphagia to hospital staff including medical, nursing and paramedic professions. 

Acute & Rehabilitation Hospitals

The SLD offers SLP services in acute and rehabilitation hospitals. 

Working in hospitals enables SLPs to work closer with other professionals within a multi-disciplinary environment. Direct and indirect services are provided to persons in the form of individual or group sessions. Intervention may take place by the bedside or in speech-language clinics within the hospital setting. 

All persons referred to the SLP service receive an initial assessment and an intervention plan is drawn out customised to the needs of the patient. Assessment incorporates speech, language functional communication abilities, and feeding and swallowing. Cognitive abilities, emotional, psychological, social and medical factors are taken in consideration throughout the course of SLP intervention. Advice and education are given to the patient, family, carers and other professionals for appropriate management of the communication and/or feeding/swallowing difficulties. SLPs also attend ward rounds and conferences to discuss issues related to patients.

Rehabilitation Hospital Karin Grech

SLPs at RHKG are committed to help people communicate to the best of their ability and maintain safety in feeding/swallowing. SLPs evaluate the patient's communication, thinking processes, and swallowing abilities. An individualised intervention plan that is formulated following SLP assessment provides patients with skills to improve their attention, memory, reasoning, and understanding of language and speaking. It also aims to rehabilitate feeding and swallowing to the patient’s optimum potential. Family education is an integral part of treatment.

The goal of therapy is to help patients function effectively at home, in the community, and in the work or school setting. Liaison with SLPs working in the community and other settings is carried out to ensure seamless intervention and continuation of care within the patient's natural environment.  

Child Development Assessment Unit – CDAU 

The SLD also offers a service at the Child Development Assessment Unit – CDAU.

The aims of the SLP service within this unit are to:  

• provide a specialist assessment and diagnostic service for children with communication difficulties; 
• provide a service within a multidisciplinary model of care; 
• act as a resource to other SLPs undertaking the treatment of the child referred on a local basis. 

Description of the service 

The SLPs at CDAU are part of a multidisciplinary team that is responsible for the developmental assessment of children from birth up to the age of 16 years. A varied caseload is seen at CDAU. Difficulties include global developmental delay, speech and language delay, autism spectrum disorder, dysfluency, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, dyspraxia, Down syndrome and other syndromes, and learning difficulties which can be specific in nature or part of a generalized learning problem amongst others. Difficulties can be single or part of a complex disability. 

The children referred to the CDAU are assessed by the SLP based at CDAU unless they are already being followed up by another SLP in a community clinic or in a resource centre. A report summarising the findings of the assessment is drawn up for all the clients assessed. 

The SLPs at CDAU attend all the case conferences held at the CDAU. SLPs liaise with the other professionals within the team and discuss cases that are being assessed or followed up.