Speech Pathology

 

​​​​Speech Pathology provides specialist assessment and management of babies, children and adults with communication and swallowing problems. 

Communication problems can include:

• Slurred speech

• Difficulty understanding

• Difficulty speaking

• Difficulty reading and writing

Swallowing problems can include:

• Coughing when eating and drinking

• Food getting stuck in your throat

• Difficulty chewing

Services

Acute

Speech Pathology provides assessment and management for patients with swallowing and communication impairments across all acute units.  Specialist services include:

• Head & Neck

• Radiotherapy

• Tracheostomy Care

• Stroke/Neurology

• Internal Medicine

• Acute Aged Care

We are committed to an effective holistic team approach to safe and timely discharge.

Subacute

Subacute Speech Pathology services are provided in 1:1 and group settings to:

• Inpatient Rehabilitation

•  Geriatric Evaluation and Management (GEM)
  

• Secure GEM

•  Transition Care Program

•  Community Based Rehabilitation 
  

Outpatients

Dysphagia Clinic

The Speech Pathology Department operates an outpatient Dysphagia Clinic at Footscray Hospital for people with swallowing disorders (dysphagia). Through this clinic, clients have access to instrumental assessments (Videofluoroscopy) to investigate and/or guide management of their swallowing difficulty.  

All health professionals can refer to the Dysphagia Clinic. Referrals will only be accepted for clients who meet the clinic's referral criteria and live within the Western Health catchment area.​​

Referrers are encouraged to use the Dysphagia Clinic Referral Form.​

Should referrers choose not to use the Referral Form, written referrals will be accepted. Written referrals must include the following mandatory information:

• Client's full name, address and contact phone number
  
• Referrer's full name, place of work and contact phone number
  
• Reason for referral and any relevant clinical information (eg. Medical history)
  
• Written Videofluoroscopy approval from a medical practitioner
  

All referrals must be faxed to (03) 8345 6856 (Western Health Referral Management Centre) or emailed to [email protected]

Appointments will be prioritised based on clinical urgency.

For any enquiries, please contact the Speech Pathology Department on (03) 8345 0404 between 8:00am – 4:30pm on Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).

 Voice/Head and Neck

Speech Pathology provides outpatient services for patients referred from Western Health's Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Clinic. Speech Pathology also provides outpatient services for Head & Neck patients requiring ongoing outpatient management, who have completed their inpatient stay at Western Health.

Paediatrics

Paediatric Speech Pathology is within the Children's Allied Health Service.

Speech Pathologists offer multi-disciplinary assessment and therapy to preschool children (0-5 years) with difficulties in more than one area of their development.  The team also provide specialist services to children with feeding and/or swallowing difficulties as inpatients or outpatients.

Workforce and Careers

Quality improvement activities, professional development, and the commitment to ongoing learning ensure that best practice models are utilised.

There is a strong focus on teamwork and leadership. Staff are empowered through the promotion of open communication and consultation, along with a sense of independence and responsibility in their own work. 

Quality, Research and Achievements

Speech Pathology excels in quality initiatives for patient-centred care.

Recent projects:

• Global Mealtime Guide – pictorial reference for parent education of diet modifications in their cultural cuisine

• Cultural Key Phrases – multimodal adjunct to swallowing assessment in 10 common languages within the Western Health catchment

• Introducing iPad technology into patient care

• Speech Pathology led outpatient  Dysphagia Clinic

• Paediatric Videofluoroscopy