Home - Services - Speech and Language Therapy

Speech and Language Therapy

The Adult Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Service provides care to patients who have speech, language, communication and/or swallowing difficulties.

There are two Adult Speech and Language Therapy teams at the Trust – one in the Harrogate area and one in Hambleton and Richmondshire. Details of each service are provided below.

The other speech and language therapy teams are speech and language therapy for adults with a learning disability and children’s speech and language therapy and the Youth Communication Team.

The adult speech and language therapy teams provide specialist assessment and management of patients who present with speech, language, voice, communication and/or swallowing disorders. These may result from:

  • Stroke
  • Neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s, motor neurone disease or multiple sclerosis
  • Head injury
  • Brain tumour
  • Head and neck cancer
  • Other cancers
  • Ear, nose and throat conditions
  • Dementia
  • Respiratory conditions
  • Mental health problems
  • Stammering

Speech and language therapy appointments

When you request an appointment, we will either send you a letter asking you to book a convenient time, or we will telephone you to book an appointment directly. This will depend on why you have been referred to us and how urgently you need to be seen.

Most appointments last around 45 minutes. However, some group sessions are longer, so please read your appointment information carefully.

If you wear reading glasses, please bring these along to the appointment. If you wear a hearing aid please make sure you are wearing it/them and it’s working. It’s also useful to bring a list of any medication you are currently taking, and a list of why these medicines have been prescribed. If you need to take tablets during the appointment, please remember to bring these with you.

If you require transport to your appointment please contact your GP surgery or the SLT team to discuss available options. It may be possible to arrange ambulance transport or the team can provide information about voluntary drivers in the area.

Locations

Adult acquired speech and language therapy is offered in two locations: Harrogate, and Hambleton and Richmondshire.

Harrogate

Our team of speech and language therapists that work in Harrogate District Hospital serve the population of Harrogate and the surrounding district.

We visit patients on the wards, and run a variety of clinics, both in the Therapy Services Department at Harrogate District Hospital and in the community. We also offer group therapy and information groups for people with Parkinson’s, and communication support for patients who have suffered a stroke.

Opening hours

We work Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. Outside these hours, an answerphone is available for you to leave a message. Please leave your contact details and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Hambleton and Richmondshire

Our Hambleton and Richmondshire speech and language therapists are based at:

Hambleton Wing
Friarage Hospital
Northallerton
North Yorkshire
DL6 1JG

However, we work across an area of approximately 1,000 square miles, covering:

  • Northallerton
  • Stokesley
  • Thirsk
  • Richmond
  • Leyburn
  • Bedale

We offer group therapy and information groups for voice, communication and Parkinson’s support. You may be seen as an outpatient in the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, or the Friary Community Hospital, Richmond. We also provide a limited number of home visits, dependent on individual needs.

Communication Tea Group
Communication Parkinson’s group

We have links with the speech and language therapists from South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and work closely to co-ordinate transition from the inpatient wards at James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, to the community. We also liaise with the Ear, Nose and Throat Departments at the Friarage Hospital and James Cook University Hospital. Other working partners include Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust for Mental Health and Adult Learning Disabilities Services as well as Adult Health and Social Care.

Inpatient care is provided on the Rutson Rehab Unit, Friary and Lambert hospitals.

Opening hours

We work Monday to Friday, 8am-4pm. A secretary is available Monday and Wednesday 8am-12pm, and Tuesday and Thursday 1-4pm. If you try to contact us outside these hours, a 24 hour answerphone is available. Please leave your contact details, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Contact us on: 01423 542330

Referral

We offer our services on an open access basis. This means that anyone can request an appointment with one of our speech and language therapists. However, when you self-refer, we will request permission to seek your medical information.

Click the link below to download a referral form for Hambleton and Richmondshire Adult Community Speech and Language Therapy Team, based in Northallerton.

Download a referral form here

Alternatively you can ask your GP to refer you.

In line with national guidance, voice referrals require an ear, nose and throat examination prior to a speech and language therapy assessment.

Dysphagia/swallowing referrals require medical information from your GP or consultant prior to the assessment.

Key staff

Professional Lead, Speech and Language Therapy: Anne Elliott

Useful links