Speech Pathology - St George Hospital

 

The Speech Pathology department provides inpatient and outpatient services to people who live in the St George area.

Some specialist services are available to out-of-area patients.

For further information about our services for adults, please select the relevant tab below.

 

General Practitioners / External Medical Specialists:

To make a referral to our department, complete this referral form and send to us via either email or fax.

See the Health Pathways site for further information about referrals to Speech Pathology, as well as other services including Allied Health.

Inpatient services involve the diagnosis, treatment and management of swallowing and communication disorders.

Swallowing and communication difficulties in the inpatient setting can occur for many reasons, including but not limited to:

  • Acute neurological changes (e.g. stroke)
  • Neuro-degenerative diseases (e.g. dementia, Parkinson's disease)
  • Conditions which may lead to or exacerbate swallowing difficuties, via change in cognitive or respiratory status (e.g. delirium, cardiac dysfunction, pneumonia, COPD)
  • Oncologic disease including head and neck cancer, lung cancer, neurologic cancers, metastatic or advanced cancer, and haematological malignancies

Services are provided to all wards within the hospital.

Our weekend speech pathology service prioritises cases of urgent dysphagia management.

Referrals are made on a case by case basis, where there is staff, patient or family concern regarding acute or chronic changes in swallowing and/or communication.

Referrals within the hospital should be made via the eMR system, and followed-up with either a pager to the relevant speech pathologist on weekdays, or phone call via switch on weekends.

Our department provides outpatient services from Monday-Friday.

Outpatient services include:

  • Speech, language and swallowing assessment and treatment for adults with health conditions affecting communication and swallowing
  • Modified Barium Swallow (Video-Fluoroscopy Swallowing Study) clinics
  • Voice disorders
  • Lee-Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) - voice therapy for people with Parkinson's disease

 

Use this map to find service locations:

  • Modified Barium Swallow clinic is located in Radiology (4)
  • Swallowing and LSVT clinics are located in the Speech Pathology department, Prince William Wing, Level 1 (6)
  • Communication and voice (non-LSVT/ENT) clinics are located in the Rehabilitation Department, Prince William Wing, Ground Floor (6)

 

Our department also runs or participates in the following groups:*

  • Rose Cottage Singers
  • Rose Cottage Social Communication Group
  • St George Hospital Aphasia Group

*These groups are currently suspended due to COVID-19 circumstances.

 

Outpatient referrals and information can be discussed on 9113 1062.

Our department collaborates in the following multi-disciplinary clinics:

 

St George Swallow Centre

A specialised bi-monthly multi-disciplinary clinic, diagnosing and treating complex swallowing disorders from all aetiologies including stroke, Parkinson’s disease, myopathies, head and neck cancer, laryngectomy, other neurological and degenerative diseases. This clinic specialises in state of the art assessment methods, and has a comprehensive research programme. Assessments conducted include Modified Barium Swallow, Videomanometry, oesophageal manometry (with impedance), pH testing impedance and FEES. A medical referral is required to attend this clinic. (website link)

Voice and Chronic Cough / Airway Clinic

This clinic is run monthly with ENT and Speech Pathology, and provides endoscopic assessment of the larynx for voice and airway conditions. A medical referral is required to attend this clinic.

Cancer Care Centre

The St George Cancer Care Centre is a comprehensive multidisciplinary cancer service housing Radiation Oncology, Medical Oncology, Haematology, Palliative Care, Allied Health and Nursing staff, all specialising in the management of all oncologic disorders. In particular, Speech Pathology attends the weekly Head and Neck Clinic and multi-disciplinary meeting.

Rose Cottage Day Hospital

A day rehabilitation service involving Medical Rehabilitation and Allied Health teams (Speech Pathology, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Dietetics, Social Work and Clinical Psychology).

 

Use this map to find service locations:

  • St George Swallow Centre is located in the Outpatient department, Prince William Wing, Ground Floor (6)
  • The Voice and Chronic Cough / Airway Clinic is located in ACU, Ward 2 East, Tower Ward Block (1)
  • The Cancer Care Centre is accessible via the main entrance on Gray Street (2)
  • Rose Cottage is located at 34 Short Street (19)

The Speech Pathology department at Calvary Hospital manages adult community and home services in this area.

Services in aged care facilities in our region are managed via Speech Pathologists in the private sector. Please contact the relevant aged care facility for information.

The Paediatric Multidisciplinary Feeding Service is a tertiary feeding service for children in our local area who have complex feeding problems such as cleft palate, neurodegenerative conditions, genetic syndromes, congenital heart disease and/or those who require enteral (tube) feeding. Please see this service's website for more information.

Click here for information about Speech Pathology paediatric community services (communication difficulties).