We are a team of Speech and Language therapists (SLTs) and support workers who:

  • Assess and work with adults in the hospital with swallowing and/or communication difficulties.
  • Assess and work with adult outpatients with swallowing difficulties
  • Lead the hospital videofluoroscopy (VFS) service for inpatients and for those outpatients on our caseload. We also run a Fibreoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallow (FEES) service for inpatients. · Provide an outpatient voice clinic.
  • Provide a small specialist paediatric inpatient service
  • Provide a small outpatient service for those who are having difficulties with swallowing or communication who live in the East Surrey locality, have an East Surrey GP and have been referred by a SASH consultant

We are based in the Neonatal unit and children’s ward (Outwood)

On the neonatal unit we:

  • Support starting oral feeds with pre-term or unwell newborns
  • Assess and manage difficulties with oral feeding
  • Work alongside families and colleagues in the multidisciplinary team
  • Support the development of early communication skills

On Outwood ward we:

  • Assess and manage problems with eating, drinking and swallowing
  • Support communication skills
  • Liaise with community colleagues to support children who already have SLT at home or school

If your child or baby still needs SLT after leaving the hospital, we will refer on to the community SLT team.

We care for patients with communication and swallowing difficulties across East Surrey Hospital.

You may have communication or swallowing difficulties for many reasons, such as:

  • Stroke
  • Neurological conditions
  • Respiratory conditions
  • Post-surgery
  • During or after cancer treatment
  • The effects of ageing
  • Learning disabilities

If you need ongoing help when you go home, we will refer you to your community SLT team.

We have specialists in the team who help patients with tracheostomy management.

We care for adult patients with communication and swallowing difficulties across East Surrey Hospital.

You may have communication or swallowing difficulties for many reasons, such as:

  • Stroke
  • Neurological conditions
  • Respiratory conditions
  • Post-surgery
  • During or after cancer treatment
  • The effects of ageing
  • Learning disabilities

We provide an SLT service to Critical Care patients in ICU and HDU to support with communication, swallowing and tracheostomy weaning.

If you need ongoing help when you go home, we will refer you to your community SLT team.

We see outpatients who are having difficulties with swallowing or communication. You can only be referred to this service if you live in the East Surrey locality, have an East Surrey GP and have been referred by a SASH consultant.

Our service offers instrumental swallowing assessments which allows for further analysis of those with complex swallowing difficulties.

Videofluoroscopy (VFS) is an x-ray video of the swallow function where a patient takes some fluids and food containing contrast which is visible on the x-ray. This enables further analysis of the swallow breakdown and helps guide the management plan. This takes place in the Radiology department. This service is available for both inpatients and outpatients covered by the SASH outpatient SLT service.

Fibreoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) is where an endoscope with a camera is used to see inside the throat and to observe the swallow with food and fluid. This takes place at the patient’s bedside. This service is only available for inpatients.