Adult Speech and Language Therapy - Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

The easiest way to access Speech & Language Therapy Adult services in Portsmouth, Fareham and Gosport and South East Hampshire is to self-refer.

To self-refer to our Speech & Language Therapy team you must:

• Be aged 16 years or over,
• Be registered with a Portsmouth, Fareham & Gosport or South East Hampshire GP surgery,
• Have a swallow or communication difficulty.

However, if you have any of the symptoms listed below, please contact your GP instead as you may need a more urgent appointment:

• Choking episodes needing first aid, related to swallowing, eating and/or drinking difficulties.
• Extended or repeated frequent coughing or choking episodes that make mealtimes difficult to manage.
• Recurrent chest infections or pneumonia which might be caused by food and drink going the wrong way.
• Increased carer or family concerns regarding swallowing problems and/or behavioural difficulties relating to communication.
• Severe depression or suicidal ideation relating to communication difficulties and affecting activities of daily living.

Please contact 111 if you have any ill health that you think is of an urgent nature and for which you think you need medical assistance.

Find our online self-referral form here: Self-referral form

You can also self-refer by telephoning the Single Point of Access on 0300 300 2012 or ask for a paper referral form from your GP practice.

The Speech & Language Therapy service is not available for:

• People who have difficulty chewing food due to poor dentition but no other swallowing difficulties.
• People with weight loss but no swallowing problem.
• People who already have a swallow care plan or have had support with eating and drinking at risk and there have been no further changes.
• End of life feeding, as not eating and drinking is a natural part of dying process.
• If you are being sick, vomiting or regurgitating after meals this may require a Gastroenterology referral rather than Speech and Language Therapy so please speak to your GP.
• People whose difficulty relates to head and neck surgery, laryngectomy, or tracheostomy.
• People with developmental language or speech sound difficulties.
• If you have a voice disorder, please contact your GP as you may require a referral to ENT prior to Speech & Language Therapy.

Referral criteria:

• Aged 16 years or over,
• Registered with a Portsmouth, Fareham & Gosport or South East Hampshire GP surgery,
• With an acquired communication or swallow difficulty.

The Speech & Language Therapy service is not commissioned to provide support for:

• People who have difficulty chewing food due to poor dentition but no other swallowing difficulties.
• People with weight loss but no swallowing problem.
• People who already have a swallow care plan or have had support with eating and drinking at risk and there have been no further changes.
• End of life feeding, as not eating and drinking is a natural part of dying process.
• People who are being sick, vomiting or regurgitating after meals this may require a Gastroenterology referral rather than Speech and Language Therapy.
• People whose difficulty relates to head and neck surgery, laryngectomy, or tracheostomy.
• People with developmental language or speech sound difficulties.
• All referrals for voice disorder need to have had an up to date ENT assessment (within the last 6 months).

SLT will triage all referrals and a decision is then made to accept the referral or reject as inappropriate or insufficient information. Accurate and detailed referral information is required in order to conduct triage and prioritisation. The more detailed the referral is, the more efficient and effective the SLT triage can be. A priority rating of 1-3 will be given and a due date allocated, SLTs aim to see urgent referrals within 2 weeks and routine referrals within 18 weeks. Please note that these time scales may not always be achievable. Referral acknowledgement letters are sent to the patients and the referrer / GP, this includes details of how to contact SLT should any new communication or swallow concerns arise. A waiting lists system is operated.

Quality is assured through the use of care pathways based on research evidence, national guidance, outcome measures, audits and local research. The service is also able to provide a range of patient information in accessible formats.

A swallow resource pack for health and social care professionals supporting people in nursing and care home settings has been developed by the SLT team. This resource should be viewed prior to making a referral to SLT.

Click here to learn more about The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI).

Referral method

Referrals can be made via SystmOne or SPA. 

Accurate and detailed referral information is required in order to conduct triage and prioritisation. When you refer, you will be asked for:

- Patient contact details including address and telephone

- Referrer contact details including address, telephone, and email

- Reason for referral (communication or swallowing)

- Relevant medical history

- Abilities and difficulties with communication

- How communication difficulties affect well-being and lifestyle

- For swallowing referrals:

         - What consistency of food and fluids they are currently taking

         - Whether they are coughing when eating and drinking

         - History of any chest infections or choking

         - Duration of the swallowing difficulty

         - Recent weight loss or dehydration

         - Difficulty swallowing medication

- Referrers and clients’ level of concern

- Whether the referral is urgent and if so why

- Whether the client lives alone, if a home visit is needed and if so why

- Family and next of kin details