Service overview
We’re a community team of speech and language therapists (SLTs), across East and West Berkshire, with specialist knowledge in conditions which may be affecting the way you talk and eat.
We can help you if you're having difficulties with your speech, voice, language, communication, or swallowing.
It could be that you’re living with a neurological condition, such as Parkinson’s or motor neurone disease (MND), spinal or nerve condition (neurological), have issues with breathing (respiratory), or receiving treatment for cancer.
Call 999 if your speech suddenly becomes slurred, or you notice other signs of a stroke including weakness in your face or arms.
Read our service leaflet for more information.
Speech And Language Therapy Leaflet
File size: 924KB
Accessing our service
Please contact your GP or community nurse if you notice changes to your communication and/or swallowing. They can offer advice and direct you to our service.
You must be aged 18 or over and be registered with a Berkshire GP.
If you were seen by a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) in your local hospital, such as Royal Berkshire Hospital or Wexham Park Hospital, they will refer you into our service if they believe you require follow-up from the community team.
When you’re referred to us, we’ll review your situation and place you on our waiting list.
When you’re next on the waiting list, you will receive a letter inviting you to book your appointment.
We offer a range of different appointments:
- Phone call consultation
- Online video call (telehealth)
- Outpatient clinics in East Berkshire (Upton Hospital and St Marks Hospital)
- Outpatient clinics in West Berkshire (Wokingham Hospital,
- Tilehurst Clinic and West Berkshire Community Hospital)
- Home visits if you can’t use telehealth or visit our outpatient clinics
We’ll confirm the type of appointment with you when you contact us to book.
ASLT Referral Form
File size: 183KB
Preparing for your assessment
At your first appointment, we’ll talk with you about your medical history and assess your communication and/or swallowing difficulties.
For communication assessments, we’ll review your medical history and ask you to complete some speech tasks.
For swallowing assessments, we ask that you bring some food and drink so that we can take a look at how you eat and drink.
Depending on what we find, we may be able to offer:
- Education about your condition, and how you can manage your communication or swallowing
- Specialist therapy sessions, either individual or within a group, with exercises adapted for you
- Recommendations for eating and drinking
We may refer you on to other specialists’ services, should we feel that they can assist you with your needs or condition.
Your appointments will be either via an online video call, or at an outpatient clinic at one of our local sites. We can offer home visits for those who are unable to access video call or outpatient clinics.
You will be informed of the location of your appointment, when you contact our service to book.
Therapy sessions
We may offer either individual or group therapy sessions, depending on the severity of your communication and/or swallowing issues, and your treatment goals.
You may be seen for an assessment and offered advice or recommendations, or you may be offered a follow-up session or block of therapy.
Our SLTs will agree the right approach during your appointment.
Individual sessions
Individual sessions typically last around 45 minutes.
We’ll work with you to find and work towards your goals, through practice activities and exercises.
Group sessions
We may offer group therapy for if you have Parkinson’s.
These take place at our clinics in Upton Hospital, Wokingham Hospital, Tilehurst Clinic and West Berkshire Community Hospital.
Groups sessions are a great way to practice exercises and strategies in a friendly and social environment, and meet others who also have Parkinson’s Disease.
Sessions are led by a speech and language therapist, and may occasionally have student therapists support our team.
Managing your health
How to make a thickened drink
If you have difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) you may need to thicken drinks to prevent liquid entering your lungs. In this video, Alex, an Adult Community Speech & Language Therapist, explains how to use a drink thickener powder.
How to calibrate your EMST device
Expiratory Muscle Strength Training (EMST) devices can help strengthen your expiratory muscles, and, with regular use, maintain and improve your swallowing and communication.
Your e-Health Passport
Your e-Health Passport lets us know what's important to you - from your preferred name and pronouns to how you'd like us to support you and communicate with you.
Learn moreContact us and FAQs
East Berkshire
St Marks Hospital
Adult Speech and Language Therapy
Contact number: 0118 904 3629
Email: adultspeechlanguagetherapy@berkshire.nhs.uk
Post Address: SL6 6DU
Location detailsUpton Hospital
Adult Speech and Language Therapy
Contact number: 0118 904 3629
Email: adultspeechlanguagetherapy@berkshire.nhs.uk
Post Address: SL1 2BJ
Location detailsWest Berkshire
West Berkshire Community Hospital
Adult Speech and Language Therapy
Contact number: 0118 904 3629
Email: adultspeechlanguagetherapy@berkshire.nhs.uk
Post Address: RG18 3AS
Location detailsWokingham Hospital
Adult Speech and Language Therapy
Contact number: 0118 904 3629
Email: adultspeechlanguagetherapy@berkshire.nhs.uk
Post Address: RG41 2XR
Location detailsTilehurst Clinic
Adult Speech and Language Therapy
Contact number: 0118 904 3629
Email: adultspeechlanguagetherapy@berkshire.nhs.uk
Post Address: RG30 4SH
Location detailsHow do I make an appointment?
When you reach the top of the waitlist, we will send you opt-in letter to home your address inviting you to book your appointment.
Let us know if you no longer require our service, so that we can give the appointment slot to someone else
If your symptoms get worse while you’re waiting to book an appointment, please contact us. In an emergency, please contact 999.
Do I need to bring anything else to my appointment?
For swallowing assessments, please bring or have to hand some food and drink, like a biscuit, banana, yoghurt, or water. You will be asked to eat and drink as part of the assessment.
If you have any relevant and recent letters from your medical team, such as neurology, you can bring these along for your SLT to review.
You are welcome to bring a family member or carer along to your appointment.
Can I still have support if I have only had a difficulty with my speech and/or swallowing a few times?
We recommend you make an appointment to discuss any concerns or changes to your symptoms with your GP.
They can make a referral into our service if this is needed.
Can I reschedule my appointment?
Yes. Please contact our service as soon as possible to reschedule your appointment.
Please note, if you cancel your appointment, and do not contact us within 5 working days to rebook or you fail to attend your booked appointment, you will be discharged from the service.
Is there parking at your outpatient clinics?
Yes, there is parking available at all of our outpatient clinics. Parking areas can get busy, so we recommend you leave enough time to find a suitable parking space ahead of your appointment.
If you're more than 10 minutes late to any appointment, we may not be able to see you.
We can also help you with
Is there any information for friends, family and carers?
If you’re a family member/carer or you look after someone, there’s practical, financial, and emotional support available to you from a range of local communities and national organisations.
How do I request an interpreter?
We can provide language translation and interpretation support whenever you visit or contact us.
Tell our staff which language you prefer to use, and we will make sure the right communication support is in place for your assessment and treatment. Please let us know as early as possible so we can ensure the appropriate translation or interpreting support is available.
We offer a range of professional services to ensure everyone can understand and be understood:
- telephone interpreting
- video remote interpreting (VRI)
- face‑to‑face interpreting
- written translation
- British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting
How can I get information in an accessible format?
Anyone with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss has the right to receive information in a format that meets their needs. Under the Accessible Information Standard (AIS)—a legal requirement for all health and adult social care providers—we must ensure that people who use our services, including carers and families, can understand the information we provide and communicate effectively with us.
We can offer information in a range of accessible formats, including:
- British Sign Language (BSL)
- large print
- braille
- audio
- easy Read
- text message
- face‑to‑face support with a carer or advocate present
If you need information in any of these formats, please tell a member of our team and we will make sure your communication needs are met.
Are service dogs allowed to my appointment?
Yes. You are welcome to bring your registered service animal, such as a guide dog, hearing dog, medical alert dog, or other trained assistance dog to your appointment.
These animals are recognised as essential support and are permitted in most areas of our services.
To help us prepare, please let the team know before your appointment if you will be attending with a service animal. This allows us to make sure the environment is safe and comfortable for you, your animal, and other patients.
Please note that service animals may not be able to enter certain restricted clinical areas for safety or infection‑control reasons, but we will always work with you to find an appropriate alternative.
Treating our team with respect.
Respect is important.
We will be polite and kind and we expect that you treat our staff in the same way.
Abuse, hate and discrimination against our staff is unacceptable.
We will take strong action against anyone who is verbally, racially, physically, or sexually abusive to them.
This includes contacting the police to prosecute, and stopping future access to our healthcare services.
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