Speech Pathology

Phone:	9845 2076
Fax:	9845 2078
Email:	jeanettc@chw.edu.au
Location:	Outpatients building, level 2

General Information

The Elinor Wray Department of Speech Pathology

The current speech pathology department originated from a Speech Therapy service established in Australia at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Camperdown, in 1931 by an Australian woman, Elinor Wray, a graduate speech therapist from the Central School of Speech and Drama, London.  Elinor was originally appointed in an honorary capacity, on the recommendation of Sir Robert Wade, surgeon, and conducted three clinics weekly for the next seven years on a voluntary basis.  There were no other speech therapists working in Australia at that time and this speech clinic was the only one of its kind. 

The Speech Pathology Department at The Children's Hospital at Westmead today provides diagnostic and therapeutic services to children with a range of feeding and communication problems, who attend the hospital as inpatients and outpatients.  Additionally, the department offers a clinical education programme to fourth and final year students from universities offering a speech pathology programme.  The department is also responsible for providing information and advice to speech pathologists and other health professionals throughout NSW, and professional development of hospital staff, as appropriate and necessary.

Speech Pathologists are also employed directly by the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit, the Child Development Unit and the Cleft Palate Clinic.  Please refer to the relevant departments for more information on these services.

Current Service Provision

Inpatient Services

The Speech Pathology Department offers an inpatient service to all hospital wards, for 

• children with feeding and swallowing difficulties, which may include Modified Barium Swallow procedures
• children with speech and language deficits following traumatic brain injury or as a result of neurological problems.
• children with tracheostomy

Inpatient referrals for general speech and language problems will be acknowledged, but as far as possible, children will be referred out to local community health services for assessment and continued management.   

Outpatient Services

The Speech Pathology Department offers a limited speech, language and communication service to outpatients referred from the appropriate referral sources, as outlined in the hospital's Allied Health Referral Policy.  The department's student unit is the main service provider for this caseload. 

Outpatient services are provided for

(a) all children referred with feeding and swallowing difficulties, which may include Modified Barium Swallow procedures

(b) children with communication, speech and language deficits, who meet referral requirements and the department's prioritisation criteria.  See sections below for more information.

Referral Requirements and Process

All outpatients must be referred by medical specialists with referring rights to The Children's Hospital at Westmead.  GP referrals are not accepted. 

Referrals need to be in writing or through Powerchart, the hospital's electronic medical record system.

Parents who have been given a written referral by a specialist with referring rights to CHW should mail/ fax the referral directly to the Speech Pathology Department.

On receipt of referral, families are sent preliminary information about the process of referral and are given a questionnaire to fill in and return to the department.  It is not automatic that the child will be assessed once the questionnaire has been filled in.

The speech pathologists conduct a monthly intake meeting to discuss whether the department would be able to provide a suitable service for the child's needs.

If not, then parents are contacted for further discussion of alternative options.

Once the referral is accepted, an initial assessment appointment is mailed out to the family.  

Families need to be aware that there is a waiting time for assessments.

It is recommended that families contact six weeks after referral if they have not heard from the Speech Pathology Department.

Prioritisation

Due to resource constraints, we are currently unable to attend to all the outpatient speech and language referrals directed to us.

The speech pathology department has therefore had to introduce a process of intake and prioritisation, based on factors such as age, medical problems and the type of speech and language problem.

Medical staff are contacted in writing if their patients are not being offered a service at this department.  In these instances, other options to access speech pathology are provided.

Referrals for children with global developmental delay and disability are directed to the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, for more appropriate management.

Similarly, preschool aged children with global developmental difficulties who would benefit from attending early intervention services are recommended to the appropriate local service. 

For further enquiries re eligibility for a service at the Speech Pathology Department or to discuss options, please contact the Department on 02 9845 2076.

Therapy Services

Ongoing therapy services are limited.  Delivery of service can be via individual and group therapy, home programming, consultation and liaison with other professionals involved.  Individual therapy is only offered on a short-term basis for a finite number of sessions, depending on the child's age and problem.

No therapy is offered for school-aged children past kindergarten or for those children whose needs require long-term, ongoing input.  In such instances, more suitable alternative therapy options will be discussed with parents/carers.

Modified Barium Swallow Studies

Modified barium swallow procedures are conducted in conjunction with Medical Imaging.  This service is offered for all patients who need further objective assessment for risk of aspiration, via dynamic videofluoroscopy, a service which is not widely accessible in the community.   

The referral process is as above.

Advice for parents/carers concerned about their child's speech/language skills

It is recommended that parents/carers contact their local Community Health Centre as soon as they suspect that their child may have some difficulties with speech and language, and place their child on the waiting list.

Parents/carers may also avail of Medicare's Chronic Disease Management Items, formerly known as the Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) Program, which allows up to five private speech pathology sessions per year, with receipt of the Medicare rebate.  This needs to be discussed with and organised through the family GP.

Private speech pathology services are also an option.  A list of private practitioners can be found on Speech Pathology Australia's website (http://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/)

Staff

• Jeanette Cowell, Head Speech Pathologist
• Amanda Simon, Deputy Head Speech Pathologist and Student Unit Supervisor (shared position)
• Gloria Tzannes,  Deputy Head Speech Pathologist and Student Unit Supervisor (shared position)
• Stephanie Newton, Clinical Senior, Dysphagia
• Holly Daley, Senior Speech Pathologist
• Kate Osland, Speech Pathologist
• Samiah Haddad, Speech Pathologist
• Desiree Ortato, Speech Pathologist (currently on maternity leave)
• Noella Phillips, Department Secretary