Speech pathology outpatient service in CALHN

The Speech Pathology Outpatient Service at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital provides specialist assessment and management for adults who experience swallowing and/or communication difficulties.

These may be related to

  • Mouth and throat related cancers (including laryngectomy)
  • Voice related difficulties
  • Complex swallowing problems

Speech Pathology delivered through other Outpatient Rehabilitation services and programs within CALHN are offered through;

Outpatient Rehabilitation Services for communication and swallowing difficulties related to neurological and neurodegenerative conditions are delivered by Speech Pathologists located at the ‘Day Rehabilitation Service’. Acceptance of referrals is dependent on a person requiring two or more Allied Health services.

Appointment location and contact details

Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH)

Outpatient Clinics, Level 3F.
Royal Adelaide Hospital
Port Road SA 5000

Enquiries

RAH Switchboard: (08) 7074 0000

Speech Pathology Manager: Ms Jacqui Beaty 

Outpatient senior speech pathologists:

  • Ms Susan Mitchell: pager 22088
  • Ms Maree Creevy:  pager 1148    

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH)

Allied Health Building (Ground floor)
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
28 Woodville Road, Woodville SA 5011

Enquiries

TQEH Switchboard: (08) 8222 6000

Speech Pathology Manager: Ms Helen Smith

Clinics operate on a daily basis across both sites.

GP information

Refer your patient

Fax referral to us

We accept GP, private specialist and other health professional referrals to this service. 

All referrals are triaged by the service according to clinical urgency; waiting times will therefore vary depending on the urgency of the request. Patients requiring immediate assessment should be sent to the Emergency Department. 

To refer your patient, follow the outpatient service information, triage and referral guidelines, complete and fax a referral to us. 
For urgent referrals, also contact the service to discuss the case.

If there is insufficient information, a request will be made for a new referral before an appointment is given. 

If you are concerned about any delay of the appointment or if there is any deterioration in your patient’s condition, contact the service on (08) 7074 4000.

To make a referral

RAH

Fax: (08) 7074 6247
Telephone: 1300 153 853 

TQEH

Fax: (08) 8222 7244
Telephone: (08) 8222 6000

Speech Pathology services are provided across all metropolitan local health networks, only patients who reside in the CALHN will be issued with an appointment.

Exceptions to this include:

Services unavailable in another health area, patients who may live outside of the CALHN catchment area but who are receiving other related medical or complex management services at the RAH (e.g. ENT, neurology, neurosurgery etc)

Further to this, if a patient is referred for assessment/management of a service provided by both the RAH and TQEH, the decision to triage to RAH or TQEH may be made according to the closest and most convenient site for the patient according to their address.

Outline of specific outpatient services

Swallowing assessment

1. Complex dysphagia

An Outpatient assessment service is offered to assist in determining diagnosis and management recommendations for complex oropharyngeal swallowing presentations where these cannot be managed by other community, rehabilitation or local area health networks.

We do not diagnose, assess or manage oesophageal dysphagia.

It may subsequently be determined that a FEES +/- medical referral for a joint radiological DF speech pathology swallow study are recommenced to assist with diagnosis and management planning.

Ongoing management is referred back to appropriate regional local area health network or other where appropriate.

Where a ‘DF speech pathology swallow study’ is requested and the patient has otherwise not received a clinical assessment of swallowing by a speech pathologist prior to the investigation, a referral may be made to the speech pathology department.

2. Fibre-optic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES)

Credentialed speech pathologists are able to perform fibre optic endoscopic examination of swallowing function if required as part of their clinical assessment

3. ‘DF speech pathology swallow’ (formerly known as modified barium swallow)

Any request for a joint radiology/speech pathology modified barium swallow study will require a medical referral. 

The letter of referral should include details as outlined below (see ‘making a referral’ below) and be addressed to speech pathology

An accompanying radiological referral form should state ’DF speech pathology swallow study’ as the request procedure.

**unless the patient has already received a recent clinical assessment of swallowing by a treating speech pathologist a separate request for speech pathology clinical assessment of swallowing is required**

Voice Clinic and Tumour Surveillance Clinic

The voice clinic provides joint ENT/Speech pathology examination of the larynx and laryngeal function for presentations including voice disorders, chronic cough and paradoxical vocal fold dysfunction (PVFD).

Patients with chronic cough and/or PVCD will require examination by a private/public respiratory physician in addition to a private or TQEH/RAH ENT specialist.

The latter may be achieved via referral for joint ENT/Speech pathologist examination of the larynx and laryngeal function to the royal Adelaide diagnostic voice clinic or TQEH voice analysis clinic.

The RAH tumour surveillance clinic operates similarly to the voice clinic except that it provides assessment and reviews to patients who have undergone treatment for laryngeal cancer (surgery radiotherapy chemotherapy) patients requiring review of particular vocal fold pathologies and/or have been surgically managed for the same are triaged and seen in the tumour surveillance clinic as is appropriate.

1. TQEH: Voice Analysis Clinic

Fax or post referrals to:

Coordinator: voice analysis clinic

c/o Speech Pathology Department
Level 1, Allied Health Building
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
28 Woodville Road
Woodville South, SA 5011

  • Tel: (08) 8222 6734
  • Fax: (08) 8222 8021

** Referrals are triaged and allocated to ENT specialists: Mr John Ling or Rowan Valentine and appropriate referral proformas faxed to referrer for signing**

2. RAH: Royal Adelaide Diagnostic Voice Clinic

It is important that referrals be addressed correctly to any one of the attending ENT Consultants as follows: Dr JC Hodge, Dr Andrew Foreman or Dr Suren Krishnan

Fax or post referrals addressed Attention to:

Dr JC Hodge, Dr Andrew Foreman or Dr Suren Krishnan
Royal Adelaide Diagnostic Voice Clinic
C/- Speech Pathology
Outpatient Referral Hub
Royal Adelaide Hospital
1 Port Road
Adelaide, SA 5000

  • Tel: (08) 7074 0000
  • Fax: (08) 7074 6247

Please view the following:

Botox Clinic for Spasmodic Dysphonia: (TQEH)

Botox team: Neurologist –Dr Roula Ghaoul; ENT Specialists – Mr Guy Rees / Mr Rowan Valentine / Mr Theo Athanasiadis; Speech Pathologist: Ms Johanna Flavell

External referrals addressed to the coordinator will be allocated to TQEH voice analysis clinic and/or Dr Roula Ghaoul outpatient clinic at the RAH for assessment.

Acceptance into the botox program is a team discussion after confirming diagnosis and patient suitability.

Fax referrals to coordinator, Botox clinic TQEH: (08) 8222 8021 or post to:

Coordinator: Botox Clinic

Speech Pathology Department
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
28 Woodville Road
Woodville South, SA 5011

Assessment and management of voice disorders (TQEH, RAH)

Before patients are referred for Speech Pathology Assessment / Management of voice they will require examination and diagnosis from an ENT specialist via private ENT, RAH ENT outpatient appointment or joint ENT/Speech Pathology Voice Clinic.

In addition to information included in correspondence, referrals should include details of any recent ENT examination.

Head and neck cancer (RAH)

Laryngectomee: Education and support, voice prosthesis usage, electro larynx usage, dysphagia

Other head and neck related issues communication difficulties and dysphagia post treatment (surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy) for head and neck cancers.

Patient information

How to access the clinic

Referral from your GP

You need a referral letter from your GP or medical practitioner to access this service.

Your doctor will need to fax your referral letter to us. We will be in contact with you within clinically recommended times, depending on waiting list length. If there is no waiting list, you will receive an appointment booking letter or we will contact you to arrange a suitable time.

Please refer to the information sheets below for information regarding the outpatient service.