Paediatric speech and Language Therapy
The acute Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) team at the John Radcliffe Hospital provides assessment and treatment for infants and children aged 0-18 who are acute inpatients in Oxford Children's Hospital and who have swallowing, feeding and/or communication difficulties.
We also offer some training to staff and families within the hospital, to enable them to best support the children they are caring for.
Our Speech and Language Therapists liaise with the child or young person's community SALT team where applicable, and work closely within multidisciplinary teams across the following areas.
The SALT team does not currently provide a service to the Clinical Decision Unit, Maternity wards or Horton General Hospital.
We also liaise with the following specialist Speech and Language Therapy teams:
We run a weekly videofluoroscopy (VFSS) clinic with a Consultant Radiologist to support the diagnosis and management of swallowing difficulties.
Children being referred via EPR to this clinic in Children's Radiology must have had a recent clinical feeding assessment by their community SALT team or by the acute SALT team during their current inpatient stay.
Inpatient referrals
Inpatient referrals should be made via EPR 'refer to S<-Childrens' - and documented in the child's medical notes.
Newborn Care
Zoe Gordon: 01865 572390 (Monday to Friday)
Children's Hospital: 01865 234042
Claire Blair, Team Lead (Mondays and Thursdays)
Natalie Fuller (Tuesday to Friday)
Children's Neurorehabilitation Service
Emma Glisson: 01865 234001 (in the first instance - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday)
Please ensure parents/carers have been informed of, and have consented to, assessment.
All new acute SALT referrals are prioritised according to the child and family's clinical needs.
The Children's Hospital does not have a full-time SALT service, but we will aim to see children with high priority needs within two days of referral and all children and families as quickly as possible.
Outpatient referrals
Referrals for children with communication or swallowing needs in the community should be sent to their local community SALT team. We do not have paediatric outpatient or feeding clinics in Oxford University Hospitals.
Please do not send outpatient referrals to the Acute Paediatric SALT team unless they have been discussed and agreed with us.
Referrals for community-based SALT in Oxfordshire
These should be made via a SPORFI form to the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust Children's Integrated Therapies team via the central referral hub.
Speech and language therapy: Oxfordshire - Oxford Health
Links
There are links below to other SALT services in our region where you can find details on how to refer for community SALT support.
Updated April 2022
Last reviewed:19 April 2022