The Impacts of a Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Led Voice Clinic on the Management of Patients with Voice Disorders.

Gary Wood, Marion Alston and Danielle Sloane

Speech and Language Therapists are, more often than not, requested to treat patients with voice disorders without the benefit of having seen their patients’ voices in action. Referrals more commonly come from non-specialist doctors and therefore patients do not get a full functional assessment that a joint Voice Clinic would provide. An SLT led Voice Clinic was set up to address this disparity of care.
One year of data of 128 appointments from an SLT led Voice Clinic lends support to the notion that effective management of voice disorders necessitates careful dynamic assessment of the voice using equipment that enables clear visualisation of the larynx under both direct and stroboscopic lighting. This paper shows clear benefits of setting up such a clinic to both patients and those managing their vocal difficulties. The clinic had an 11% fail to attend rate and a 13% cancellation rate. The data shows from the patients seen (n="96)" that 16% had an altered pathological diagnosis with referral back to ENT; 4% were referred to another service; 27% discharged from clinic; 72% given follow up therapy.

Gary Wood Clinical Expert Speech and Language Therapist
Marion Alston Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
Speech and Language Therapy Department (ENT)
The Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital
Gray’s Inn Road
London WC1X 8DA
Tel / fax: 0944 (0) 207 915 1480
Marion.alston@royalfree.nhs.uk
Gary.wood@royalfree.nhs.uk