Our speech and language therapists can help you with communication or swallowing difficulties as a result of:

  • dementia
  • head injury
  • head and neck cancer
  • neurological disorders such as motor neurone disease (MND), multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease
  • stroke

Communication difficulties can include problems with:

  • hearing
  • making speech sounds
  • your voice such as persistent hoarseness
  • putting words together
  • social communication skills
  • stammering
  • understanding language

If you’ve been referred to our service, you’ll be invited for an assessment. If you’d like to bring a family member or friend along to the appointment with you, you can do so.

Before your appointment, we might send you a questionnaire or food diary to complete. Please bring this with you to your appointment, along with a list of any medication you’re currently taking.

Your 1st appointment with us should last about 1 hour. During the appointment, we’ll ask you some questions about your medical history, your life at home and the problems you’ve been having. We might also do a few tests.  

We’ll also ask you about what you’d like to achieve from therapy. Together, we’ll agree some goals so we can review your progress and agree when you’re ready to be discharged.

Once we’ve completed our assessment we’ll discuss your options and create a treatment plan tailored to your needs. What happens next depends on the type of problem you’re experiencing but often therapy includes:

  • help you to understand your diagnosis
  • individual or group therapy
  • coaching and exercises to improve your condition
  • advice and support for you and your carers

You might also get invited to appointments for:

  • a follow up to see how they’re getting on
  • an assessment for specialist equipment

You will only be discharged from this service when we all agree that:

  • your therapy goals have been met or
  • you’re able to develop your skills at home with the support of your family and friends

North Cumbria Wide Services

Care Homes Team Referrals

01900 705083 | SLTCareHomesNorthCumbria@ncic.nhs.uk

Macmillan Speech and Language Team (Head and Neck Cancer Patients)

01228 603978 | MacmillanSLT@ncic.nhs.uk

Voice and Long COVID Referrals

01228 608332 | VoiceSLT@ncic.nhs.uk

Stroke Speech and Language Team

Carlisle and Eden Localities

Adult Speech and Language Therapy Department
Room 1450, Lower Ground Floor
Cumberland Infirmary
Newtown Road
Carlisle
Cumbria
CA2 THY

New Community Referrals from Health and Social Care Professionals and Patient Self-Referrals:

01228 603992 | SLTAdultsCarl&Eden@ncic.nhs.uk

Existing Community Patients to contact us:

01228 603984 | SLTAdultsCarl&Eden@ncic.nhs.uk

Acute Inpatient Ward Referrals (Cumberland Infirmary)

01228 814730

Allerdale and Copeland Localities

Adult Speech and Language Therapy Department
Level 4
West Cumberland Hospital
Homewood Road
Hensingham
Whitehaven
Cumbria
CA28 8JG

New Community Referrals from Health and Social Care Professionals and Patient Self-Referrals:

01900 705082 | AdultSpeechTherapy-AllerdaleandCopeland@ncic.nhs.uk

Existing Community Patients to contact us:

01946 523112 | AdultSpeechTherapy-AllerdaleandCopeland@ncic.nhs.uk

Acute Inpatient Ward Referrals (West Cumberland Hospital)

01946 523112 | 01946 693181 ext 22907