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Ultimately we leave the service no more supported

Posted By tryingtobeamum

"Ultimately we leave the service no more supported"

About: Outpatients Centre / Speech & Language Therapy

(as a parent/guardian),

My daughter was seen by speech and language after I self referred, asking for help with the fact that there are situations in which she is unable to talk, or she talks so quietly that she cannot be heard or understood.

Unfortunately the therapist we saw didn't seem particularly interested in helping us, repeatedly asking if there was support to access in light of my daughter being autistic. She seemed to have no understanding of autism, particularly how females with autism present which is disappointing when autism is, in part, a communication disability.

Eventually it was decided we would be discharged as my daughter wasn't able to communicate why she can't talk in certain situations, which is ironic and feels like a lot of pressure to put on a child.

Ultimately we leave the service no more supported than we were before and no more able to know how to help my daughter communicate in the situations she finds challenging.

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Responses

Response from NHS Forth Valley 2 years ago
NHS Forth Valley

Submitted on 27/04/2022 at 09:53
Published on Care Opinion at 09:53

Dear Tryingtobeamum

Thank you for providing feedback regarding your recent experience with Speech and Language Therapy. I am sorry that you didn’t find it at helpful experience.

All requests for help start with a conversation between the person who holds the concern and a Speech and Language Therapist. This is to listen to the views and desired outcomes of the person who holds the concern to help us understand how we can help. The outcomes of this conversation may be reassurance or advice to the person who holds the concern or signposting to a more relevant source of help. In some cases we may need to get closer to the child or young person to see how we can help.

From reading your feedback it seems that this process broke down at some point along the way and, as a result, you continue to hold the same concern. I would be grateful if you would consider having a further conversation with us. You can either make contact with Pauline Donnelly, Person Centred Manager, on 01324 566523 or contact the Speech and Language Therapy Department directly on 01786 434078 providing your name and contact telephone number and your child’s name. I will then arrange for a speech and language therapist to call you back.

Thank you again for taking the time to provide this feedback as this helps us continue to improve our service.

Kindest regards

Louisa McGuire
Speech and Language Therapy Coordinator
NHS Forth Valley

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by tryingtobeamum (a parent/guardian)

Unfortunately I have been trying to contact Pauline Donnelly for days now and cannot get through, nor is she replying to my message.

I would get in touch with the SALT department as you suggested but unfortunately I have lost all trust in them and it doesn't feel worthwhile.

I will continue to try and make contact with Pauline but this only adds to my sense of fruistatriton.

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