Speech and language therapy opportunities
Many people with Parkinson's experience voice changes including weakening of the voice, hesitancy, and loss of articulacy. Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) can help with this. Here we have tried to gather useful information about NHS and other services that may be able to help you with maintaining your voice.
Please let us know of any other information you think should be added here. We are always happy to receive suggestions by email to admin@oxfordparkinsons.org.uk.
- NHS Speech and Language Therapy in our area
- Your GP can help you with referral to the NHS SALT service. In addition, PwP or their carers can access the service directly. You can find more on the NHS website at this link.
- Specialist SALT for Parkinson's
- A group of private speech and language therapy specialists has launched a new Parkinson's therapy group. You can learn more about this exciting initiative in their flyer, which you can read by clicking here.
LSVT LOUD comes out best in a Nottingham University trial
Recently (July 2024) a study at Nottingham University, led by Prof. Catherine Sackley, compared three approaches to speech therapy for Parkinson’s: no treatment at all, standard NHS speech therapy, and the LSVT LOUD intensive four-week programme. The paper describing the study and its outcomes is freely available at this link on the BMJ website.
Listen: Radio 4 discussion of the study
BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on 11 July 2024 carried a 5-minute piece on the research, featuring Catherine Sackley and Mark Mardell, which provides an interesting non-technical overview. You can listen to it here:
Alternatively you can listen here on BBC Sounds where the programme will be available until 9th August 2024. The programme is 3 hours long; this section begins at 1:28:10.