See also Communication
Acknowledgement
We would like to thank speech and language therapists Julia Johnson and Phil Maillard, Regional Neurosciences Centre, King’s College Hospital, London & Clinical Advisor on Progressive Neurological Disease, Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, London, for their contributions.
We would also like to acknowledge the use of information from:
. ISBN-10: 1861563582.Referral procedures depend on the country you live in. For instance in the UK, to see a National Health Service (NHS) speech and language therapist you usually need a referral from the GP, hospital consultant or Parkinson’s disease nurse specialist, although in some places you can refer yourself via your local hospital or health/primary care centre.
In many countries you can also see a speech and language therapist on a private basis – this means you have to pay for any assessment and treatment you receive. Independent speech and language therapists can be found by contacting the Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice (www.helpwithtalking.com).
Whatever route you take, you need to ensure that you see a speech and language therapist who specialises in neurology or care of the elderly and has some experience of treating people with Parkinson’s.
The Parkinson’s association in your country may also be able to provide information based on members’ experiences. The EPDA website [www.epda.eu.com] contains the contact details for European Parkinson's disease organisations and international Parkinson’s organisations.
Your Parkinson’s association may also advise and provide information and educational opportunities for health professionals.
