Frequently Asked Questions About Private Speech and Language Therapy

The Meet and Greet is a paid online consultation for people who want to explore things in more depth before committing to a full assessment or therapy programme. It is a relaxed, unhurried conversation in which we take a fuller history, share some early thoughts and help you decide how to proceed. It is particularly useful for families who want to understand the process before committing, and for professionals who want to discuss a case in more clinical detail. The fee is discussed during your free initial call.

We aim to respond to all enquiries promptly and will always let you know current availability during your free call. We do not operate a lengthy waiting list process and will do our best to find a time that works for you as quickly as possible.

No. You do not need a GP or consultant referral to get in touch or to be seen. You are welcome to contact us directly. For clients being seen through a case-managed or medico-legal pathway, referrals typically come from case managers, solicitors or clinical teams — but for self-funding individuals and families, you can simply get in touch yourself.

After the first session we will have a clearer picture of your needs and priorities. From there we will agree the most appropriate next steps — whether that is further assessment, a period of therapy, or both. We will always explain our thinking clearly and make sure you feel comfortable with the plan before we proceed.

We work with adults with a wide range of neurological and acquired conditions, including traumatic and acquired brain injury, stroke, hypoxic brain injury, brain aneurysm, spinal injury, brain tumour, cerebral palsy, prolonged disorders of consciousness, locked-in syndrome, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, Motor Neurone Disease, dementia and other progressive neurological conditions. If you are unsure whether we work with a particular condition, please just ask.

We specialise in adult neurological rehabilitation. If you are looking for support for a child, we help with older children and would be happy to point you in the right direction if we can't help.

We offer both. Some people come to us for a specific assessment and report. Others work with us over a longer period of time. We are treating therapists — not just assessors — which means we stay involved across the rehabilitation journey when that is what is needed. We will always discuss what is most appropriate for your situation.

This varies considerably depending on the individual, their condition and their goals. Some people benefit from a focused short-term piece of work. Others need longer-term support that evolves as their needs change. We will always be honest with you about what to expect and review progress regularly throughout.

Session frequency is agreed individually and reviewed regularly. It depends on the person's needs, goals, tolerance and rehabilitation stage. We will discuss this with you as part of the planning process and adjust as things progress.

Session length varies depending on the type of work being carried out and the individual's needs and stamina. They are generally 50 mins long and we will agree session length with you in advance and can adapt this as needed over time.

Yes. We are a mobile service and we travel to the people we work with. We believe therapy works best when it happens in the environments where communication is actually needed — at home, in a rehabilitation unit, in a supported living setting or out in the community. Home visits are available across our coverage area.

Yes. We offer a full service via video call for those who prefer remote sessions or who live outside our in-person coverage area. Many aspects of communication and swallowing therapy can be delivered effectively online, and we will always discuss with you what works best for your situation.

We are based in London and work across London and the Home Counties as our primary area. We also cover Milton Keynes, East and West Sussex, and can support clients in Birmingham and Peterborough where needed. As a general guide we travel to locations within approximately two hours of London. Remote sessions are available for clients further afield. If you are unsure whether we cover your area, please just get in touch and ask.

We aim to provide consistency of therapist wherever possible, as we know how important this is — particularly in complex neurological rehabilitation. We will always be transparent with you about who will be involved in your care and why.

All of our speech and language therapists hold recognised degrees in speech and language therapy and are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT). Our team has specialist experience in neurological rehabilitation, and many hold advanced competencies in specific areas such as dysphagia, Alternative Augmentative Communication and cognitive-communication disorders.

Yes. All of our speech and language therapists are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), which is a legal requirement to practise as a speech and language therapist in the UK. They are also members of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT), the professional body for the profession.

A cognitive-communication disorder occurs when an injury or condition affects the cognitive processes that underpin communication — such as attention, memory, reasoning, organisation and social understanding. It can affect a person's ability to follow conversations, stay on topic, organise their thoughts, understand humour or sarcasm, or communicate appropriately in social situations. It is often associated with brain injury, stroke and other neurological conditions, and is sometimes less visible than other communication difficulties — which can make it particularly frustrating and isolating.

Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder caused by weakness, paralysis or lack of coordination in the muscles used for speaking. It can affect the clarity, volume, rate and quality of speech. It is common following stroke, brain injury and in progressive neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease and Motor Neurone Disease. Therapy can help improve speech clarity and introduce strategies to support communication.

Aphasia is a language disorder that affects a person's ability to speak, understand, read and write. It is caused by damage to the language areas of the brain, most commonly following stroke or brain injury. It does not affect intelligence — it affects the ability to access and use language. With the right support, many people with aphasia make significant progress.

Apraxia of speech is a motor planning disorder that affects a person's ability to coordinate the precise movements needed for speech. The person knows what they want to say but the brain struggles to send the right instructions to the muscles involved in speaking. Therapy focuses on relearning the motor patterns for speech through structured, repetitive practice.

Dysphagia means difficulty swallowing. It is common following stroke, brain injury and in neurological conditions, and can affect the safety and efficiency of eating and drinking. Left unmanaged it can lead to aspiration — where food or liquid enters the airway — which can cause chest infections and other serious complications. Speech and language therapists are the lead clinicians for swallowing assessment and management.

AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. It refers to any tool, strategy or device that supports or replaces spoken communication. This ranges from low-tech options such as communication boards, symbol charts and alphabet boards, through to high-tech speech-generating devices and eye-gaze technology. AAC can benefit anyone whose speech is significantly reduced or absent, either temporarily or longer term. Our team is experienced in AAC assessment and prescription across the full technology spectrum.

FEES stands for Fibreoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing. It is a gold-standard clinical assessment of swallowing function in which a small, flexible camera is passed through the nose to allow direct visualisation of the throat and vocal cords during swallowing. It provides detailed information about how safely and efficiently a person is swallowing and is used to guide management decisions around diet, fluid and swallowing strategies. We offer FEES assessments in clinical settings and — uniquely — as a home-based service for people who are unable to access hospital appointments, in collaboration with a head and neck surgeon and Ears Nose and Throat Colleagues.

You may wish to seek a swallowing assessment if someone is coughing or choking during or after eating or drinking, taking a very long time to eat meals, losing weight or showing reduced interest in food, reporting that food feels like it is getting stuck, experiencing a wet or gurgly voice quality after eating, or has had recurrent chest infections. If you are unsure, please get in touch and we can talk it through with you.

Yes. There is good evidence that communication and swallowing therapy can be beneficial at any stage — not only in the early period after injury or diagnosis. While the nature and goals of therapy may differ depending on the stage and condition, meaningful progress is possible well beyond the acute phase. We will always give you an honest assessment of what is realistic for the individual in front of us.

We discuss fees during your free initial call so that you have a clear picture before making any decisions. There are no hidden costs and we make sure everything is transparent before you commit to anything.

Yes. Self-funding clients can pay for sessions individually, in advance of each appointment. This is a flexible option that suits people who prefer not to commit to a block of sessions upfront.

Yes. We offer session packages at a fixed rate for those who know they are likely to need ongoing support. Packages are paid upfront and can represent better value over time. We will talk through the current options during your initial consultation.

Therapy may be fundable through a personal injury claim, clinical negligence case, insurance policy or other route depending on your circumstances. We are very experienced in working within medico-legal and case-managed funding structures and can provide the documentation and reporting needed to support funding applications. Please mention this during your free call and we will advise on the best approach.

Yes. We work regularly within case-managed rehabilitation programmes and medico-legal pathways. We are familiar with the requirements of these settings and provide structured, defensible clinical reporting suitable for legal proceedings and case management purposes. Referrals are welcome from case managers, solicitors, rehabilitation consultants and clinical teams.

Payment is made by bank transfer or online card payment — whichever is easiest for you. We will share all the details you need at the point of booking.

We ask for at least 24 hours notice on weekdays if you need to cancel or rearrange an appointment. Appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours notice will be charged at the full session fee. We understand that life does not always go to plan and will always do our best to be flexible in genuinely difficult circumstances.

You can make a referral by using the referral form on our website, emailing us directly or booking a free call to discuss the case informally first. We are happy to talk through a potential referral before any formal steps are taken.

It is helpful to have a brief overview of the person's diagnosis, current communication and swallowing presentation, rehabilitation context and the reason for referral. However you do not need to have everything in place before getting in touch — we can guide you through what we need as part of the initial conversation.

We aim to respond to all referral enquiries promptly. Current availability will be discussed at the point of referral and we will always be transparent about timescales.

Yes. We provide clear, defensible clinical reports suitable for legal proceedings, case conferences and medico-legal documentation. Reports include functional assessment findings, analysis of how communication is affecting rehabilitation, clinical reasoning, intervention planning and recommendations. We are experienced in writing for legal and case management audiences and understand what is required in these contexts.

Yes. We regularly contribute to case conferences, MDT meetings and best-interests discussions. Please discuss this at the point of referral and we will factor it into our involvement.

If you require an expert witness report, please get in touch to discuss your specific requirements. We are happy to talk through whether this is something we are able to assist with.

Yes. We have extensive experience in training support workers, care staff, rehabilitation assistants and larger teams to provide consistent, confident communication and swallowing support. If you are looking for training for your team, please get in touch to discuss your needs.

Yes. We have significant experience in establishing and developing dysphagia services for hospitals and healthcare organisations. If you are looking for consultancy support in this area, please get in touch to discuss what you need.

Yes. We work closely with therapists at various stages of their careers and are committed to supporting the development of the profession. If you are interested in supervision or consultancy, please get in touch to discuss.

The Communication Café is a monthly, online group for anyone affected by communication difficulties. It is not a therapy session — it is a warm, welcoming space to connect with others, share experiences and feel a little less alone.

No. The Communication Café is open to everyone — you do not need to be a current or previous client of Talkabout to join.

Simply get in touch by emailing admin@talkaboutspeechtherapy.com. We will let you know when the next session is taking place and send you everything you need to join.

Please get in touch or check our website for current session dates. We will always let you know in advance what is coming up.

Yes. The Communication Café is open to anyone affected by communication difficulties — including family members, partners and carers. You are very welcome to join together.

Yes. If you do not have access to a computer or tablet, you can dial in by phone. We will share the dial-in details when you sign up. Please also let us know if you need any technical help — we are on hand at every session to assist.