The Speech Therapy & Audiology (STA) Department at Witrand Hospital works with individuals from all ages and stages who present with communication difficulties. This includes difficulties in speech, language, swallowing as well as ear and hearing related disorders.
In general, our goal is prevention, promotion, awareness, assessment and treatment of these difficulties within the hospital and externally during community outreach.
The STA Department is currently composed of 2 speech therapists, 1 audiologist as well as 2 speech therapists and audiologists with various experiences from community service to production level. Speech Therapists work with inpatients in the physical medicine and rehabilitation unit who present with cerebro-vascular incidents (CVI), spinal cord injuries (SCI) and traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
They also manage patients with intellectual disabilities who mostly present with dysphagia (swallowing difficulties). Outpatient speech therapy services includes mainly a caseload of patients with speech, sound disorders; language delay and neurological conditions such as autism spectrum disorders.
Audiologists work with patients in the community by assessing and managing their hearing impairment. As part of management, assistive devices such as hearing aids can be recommended for each patient according to their needs to improve their quality of life.
Our focus in the department as speech therapists and audiologists is to be person-centred rehabilitators. This we do by implementing the principles of International Classification of Functioning Framework (WHO, 2023) by taking into account how the illness influences every aspect of a patient’s life.
From a multi-disciplinary approach, we are striving to be more interdisciplinary in our work for better patient outcomes. In view of the NDP 2030 Health Chapter, since 2022, we are endeavouring to promote healthy living and prevention of disease by strengthening primary health care through outreach services to the community. We target all stakeholders – the patient, the family, the medical team as well as the community health-worker. In this plan, if a disease cannot be prevented, our scope is to reduce the impact of the disease on the person’s daily functioning.
Staff Complement:
Speech Therapy:
Permanent Speech Therapists: 2 [Including HoD]
Contractor Speech Therapists: 2
Community Service Speech Therapists: 3
Audiology:
Permanent Audiologists: 2 [Including Senior Audiologist]
Contractor Audiologists: 0
Community Service Audiologists: 3
SERVICE OFFERING
Speech Therapy
Both in and out-patients are seen at Witrand Hospital.
Witrand Speech Unit see children with dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing), speech & language delays, stuttering, articulation & phonological errors, cerebral palsy, downs syndrome and autism spectrum disorder. Clinics include: High Risk Clinic and Laryngectomy Clinic, patients.
Rehabilitation patients for Neuro-rehabilitation of stroke, traumatic brain injury and dysphagia. Some of the patients with dysphagia may undergo a Modified Barium Swallow assessment, which is managed in conjunction with Radiologists & Radiographers from referral hospitals.
02. Audiology
Witrand Hospital: Hearing screening of patients orn with hearing disabilities and those with. Hearing challenges. The unit has a state of the art screening equipment to ensure the screening programme reaches more babies. Baseline/ pre-employment hearing assessments of staff members who may be exposed to noise in their work environments e.g. laundry. This is managed in conjunction with Occupational Health & Safety [OHS] department.
03. Specialised Assessments
Auditory Brainstem Response [ABR] assessments have been done at Witrand over the l years. The ABR test indicates to us how the inner ear, called the cochlea, and the brain pathways for hearing are working. The test is used with children or others who cannot complete a standard hearing screening or diagnostic hearing assessment.
04. Hearing Aid Fittings
Babies and adults alike, who meet the Hearing Aid fitting criteria are now fitted with Hearing aids. This has resulted in a more improved quality of life for such patients as it makes social interaction with immediate family members a lot easier. It also ensures broader inclusivity in society and improves educational and employment prospects for hard of hearing children as well as adults respectively.
05. Community Outreach Project
The Speech Therapy & Audiology department manages a bi-monthly Community Outreach Project to Clinics, Old Age Homes and NGOs locally. It is aimed at screening hearing of patients as well as providing clinical oversight and administrative support to the Community Service Speech Therapist allocated to Witrand Hospital.
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
The Speech Therapy & Audiology department is involved with the training & development of 4th year students from Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University [SMHSU]. In some cases the department has received requests to train & develop students from Wits University as well as the University of Pretoria. Aspiring Speech Therapy & Audiology students, from any grade, are also welcome to the department to learn more about the two disciplines.
REFERRAL PATHWAY
Witrand Hoapital caters mainly from JB Marks. However, it does manage patients from referring facilities from other sub-districts within Dr Kenneth Kaunda District. In-patients: All Speech Therapy & Audiology patients referred and captured on the departmental Referral Register [Requirement of IHRM-F] will be seen within 24 hours during working days. This turnaround time is also captured in our Service Level Standards.
Out-patients: All referred patients are issued with an appointment for a comprehensive diagnostic assessment. If therapeutic intervention is indicated, they will be given monthly appointment/s. Should the patient also attend Physiotherapy and/ or Occupational Therapy, they will be given the same date. This is done to minimize financial costs of accessing Health Care services.
Most of the in-patient referrals are made by Medical Officers, followed by Rehabilitation Therapists.
Out-patient referrals are made via Community Health Clinics, School Health Professionals as well as self-referrals. More and more patients in our surrounding communities are more knowledgeable about our Speech Therapy & Audiology services, hence the spike in self-referrals.
OPERATING HOURS
Days: Monday-Friday. Closed on Public Holidays.
Hours: 7:30 – 16:00.
CONTACT DETAILS
Telephone: 018 294 9178 / 9170/9218
