Speech-Language Department Quality Service Charter

Contents

This Charter

Our Mission

Our Role

Our Services

Eligibility and Access

The services you can expect from us

How you can help us

Learning from you!

This Charter

This charter is a guide to the Speech-Language Department. It outlines the services we provide and the standards of service we aim to achieve and which you can expect from us.

Our Mission

Our mission is to identify communication difficulties and to design, implement and evaluate programmes for intervention which maximise the communication abilities of our clients.

Our Role

Our role includes both the care of the individual and the education of the community.

We offer guidance, diagnostic assessments, intervention, support and information for both clients and their carers. We recommend and encourage changes which could result in more effective intervention for our clients.

Our Intervention includes assessment, diagnosis, management and prevention of communication disorders. Therapy may be individual or in a group and direct or indirect (through carers). Therapeutic activities will vary according to the nature of the disorder, the client group and the work setting.

Cases may include-

• communication problems associated with: hearing and sensory impairments, learning disability and autism
• problems in articulation, phonology and grammar
• fluency problems (e.g. stammering)
• reading and writing problems related to specific learning difficulties
• speech and language delay
• voice disorders including dysphonia and laryngectomy
• neurological conditions (e.g. head injuries, stroke, progressive diseases)
• swallowing and feeding difficulties

One may contact directly the nearest speech-language clinic. Other professionals and carers may also refer you to a speech-language unit. These include family members, teachers, doctors, nurses, social worker, psychologists, or other professionals.

You may access our services at-

• Birkirkara Tel- 21 485376
• Cospicua Tel- 21 821727
• Floriana Tel- 21 243314
• Gzira Tel- 21 344766
• Mosta Tel- 21 411065
• Paola Tel- 21 691314
• Qormi Tel- 21 484450
• Rabat Tel- 21 459082

(Monday to Friday from 7.30 am to 3.30 pm)

District Clinics

• Birzebbugia Tel- 21658596
• Dingli Tel- 21453113
• Hamrun Tel- 21251447
• Kirkop Tel- 21685347
• Naxxar Tel- 21437155
• Qrendi Tel- 21640984
• Safi Tel- 21647193
• San Gwann Tel- 21373777
• Sta Lucia Tel- 21801003
• Sta. Venera Tel- 21223915
• Siggiewi Tel- 21465252
• Tarxien Tel- 21660500
• Zebbug Tel- 21460454
• Zejtun Tel- 21676818

(On designated days only)

Hospitals

• St. Luke’s Hospital

Speech Language Clinic at ENT Out-Patients Tel- 25951391

(Monday to Friday 7.30 am – 2.30 pm and Saturday 7.30 am – 1.00 pm)

Child Development Assessment Unit Tel- 25951793

(Monday to Friday 7.30 am – 3.30 pm)

• Gozo General Hospital Speech Language Clinic Tel: 21 562700

(Monday to Friday 7.30 am - 2.30 pm and Saturday 7.30 am - 1.30 pm)

• Zammit Clapp Hospital Tel: 21 344950

(Monday to Friday 7.30 am - 3.30 pm)

• St. Vincent de Paule Residence - Tel: 21 224461

(Monday to Friday 7.30 am - 3.30 pm)

Adult Training Services

• Hal Far, Marsascala, Santa Venera, Mtarfa and Gozo.

Special Schools

• Guardian Angel, Hamrun
• San Miguel Febres, St Andrews
• Special Unit, Sannat Primary School
• Helen Keller School, Qrendi
• Dun Manuel Attard School, Wardija

You may call at the above-mentioned sites for an appointment. Should you encounter any difficulties, please contact the Speech-Language Department at Ingiered Road, Luqa on 21 230822 and we’ll be glad to guide you accordingly.

You can expect-

• a full assessment and evaluation of your communication abilities and if indicated, a thorough assessment of oral-motor skills and swallowing abilities
• an intervention programme according to your needs
• to be given an appointment for a new case within 15 working days
• to be given follow-up appointments as indicated by the speech language pathologist according to your needs
• to attend intervention sessions that will normally take between 30 and 45 minutes
• to be seen within 10 minutes of your appointment time. Exceptional circumstances may sometimes prevent us from achieving this target.
• to have all records and information about you stored in a confidential manner
• to be given detailed information regarding your condition
• to have any questions about your condition answered
• to be seen by a state registered dedicated speech-language pathologist
• to be followed by the same speech-language pathologist and if change is necessary you will be informed beforehand.

You can help us provide better service by-

• being punctual for your appointment
• informing the speech language pathologist if you are going to miss an appointment so that other arrangements could be made
• not turning up without an appointment
• informing the speech language pathologist of any medical conditions
• asking for clarification when necessary
• following the advice and programme recommended by the speech-language pathologist
• telling your speech-language pathologist of any changes in your name, address and/or telephone number.

We consistently seek to improve the quality of our care. We welcome your comments and suggestions as they help us improve our service. Your complete satisfaction is essential to us. If you would like to lodge a complaint, it is best to first speak to the speech-language pathologist who is treating you. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may call or write to our Customer Care Unit at the Speech-Language Department at the following address-

Customer Care Unit

Speech Language Department

Ingiered Road

Luqa LQA 05

Telephone number- 21 230822

Fax number- 21 233857

Email- speechlanguage@gov.mt

Web site- www.health.gov.mt/services/speechlang.htm

We will acknowledge your complaint promptly and you will have your reply within 2 weeks.

All information is correct at time of going to print. Information is continuously updated on the Charter Support Unit website.

First published July 1999

February 2003

Published by the Charter Support Unit, OPM

http://www.servicecharters.gov.mt

Printed at the Government Press

Photography, DOI