Rupert Maher – service manager, regional specialist rehabilitation
Speech and language therapy
The speech and language therapist assesses and supports your child's communication needs. This includes assessing and supporting language needs, recommending communication hardware and software, programming communication devices, setting communication goals with you and your family, supporting communication partners, and providing training to you, your child, your family, and local services.
- Charlotte Sax – clinical specialist speech and language therapist
- Cristiana Atherton – specialist speech and language therapist
Occupational therapy
The occupational therapist assesses and recommends different ways in which your child may access their communication device if their hand and arm movements are limited, and may recommend hardware or software, and may programme your communication device to your specific needs.
The occupational therapist assessment takes into account the environment(s) in which your child wishes to use the device, what seating, positioning or wheelchair they use and how the device works with, attaches to, or fits with their seating or positioning equipment.
The occupational therapist also works with the rehabilitation engineer to assess the safety and compatibility of your child's equipment.
- Wendy Garnett – clinical specialist occupational therapist
Communication technician
The communication technician will work closely with the speech and language therapist and other members of the team to provide your child with technical support in operating their communication device.
This includes training in how to use your child's device and software for you, your child, your family and local services, customising the device to meet your child's communication needs, liaising with suppliers, and setting communication goals with your child alongside the speech and language therapist.
- James Byron – communication technician
Rehabilitation engineering
The rehabilitation (rehab) engineer works closely with the team to design and customise how the communication equipment interfaces with your child's seating/bed or mobility device.
Where commercially available options do not meet all the requirements, the rehab engineer may develop a bespoke solution tailored to your child's individual needs. Risk assessments are a key part of their role, to ensure the safety and compatibility of your child's equipment.
- Meike Currie – rehabilitation engineer (King's College Hospital)
Administration
The assistive communication service administrator is responsible for patient liaison and office administration.
- Olufemi Oyewumi – assistive communication service administrator