Services A to Z

Service overview  

We are a small, specialist team of Speech and Language Therapists who provide communication and/or eating, drinking and swallowing input for those within non-NHS nursing, residential and hospice facilities in Glasgow City, East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire and West Dunbartonshire (Clydebank area only).   

 Eligibility for service/referral criteria   

Anyone residing within these facilities can access the Care Home and Hospice SLT service – there is no age restriction.  

How to refer  

We accept referrals from care staff, family, health professionals or via self-referral. Please complete the referral form below and submit this in a word or PDF format attachment to:  

ggc.sltcarehome.referrals@nhs.scot

Please note, AHPs and GPs can access our service via SCI Gateway.

Referrals are only accepted via email, however if you would like to speak to a member of the team please contact us on 0141 232 9222.

Who to contact

We are a city wide service but are based in Partick.

Care Home and Hospice Team  
Speech and Language Therapy Department  
Community Centre for Health  
547 Dumbarton Road  
Partick   
G116HU  

0141 232 9222

Service overview  

The Learning Disability service aims to provide specialist health and social care, advice and treatment to adults with a learning disability through locally based integrated health and social work teams. This also includes advice and support for families / carers.  

The service supports other health and social care agencies to provide mainstream services to people with learning disabilities that will enable health improvement and reduce barriers when accessing services.  

The service strives to improve both the physical and mental health of people with learning disabilities by providing efficient and effective health care based on individual needs.  

The health team comprises:    

• Nursing  
• Occupational Therapy  
• Physiotherapy  
• Psychology  
• Psychiatry  
• Speech and Language Therapy  
• Healthcare support workers  
• Social work  

Eligibility for service/referral criteria  

Learning Disability services may offer a service to individuals who:

• are aged 16 years and over and no longer in full time education  
• live within the West Dunbartonshire 
• are registered with a GP  
• Have diagnosis/evidence of a learning disability ** and   
• have evidence of the onset of impairment within the developmental period (up to the age of 18 years)  

Please note, not all individuals with a learning disability will require a specialist learning disability heath service. Please refer to the guidance document to help you decide whether the individual would benefit from access to a specialist adult learning disability service.

How to refer  

The learning disability services operate an open referral system therefore referrals are considered from all sources. Individuals with a learning disability, their carers, social workers, care staff, day service staff and health care colleagues can make a referral to the service. To discuss a referral, please contact your local learning disability services for advice. Referrals also come via other NHS services such as GP practices and secondary care services.   

How to contact     

• Contact Telephone: 0141 232 2190 

Getting out of breath is normal. It is a natural response when your body needs more oxygen and energy after doing something physical. Some people get out of breath even when they are not being active. They suddenly find it difficult or uncomfortable to breathe and may feel they cannot control their breathing. Breathlessness can be a symptom of many different long-term conditions. In most cases the first point of contact for breathlessness is your GP to assess and investigate the cause and consider a medical approach.

NHS Inform can be helpful if you are unsure if you should contact your GP if you have a cough Cough | NHS Inform or are breathless Shortness of Breath | NHS Inform.

In many cases there is no medical explanation for breathlessness, and all tests are considered normal – this can sometimes be due to a breathing pattern disorder, anxiety, deconditioning or many other explanations.

The following sites offer advice and self-guided exercises to help manage the symptoms of breathlessness.

• Physiotherapy for Breathing Pattern Disorders
• Breathing Easier – NHSGGC
• Breathing Physio
• Scottish Opera Breath Cycle II (Long COVID)
• Calm App

Fatigue can be a debilitating symptom that impacts all aspects of life. Fatigue is more than just being tired after a hard day and is often not relieved by rest. You may struggle with daily tasks such as washing, dressing, housework, cooking or work/education. There are many reasons why you may experience fatigue, such as stress/anxiety, illness, poor nutrition/vitamin deficiencies, poor quality sleep, hormonal changes and in some cases, medication.

Tiredness and fatigue – NHS

The following strategies can help manage your energy and can be personalised to meet your needs.

• Managing Energy – Lift Up Your Everyday – Royal College of Occupational Therapy
• The Scottish Ballet Long COVID programme helps posture, alignment and body confidence and its creative elements address your whole being
• NHS Sitting exercises
• NHS Pilates – a series of introductory Pilates exercises
• Suzy Bolt Long COVID Yoga – videos of meditations, educational sessions and Yoga based gentle exercise

Brain fog is the term coined for those with memory and attention impairments. The following pages can give some helpful tips on how to manage these problems and ways to improve your memory and attention gradually.

• NHS inform
• Long COVID Physio – Cognitive Dysfunction
• Mindfulness Breathing exercise
• Core practices | Right Decisions

Those with long-term Conditions often struggle to stay in or return to work, study or unpaid work. The following webpages offer support and advice about how to plan your return to work, what to do if you have not been treated fairly by your employer and where to turn if you are exiting work or seeking new employment.

• ACAS – free, impartial advice on workplace rights, rules and best practice
• Access to Work – Government based agency offering support to those with a disability
• Jobcentre – Support and advice on benefits and employability
• Action for ME – The rights of people with ME at work – useful leaflet explaining the rights of people with ME at work.
• Action for ME – Support at work for people with ME – useful leaflet with guidance on support available for people with ME at work.
• The Advocacy Project – human rights-based organisation that supports people to have their voices heard and be empowered to be involved in decisions that affect their lives
• The Federation of Small Businesses – for those self-employed or running smaller businesses – advice, financial expertise, support and a powerful voice heard in government
• Govan Law Centre – a free legal resource – a charity challenging poverty, discrimination and disadvantage. They specialise in housing, landlord and tenant, homelessness, welfare rights, money advice, social services, consumer and debt
• Wellness Action Plan (MIND) – an example of a plan which can be useful for maintaining or returning to work.

Your mental health is as important as your physical health. When living with a long-term condition, it is understandable that many people feel a decline in their mental health.

It is important to address these issues to prevent worsening, and there are many ways to self-manage milder symptoms.

If your symptoms are worsening or you no longer feel that you can keep yourself or others safe, please contact your GP or call NHS24 on 111 or 999 depending on the severity.

The ‘My Health – Living Well With Long-Term Conditions’ service is not a 24-hour service. Communication (email and telephone) is not monitored out of working hours.

• NHS – 5 steps to mental wellbeing
• Every Mind Matters – website with resources for managing your mental health including relaxation, meditation and strategies
• Stress Management Society
• Wellbeing services – South Glasgow – web links and virtual groups for various aspects of mental health for those with GPs in the South of Glasgow
• Wellbeing Scotland
• Meditation and Sleep Made Simple – Headspace
• Breathing Space Scotland – a free, confidential, phone and webchat service for anyone in Scotland over the age of 16 experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety.
• Lifelink – can offer support to anyone who is struggling to cope with everyday stress or is feeling anxious or depressed. 1:1 counselling available and a Glasgow based service.
• Samaritans – for anyone struggling to cope, who needs someone to listen without judgement or pressure. This is for if you are in crisis or to prevent a crisis.
• Daylight – clinically proven digital treatment that uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques to help people gain control over their anxiety.

The following pages will signpost you to templates you may use for managing your long-term condition.

• WRAP – wellness action plan, an example of a plan which can be useful for managing your condition
• Work WRAP – Longer version of the above WRAP with sections more relevant to work

For reduced or loss of sense of smell there are charities which support and sell packs to rehabilitate the sense of smell

• Abscent
• Smell Taste
• For people with noise sensitivity after COVID, many have found that noise reducing earplugs are helpful.
• Visual decline – please refer to your local opticians.
• Visual sensitivity – some have found wearing coloured glasses lenses relieving or wearing a cap is helpful to shade the light from above.

These pages have adapted fatigue strategies for those who are neurodivergent (e.g. – Autism or ADHD).

• The Neurodivergent Spoon Theory is a helpful tool which has adapted the Spoon Theory for those who are neurodivergent.
• How to Use Pacing Systems — Insights of a Neurodivergent Clinician (neurodivergentinsights.com)

Your ability to achieve daily activities can be impacted by your long-term condition. Below are some resources to help identify aids that may help.

• Ask Sara – Impartial advice about equipment to help make daily living easier.
• Kitchen Aids – A list of small aids that can support you when completing kitchen tasks.
• Household Aids – A list of small aids that can support you when completing kitchen tasks.
• Personal Care Aids – A list of small aids that can support you when completing personal care tasks.

Certain medical conditions need to be declared to DVLA. Some symptoms may impact on your ability to concentrate or safely manoeuvre a vehicle. If you do not declare a new or worsening health condition or disability, it may result in a fine or prosecution. Please see the DVLA website for further information and an A to Z list of conditions.

People living with long-term conditions often need to reduce their working hours or stop working to manage their condition. This may inevitably have an impact on their finances. The following pages may be able to help and guide you to money management or signpost you to grant or benefits to help.

• Support and Information Services (NHSGGC) – a service within the NHSGGC who can advise on financial, social, educational, lifestyle issues and support groups and guiding through the complaints process.
• Citizens Advice Scotland – help for benefits, debt and money, housing, work, family, law and courts and immigration for those living in Scotland.
• Advice Direct Scotland – support for those with Long Term Conditions – e.g. – advice for applying for Adult Disability Payment / ADP (previously known as Personal Independence Payment / PIP)
• Money Matters – a Welfare Rights Service, financial capability service based in Glasgow.

Some people experience palpitations – a sensation of fast or inconsistent heart beats in their chests or dizziness. In some cases, this is cardiac related, but many have been medically assessed and the symptom is not due to any damage to the heart.

If you have this symptom and cardiac cause has been ruled out, then this may be classed as dysautonomia. This is a condition which many people have and can be managed with the right advice and treatment.

• Dysautononomia Support
• PoTS-UK
• Standing Up To PoTS
• NHS Page for PoTS
• Stop Fainting

Sleep is important for replenishing energy levels and repairing the body. Many people with long-term conditions feel that their ability to sleep and their sleep quality have got worse. The following pages help with advice and support to improve your sleep.

• Sleepio
• The Sleep Charity
• Sleep Foundation
• BetterSleep
• Wellbeing HUB – sleep

Information for Referrers and General Practitioners (GPs)

Direct referrals will be accepted from GPs via SCI-gateway. If another member of the MDT feels input would be helpful, please discuss with the GP. 

Inclusion criteria 

• 18 years old and above 
• Live within NHSGGC geographical area.  
• 12 weeks history of a long-term condition.  
• Cluster of symptoms which impacts day-to-day living. 

Exclusion criteria 

• Patients living outside NHSGGC boundary 
• Symptoms lasting less than 12 weeks. 
• Other medical conditions that may present with similar symptoms. 
• Patients with co-existent active cancer that would be best managed by the cancer pathway.  
• Patients who are in mental health crisis. 
• Ongoing medical investigations for other conditions. 
• Patient needs are being met elsewhere (e.g. community respiratory team). 

A Women’s Health Network was established in Govanhill during 2018. It developed out of a shared interest in responding to the health needs of women disclosing gender based violence across a wide range of services and community organisations.

The network officially launched as part of International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrations in 2019 and subsequently relaunched as Glasgow Women’s Health Network in 2023. Throughout this time, GWHN has focused on linking activity to both Scotland’s Women’s Health Plan and Equally Safe, consulting with women across the city to ensure the diversity of their experiences are reflected. 

GWHN is coordinated by Glasgow City HSCP’s (Health and Social Care Partnership) Health Improvement Team and reports activity into Glasgow City HSCP Equalities Working Group. GWHN is represented on GVAWP’s (Glasgow Violence Against Women Partnership) Prevention Working Group. 

One of the ways GWHN improves women’s experience of services is by facilitating access to training for staff and volunteers. An example of this is Glasgow & Clyde Rape Crisis Centre (GCRCC) First Responder training. Delivered to network members, the sessions have increased confidence of staff responding to disclosures of sexual violence.

Currently GWHN is working with TIP:UK (Trauma Informed Parenting UK) to support network members delivering services to women affected by trauma. They will also deliver trauma informed parenting sessions to women, in this way women and staff share the same learning journey. 

The Event Planning Subgroup works collaboratively to develop events and engagement activities that promote women’s health, wellbeing and gender equality. Bringing together members from a variety of organisations and services, the subgroup initiatives are developed in response to local priorities, raising awareness of key issues that create opportunities for learning, connection and community engagement. 

All events aim to increase the reach of key women’s health messages and create opportunities for women, communities and professionals to connect with support, information and services. 

Community pop up events are organised throughout the year, providing opportunities for women to talk directly to health/service providers and campaigning organisations.