What type of clients do you work with?

I work with people over the age of 16 who have an acquired neurological condition. This includes stroke, brain injury, brain tumours, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Motor Neurone Disease. There are many neurological conditions, so even if you are living with a condition not listed here, still get in touch to see how I could help you.

What’s the best way to arrange an appointment?

I will always first aim to speak to you or a close family member or friend to discuss the difficulties you are having. This phonecall lasts up to 15 minutes, and is free of charge. If we both agree it will be beneficial to arrange an appointment, I will plan this with you in that initial phonecall. Use the contact form at the bottom of the page to send me a message, or call me on 07448 881707 (please note, this number is not monitored every day. Please leave a message and I will call you back.)

What happens when you come to see me?

It can feel strange having a therapist come to your home, especially if you are dealing with a newly diagnosed health condition and having to manage lots of changes.

When I first come to see you, I will have a discussion with you about what has changed for you, what you would like to work on, and any targets you might have for therapy- how will you know things are getting better? I will also aim to carry out an assessment of your speech, language, or swallow function. This can feel difficult, but is helpful in making sure any therapy that follows is personalised to you and gives the best chance of seeing progress.

Do you only see clients at their home?

I will mainly look to see you at your home, although this also applies to those who are in a care home. I am unable to see clients in hospital. In some cases, clients benefit from having sessions in other settings such as shops or cafes in order to practice skills developed in home sessions. This will be planned ahead of time if we both agree it will be helpful.

Can I have family members of friends with me for appointments?

Absolutely! My priority is that you feel you are benefitting from appointments, and having a friend or relative with you is often helpful as they can support you with any home practice tasks or exercises I provide you with.

How long will I need to have speech and language therapy for?

This is a difficult question to answer, as everyone has different needs and targets for therapy. When I carry out my first visit with you, I will give you some guidance regarding how many appointments I think will be beneficial in the first instance.

How do I cancel an appointment?

I understand that sometimes unforeseen circumstances occur, such as illness, that requires last minute cancellation of appointments. Please let me know by phone as soon as you are aware that you need to cancel. Please note, that cancellations within 24 hours of the appointment time are liable to the full cost of the appointment.

How do I pay for my appointments?

One-to-one sessions will be invoiced ahead of the appointment date and payment is expected within 10 days of issue. If you would like to pay for several sessions at once, an invoice for this can be issued.

Group sessions are treated on a pay-as-you-go basis. For in-person groups, I can take card payments. For online groups, an invoice will be issued via email and payment is expected within 10 days of issue.

Can I use my health insurance to pay for appointments?

If you have health insurance you may be able to claim for the cost of therapy. However you will have to pay Neuro Speech Therapy directly and claim the fees from your insurance company. I highly recommend that before starting therapy you:

• Check with your insurers whether the cost of treatment will be covered before agreeing to pay for speech and language therapy.

• Check the company’s payment policy, as some take a long time to process an account.

How do I check you are suitably qualified and insured?

Please visit HCPC to check the register by searching my surname ‘Maclean’ or registration number SL29218.

I am a member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and the Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice (ASLTIP). RCSLT provide public liability, medical malpractice and professional indemnity insurance.

I have PVG membership.

I am very happy to share certification of professional memberships, insurance and PVG - please just ask.