Te Whatu Ora Lakes Speech-Language Therapists provide services for:
- Inpatients and Outpatients
- Adults: Acquired communication and swallowing disorders related to a health condition
- Children: birth + for feeding and swallowing difficulties (unless child has a developmental condition that is more appropriate for Child Development Team Services). Please note: We do not see children for communication difficulties. For children under 3, please refer to Te Whatu Ora Lakes Child Development Service. At around 3 years of age many children with communication difficulties transition to the care of Te Mahau (Ministry of Education) SLT, especially where the child's primary learning environment is based at an education centre (rather than at home). For school aged children with communication issues, please refer to Te Mahau (Ministry of Education) SLT.
- Group therapy sessions as able (e.g. Aphasia group and Parkinson's Speech group).
Where to find us: see the Rotorua Hospital map here.
The team are based at Rotorua Hospital with a visiting outpatient service provided to Taupō Hospital approximately once a fortnight.
What is Speech Language Therapy?
Speech Language Therapists (SLT's) are university trained health professionals who can diagnose and treat difficulties that affect communication and swallowing. Within the health/hospital setting, SLT's often work with people who have acquired difficulties in the following areas: speech, language, voice, swallowing/feeding, and fluency disorders, as well as providing gender affirming voice therapy.
Staff
| Name | Role | Extension Number |
| Annabelle Hastings | Speech Language Therapist /Team Leader | 8528/8529 |
| Abigail Akkersma | Speech Language Therapist | 8529 |
| Shannon Mackintosh | Speech Language Therapist | 8528 |
| Jemma Horne | Speech Language Therapist | 8528 |
| Joanne Lawson | Administration Support | 7913 |
Email: speech.therapy@lakesdhb.govt.nz