We assess, diagnose, treat and support people with a wide range of communication and swallowing difficulties.

About us

Speech Pathologists provide specialist assessment and management for all ages – adults and children – who have communication, cognitive and swallowing difficulties.

Communication problems that Speech Pathologists can help include difficulty with:

  • Understanding
  • Speaking (finding the right words, slurred speech, voice changes, stuttering)
  • Reading and writing
  • Expressing yourself

Swallowing problems that they can help include difficulty with:

  • Coughing when eating and/or drinking
  • Food getting stuck in your throat
  • Chewing
  • Managing your saliva (too much or too little)

The Barwon Health Speech Pathology department provides services to people in the hospital, rehabilitation centres, community health centres, aged care facilities and at home.

Our services

Click the headings below to find out more about our services.

Inpatient Service

This service provides assessment, diagnosis and management of inpatients and outpatients with communication and/or swallowing disorders of medical and neurological origin and Ear Nose & Throat and Head & Neck surgery origin.

Specialist clinic (outpatient) services

These clinics include speech pathology services related to radiation oncology, tracheostomy management, laryngectomy management, videofluoroscopic swallow studies, flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) and paediatric feeding.

For further information about specialist clinic services please see the Speech Pathology Clinics page.

Contact

University Hospital Geelong, Allied Health, Heath Wing Level 2, Bellerine St, Geelong 3220

8.00am to 4.15pm Monday to Friday

03 4215 0826

University Hospital Geelong Outpatient Paediatric Service

This service is provided to pre-school children, aged 0 – 6 years, with a primary feeding difficulty, or a primary speech and/or language difficulty as a result of a medical aetiology.

Primary Feeding Difficulties may include:

  • Failure to Thrive / Poor Weight Gain
  • Refusal of breast/bottle/solid foods
  • Breast/bottle feeding difficulties – difficulties initiating or sustaining the feed, poor intake, weak suck, fatigue, inco-ordination
  • Signs of swallowing dysfunction e.g. coughing/gurgly during feeds, frequent chest infections, chronic asthma not relieved with medication
  • Difficulties with solid foods e.g. problems with chewing/gagging/transition to solids

Primary Speech and/or Language Difficulties as a result of a medical aetiology may include the following aetiologies:

  • Cleft lip and/or palate
  • Velopharyngeal insufficiency
  • Syndromes

Contact 

University Hospital Geelong, Allied Health, Heath Wing Level 2, Bellerine St, Geelong 3220

8:00am to 4:15pm Monday to Friday

4215 0826

Community Health Paediatric Services

This service provides assessment and treatment of communication disorders in children:

  • Aged up to 6 years, prior to school entry with:
  • A speech delay and difficult to understand
  • A language delay (not children with a cognitive or developmental delay)
  • A stutter
  • Voice difficulties
  • Swallowing difficulties / feeding problems not related to a medical aetiology i.e. fussy eating

Children who have a diagnosed disability or suspected developmental delay are ineligible for Barwon Health’s community health speech pathology services. There are other specialised programs available for children with disabilities or developments delays and these cases should be referred to Early Childhood Intervention Services (ECIS).

Once eligible, the speech pathologist and family will discuss goals and options for follow-up services that may include:

  • Further assessment
  • Group or individual therapy
  • Parent training/workshops
  • Liaison with other health professionals
  • Support with transition to school

Community Health Speech Pathology services are available at:

Barwon Health North

Newcomb Community Health Centre

Belmont Community Health Centre

Surfcoast Community Health Centre

Bannockburn Community Health Centre

Contact

4215 7700

McKellar Inpatient Rehabilitation Centre (IRC)

This service provides inpatient assessment, diagnosis and management of the full range of communication and swallowing disorders resulting from traumatic brain injury, stroke, other acquired brain injury, other illness or ageing.

The service provides a consumer centred, goal-directed and inter-disciplinary service within specialist teams to assist patients in achieving their optimum level of independence.

Contact

Inpatient Rehabilitation Centre, McKellar Centre, 45-95 Ballarat Rd, North Geelong

8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday

4215 5812

Community Rehabilitation Centres (CRC)
  • McKellar Community Rehabilitation Centre
  • Belmont Community Rehabilitation Centre

Speech pathologists work with clients and their carers to achieve their goals. Speech pathologists work as part of a team of specialist health professionals in the areas of neurology, traumatic brain injury, spinal injury, and general rehabilitation.  Services include assessment and rehabilitation of swallowing and individual and group therapy for communication and cognition. Therapy is provided in the centre, at home or the community depending on the client’s goals.

Our Speech Pathology team at Belmont are qualified to treat clients with Parkinson’s Disease with both the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment -LSVT Loud (www.lsvtglobal.com) and the SPEAK OUT! & LOUD Crowd programs (www.ParkinsonVoiceProject.org).

Contact

McKellar Community Rehabilitation Centre Reception

8.00am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday

4215 5301

For referrals – Fax 4215 6376

Page last updated: January 20, 2026