20/03/2026
“One particularly fulfilling moment was when I worked with a stroke patient who had difficulty speaking. By using singing and repetition techniques, I helped her say her name again for the first time since her stroke. She was so proud. Her family was so happy! It was very moving.”
Meet Lauren Hill, Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) here at Royal Surrey.
“I graduated in psychology during the pandemic. There weren’t many jobs around, but I managed to find work in a nursing home. Although it was really intense, I loved helping the residents. A lot of them had speech and language needs, and I realised it was something I wanted to pursue further, so I enrolled on an SLT master’s degree.”
“I’m currently working on the stroke ward. After a stroke, it’s very common for people to have difficulties with swallowing, speech or language. Sometimes people can’t find the words they want to say, struggle to understand others, have slurred speech, and can no longer safely eat or drink. That’s where speech and language therapists come in – we work to assess their level of need, build on their strengths and find ways to support them.”
“This includes making sure patients can express their wishes about their care. Sometimes that means supporting their understanding and expression by using alternative forms of communication like written words, pictures, charts or gestures.”
“There’s lots to love about my role – getting to know my patients and their families, and lots of chatting… and I do love to chat! But, most of all, I make sure my patients’ voices are heard and work to facilitate their ability to swallow and communicate – things most of us take for granted every day. And that’s a real honour.”
