Elizabeth Ackroyd qualified in 2002. She is a speech and language therapist who is registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) and is a member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and the Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice (ASLTIP).
Her specialist services are now available in Guernsey.
Contact us today to discuss your speech, language, communication and swallowing needs.
Elizabeth (Liz) Ackroyd is a Consultant Speech and Language Therapist in the area of neurological speech and language therapy needs including brain injury, stroke and progressive neurological disorders. She has many years experience in the assessment and rehabilitation of communication and swallowing difficulties.
Why choose Elizabeth Ackroyd Speech and Language Therapy?
Since qualifying in Birmingham in 2002 with a BSc (Hons) in speech and language therapy and has worked with adults with acquired neurological conditions since. Her understanding of language, sociolinguistics and grammar is also further enhanced by the previous BA (Hons) degree in English Language and Literature from King’s College, London.
What can I expect?
Following an in-depth assessment, you will receive a report which includes SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed) goals which have been formulated in collaboration with the client, family and significant others. A treatment plan will be devised to meet the needs identified. It will be regularly reviewed to ensure progress is being made.
Her experience as a neurological specialist is wide ranging from acute to rehabilitation to community. Liz is able to offer specialist assessment and therapy in both communication and swallowing difficulties across the spectrum of acquired conditions.
She has expertise in the assessment of clients with profound brain injury, enabling her to undertake diagnosis and therapy for clients in vegetative and minimally conscious states.
Specialist training in producing medico-legal reports and giving evidence in court has been undertaken and she ensures she keeps up to date with the relevant guidance. For over 15 years, she has regularly provides medico-legal reports for legal proceedings. She also regularly undertakes work as an intermediary.
She has taught on the undergraduate speech and language therapy course at Birmingham City University. Liz has also recently taught on the Masters in Case Management and the Masters in Brain Injury Rehabilitation at Birmingham University on the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of dysphagia.
She is also able to offer evidence-based speech and language therapy (SLT) medico-legal reports across the United Kingdom. Her many years of experience as an expert witness allows the production of high quality speech and language therapy reports for legal proceedings which consider all of the evidence made available. She provides a responsive service to meet the needs of the legal team and the client.
Liz is also a Registered Intermediary having successfully completed the course run by City Law School and the Ministry of Justice. She works with police forces, solicitors and barristers across England and Wales and works regularly in both magistrates and crown courts. Elizabeth also provides training in the role of the Registered Intermediary. She is a member of Intermediaries for Justice.
Elizabeth has appeared on Channel Four’s Embarrassing Bodies as an expert in speech and language therapy providing assessment and treatment to someone following a stroke. She has provided advice to NICE regarding speech and language therapy intervention and advised the Welcomme Trust regarding speech therapy research proposals.
Curriculum Vitae
Profile:
A qualified and highly experienced neurological speech and language therapist, able to deliver specialist, high quality speech and language therapy medico-legal speech and language therapy reports for children and adults with acquired neurological conditions. I have experience providing a range of reports including personal injury, medical negligence, capacity, breach of duty and for HCPC regarding fitness to practice. I am also an expert witness for the National Crime Agency.
Major achievements/experience
- Founder and director of an independent speech and language therapy
- Provided professional and clinical leadership for a regional rehabilitation service
- Developed highly specialist skills in communication and dysphagia assessment and rehabilitation for clients with complex neurological difficulties
- Delivered high quality speech and language therapy medico legal reports for both catastrophic injury and clinical negligence (currently 15% defence, 75% claimant, 10% joint instruction)
- Developed and utilised innovative therapy tools for dysphagia patients
- Second opinions regarding complex clients to speech and language therapists
- Advised NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) on speech and language therapy intervention
- Member of the advisory board for Wellcome Trust for dysphagia
Experience & Skills:
Director Specialist Speech Therapy (West Midlands) – 2006-to present
Established a successful speech and language therapy practice providing specialist speech and language therapy to young people and adults in the West Midlands. Regularly produce medico-legal reports for clients with acquired speech, language and swallowing difficulties.
Clinical Lead for Speech and Language Therapy August 2009 – June 2011 (Birmingham Community HealthCare NHS Trust (BCHC))
Provided professional and clinical leadership across a regional rehabilitation service. Established a number of new services meeting the needs of a variety of paediatric adult clients.
Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist 2004 – Present (BCHC)
Provided specialist speech and language therapy to clients with acquired speech, language, communication and swallowing needs as a result of complex neurological disability. Tracheostomy management. Managed clients in low awareness states. Multidisciplinary working to meet the needs of complex clients.
Speech and Language Therapist 2002-2004 (University Hospital of North Staffordshire)
Developed skills in the assessment and management of adults with neurological disability in both acute and community settings. Completed post-basic dysphagia competencies.
Experience:
- Inpatients (acute, elderly care, rehabilitation)
- Military patients
- Prison population
- Supporting clients through the criminal justice system
- Clinical and professional leadership
- Working in schools
- Working with clients and their families in the community
- Teaching on the BSc (Hons) Speech and Language Therapy degree course and various MSC courses at the University of Birmingham
Clinical skills:
- Highly developed assessment and therapy for neurological speech, language and communication needs
- Specialist dysphagia (swallowing) assessment and therapy using various tools and techniques
- Tracheostomy management
- Assessment and treatment of clients in vegetative, minimally conscious and low arousal states
- Assessment and management of complex neurological conditions e.g. locked in syndrome.
Qualifications
BSc (Hons) Speech and Language Therapy , University of Central England 1999-2002
BA (Hons) English Language and Literature, King’s College London 1995 1998
4 A levels and 10 GCSEs
Relevant training
SMART (Sensory Assessment and Rehabilitation Technique)
Working with Severe Aphasia
Working in Post-acute Brain Injury
Post-basic Dysphagia
Ethics in dysphagia
Neuropathogy as a Foundation for Dysphagia Management
Health Care Records on Trial
Bond Solon Training – report writing and courtroom skills
Papers written/conferences
Bakeit, O.M, Frost, J and Ackroyd E. (2011) “The remission of lifelong stammering following posterior circulatory stroke” Neurocase, 17: 1, 41 — 45.
“If at first you don’t succeed . . . Part one: When traditional dysphagia therapy techniques are not enough” – Speech and Language Therapy in Practice Spring 2009
“If at first you don’t succeed . . Part two: Tools of the Trade – Speech and Language Therapy in Practice (www.speechmag.com)
“Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Locked-In-Syndrome” – Communication Matters
Assessing and Developing Emerging Communication Skills – Carepathway SIG
Working with Clients with Profound Brain Injury – Regional Environmental and Assistive Technology Training Day
Highly specialist, independent speech and language therapy for adults in Guernsey
Medico-legal and expert witness reports for adults with acquired neurological speech, language and swallowing difficulties across the UK