Meet
Gabrielle Rossano
Specialist Speech & Language Therapist, Neurology and Neurosurgery
I currently work on the neurosurgical wards, supporting patients with either communication and/or swallowing difficulties post-surgery. As a speech and language therapist, I am involved in the assessment and management of these difficulties, regularly working alongside our physiotherapy and occupational therapy colleagues. I support patients to return to eating and drinking following an acute event, and offer intervention to support their new communication difficulties. I also offer a voice-banking outpatient service, which supports patients with progressive neurological conditions.
How long have you worked at the hospital?
14 months
Interesting project you’ve worked on:
While working on the neurology wards I was able to set up a voice banking service for patients with progressive neurological conditions. The patients attend a one-hour outpatient clinic, where they use a computer software package to record their voices saying roughly 300 phrases. These phrases are then analysed and used to create their own personalised synthetic voice which can then be downloaded onto personal devices. This service supports patients who have progressive conditions, such as Motor Neuron Disease, who may lose the inability to speak in the future.
How does your work make a positive impact?
I help enable patients to communicate with medical professionals and relatives on the ward, which ensures that they are actively involved in their own care. I am also able to support patients to return back to eating and drinking safely, which can greatly improve their quality of life.
What is most challenging about your job?
Time pressures can be challenging, often knowing that we could offer more to our patients, however are limited due to lack of time or resources.
What is most rewarding about your job?
Empowering patients to make well-informed decisions around their care.
How has your department benefitted from funds raised by The National Brain Appeal?
Through The National Brain Appeal my team has been able to purchase a range of equipment including laptops and headsets for the voice banking projects, sEMG (surface electromyography) used to detect muscle strength and provide biofeedback for swallow rehabilitation, and an IOPI device which is used to asses tongue activity and guide therapy. Through purchasing this specialist equipment our patients are able to access the unique services that our team is able to offer.
Can you tell us anything interesting about yourself?
I worked in the ambulance service in Israel during my gap year, and would work eight-hour shifts driving round the streets of Tel Aviv!
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