Patients are being offered life-changing support by an innovative �75,000 therapy project.

The speech and language therapy project was launched at Loxford Polyclinic, Loxford Lane, Ilford on Thursday.

It aims to enhance the speech and language therapy service for hundreds of patients in Redbridge.

The scheme offers support to residents who have communication and swallowing difficulties resulting from conditions including stroke, cancer, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.

Speech therapy team leader and clinical specialist Rita Thakaria said: “We wanted to extend the work we already do in the community, including addressing the needs of the ethnic minorities by incorporating different languages.”

The benefits will include computer-based therapies to help patients with speech and language difficulties at home with a number of laptops available on loan.

Carla Bryson, who has been a speech therapist for six years, said: “The money provided has allowed us to train more staff, buy more equipment and further the conversation partners and storytelling programs.

“We have around 650 patients who have the chance to work with the new software to aid therapy between classes which give them instant feedback on what they’ve done and also allow us to monitor what they are doing.”

“Some people live alone and there is no other way for them to carry on their therapy, which is where the conversation partners can step in.”

The therapy programmes are all designed to suit individual needs.

Carla added: “Patient recovery has accelerated dramatically as instead of one hour of therapy a week they now get 12 times that if they use the software as recommended.”

Ilford South MP Mike Gapes and Cllr Filly Maravala also attended the launch to offer support for both staff and service users.