Staff Profile

I qualified as a Speech and Language Therapist having training at Newcastle University in 2004.

I worked in the NHS from 2005-2020 with adults with acquired and progressive neurological communication and swallowing disorders in a range of inpatient and community settings. I am a specialist in Aphasia. 

I began working at Newcastle University in 2011. I am a lecturer in the Speech and Language Sciences department.

Qualifications

·      BSc Speech and Language Sciences (First Class Honours) 2004, Newcastle University.

·      Certificate in Advanced Studies in Academic Practice, 2016.

Professional Memberships:

·      Health Care Professions Council (HCPC).

·      Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

·      British Aphasiology Society (Student Prize Co-ordinator 2013-2016).

I teach on modules:

Clinical and Professional Education SPE8160 & SPE2051.

Speech and Language Pathology SPE2054 & SPE8152.

I am Director of the Tavistock Aphasia Centre-North East. I lead a campus based clinical teaching facility.

I have a teaching and scholarship contract. My interests include evidence-based interventions for people with aphasia & student clinical education.

Research roles:

·      April 2013-2020: Funded research role to work with Professor Tim Griffiths (Institute for Neurosciences, Newcastle University) to run the ‘Aphasia Prediction Clinic' at the RVI Newcastle Hospitals.

This was a pilot NHS service (first in UK) for stroke patients with aphasia offering advice on prognosis of speech recovery utilising the latest neuroscience research. The clinic was a research site for Prediction Language Outcomes and Recovery after Stroke (PLORAS), Chief investigator Professor Cathy Price, University College London.

·      January 2014-March 2014; commissioned by the North East Stroke Research Network to lead a project to enhance research liaison in stroke and speech therapy studies regionally.

Scholarship:

2016- With colleagues, development of video-based clinical self-study resources used across modules on UG and PGT Speech and Language Therapy degrees.

2019-2024-with Prof Julie Morris and Dr Janet Webster development and evaluation of the Newcastle University Aphasia Therapy Resources: Communicative Writing: Aphasia Therapy Resources- Communicative Writing | Newcastle University WebStore

2024: Barbara Stringer Vacation Scholarship Award with 2^nd Year SLT student Laura Percival.

2025 Development of ‘Mental Health Toolkit’ for students working with clients with aphasia and depression on clinical modules. 

Publications:

Vigouroux .J and Miller N (2007). Intelligibility testing: issues in closed versus open format scoring. Newcastle Working Papers in Linguistics, Volume 12.

Vigouroux .J and Miller N (2006). Intelligibility: whats the score? Speech and Language Therapy in Practice, Autumn Edition.

Dodds-Vigouroux J, Webster J, & Morris J (2024) Newcastle University Aphasia Therapy Resources: Communicative Writing. Newcastle University.

Presentations:

Invited speaker at following events:

• British Aphasiology Society Therapy Symposium (2019), Norwich: Think what more you can do” Client-led group projects at the Tavistock Aphasia Centre (North East) with Helen Raffell and Chris Jones.
• British Aphasiology Society Conference (2023), London: The Newcastle University Aphasia Therapy Resources (NATR): Communicative Writing Resource and novel web application.
• Regional Aphasia Study Group (2025), Newcastle: Aphasia and Depression. Experiences from the Tavistock Aphasia Centre – North East (TAC).
• Newcastle University Teaching and Learning Conference (2025), Newcastle: Development of a clinical toolkit for student Speech and Language Therapists working with adults with aphasia & depression.

Awards

• 2016: Prize for innovation in patient services for the Aphasia Prediction Clinic by Sir Leonard Fenwick (Chief executive of Newcastle Hospitals).
• 2019-Best multi-media presentation at British Aphasiology Conference.