Speech and Language Therapy – Dysphagia Management Checklist and resources
1. Introduction
This section includes videos and information regarding Nottingham and Nottinghamshire’s Speech and Language Therapy Services including information on referral processes and ‘how to’ guides.
This includes a short ‘how to’ guide aimed at all Care Home staff who are completing a Dysphagia Management Checklist and coming soon; a Dysphagia Awareness e-learning which has been created by our local Speech and Language Therapists for Care Staff.
2. Referring to Speech and Language Therapy
All Care Homes in Nottinghamshire can refer directly to Speech and Language Therapy – either via a Single Point of Access or via an email to the Speech and Language Therapy team. All dysphagia referrals must include a completed Dysphagia Management Checklist. This helps the Speech and Language Therapy team understand what steps you have taken to try and support the resident, which helps them triage your referral as quickly as possible.
2.1 For Care Homes in Bassetlaw, Mansfield, Ashfield, Newark, Bassetlaw, Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe
If you work in a Care Home in Bassetlaw, Mid Notts (including Newark, Mansfield and Ashfield) and South (including Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe) and need to refer to Speech and Language Therapy:
You can find copies of the Dysphagia Management Checklist and Speech and Language Therapy referral forms here: Speech and Language Therapy (Adults) | Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust under the ‘information for health professionals’ tab.
It is important that you use the checklist that is relevant to your area – Mid Notts and South or Bassetlaw.
2.2 If you work in a Care Home in Nottingham City:
If you work in a Nottingham City Care Home, please refer to Nottingham Health & Care Point, either online at https://accesstoservices.citycare.org.uk (if you don’t have login ID they will be able help you with this), or by calling 0300 131 0300, option 4.
In addition to the above referral, you will need to email a copy of the completed Dysphagia Management Checklist which relates to your referral to ncp.citycareslts@nhs.net.
If you need a blank copy of the CityCare Dysphagia Management Checklist; please contact your local Speech and Language Therapy Department by emailing ncp.citycareslts@nhs.net.
3. Dysphagia Management Checklist
Within Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, we have a local pathway called the Dysphagia Management Checklist for all Care Home referrals to Speech and Language Therapy.
Staff are asked to complete a Dysphagia Management Checklist when they are concerned that a resident is experiencing difficulties with their eating, drinking, or swallowing. This could also be completed as a resident comes to at the Care Home – as a ‘baseline’ assessment.
This Checklist includes a list of common difficulties that resident might experience when eating, drinking, or swallowing, for example, coughing when drinking. The checklist includes specific instructions relating to those difficulties and provides guidance for Care Home staff to complete.
The checklist also directs Care Home staff when is best to refer to an appropriate service, should the suggestions on the checklist not help the resident with their difficulty.
This five-minute video provides an overview of the CityCare Checklist and instructions for its use. Note that referral processes in this video are specific to CityCare and vary by region (see above for your area). However, the video remains useful as it explains the checklist’s core structure, which is consistent across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Use this guide to assist you in using the checklist effectively.
Coming Soon – Dysphagia Awareness training
