Supporting Safe Drinking in Dysphagia: Exploring the Use, Knowledge and Skills of United Kingdom Speech Pathologists With Strategies to Support Safe Drinking

Abstract

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) recommend a range of safe drinking strategies for people who have difficulties— or suspected difficulties—when drinking. This survey aimed to determine how frequently UK SLPs use and recommend various drinking strategies in clinical practice to support safe drinking with people who have dysphagia. It also explored the relationship between frequency of use of drinking strategies and practitioners’ self-reported confidence in their skills and knowledge of the relevant research evidence base. This sample of 224 SLPs had a range of experience working with different patient populations with dysphagia. The findings help to increase our understanding of variations in current practice, indicating that “alternative delivery” may be a term that clinicians find meaningful to use when categorising strategies, although this requires greater specificity and transparency. Data about the strategies SLPs are recommending—and not recommending—supports more accurate insights into current clinical practice. This study highlights the need for increased access for SLPs to education and training in knowledge of the evidence base, as well as clinical skills.

Keywords::

• Clinical Skills
• Delivery Strategies
• Drinking
• Dysphagia
• Evidence-Based Practice (Ebp)

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Angela Crocker

Angela Crocker is a lead clinical speech and language therapist for Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.

Hannah Crawford

Dr Hannah Crawford is the professional head of speech and language therapy at Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS FT.

Alessia Nicotera

Alessia Nicotera is an SLT employed by the National Health Service in Italy dealing with neurological rehabilitation.

Carlotta Griseri

Carlotta Griseri is a speech and language therapist working in private and public health service in Italy.

Hazel Roddam

Dr Hazel Roddam is an independent consultant for research and evaluation in allied health practice.