{"id":115,"date":"2024-02-08T16:54:20","date_gmt":"2024-02-08T16:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/adult-slt\/?page_id=115"},"modified":"2025-04-25T17:06:29","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T16:06:29","slug":"dysphagia-checklist","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/slt-care-homes\/dysphagia-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"Referral Process"},"content":{"rendered":"

Referral Process<\/h1>\n

In order to refer a resident to our service please complete our referral form<\/strong>.<\/a> Prior to completing the referral, please consult our dysphagia checklist<\/strong> for case specific guidance and to see whether a referral is appropriate. You may also find it useful to also complete a swallow diary<\/strong><\/a> as this can help identify patterns in someone\u2019s difficulties.<\/p>\n

The Managing Dysphagia checklist is shown below with resources<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Observation\/Difficulty <\/strong><\/td>\nManagement suggestion<\/strong><\/td>\nOutcome and date<\/strong><\/p>\n

Include information on changes trialled, and whether problem has resolved or continues. Include date changes were started and reviewed<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

Aspiration pneumonia or recurrent chest infections (3 or more in the last year)<\/em><\/td>\n\n
    \n
  • GP Review<\/li>\n
  • Refer to SLT.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Eating and drinking difficulties due to a baseline respiratory condition<\/td>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chewing Difficulties<\/td>\n\nInappropriate to refer to SLT if no signs of dysphagia.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Choking (Complete obstruction of the airway which required back slaps\/Heimlich manoeuvre)<\/td>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Coughing when eating<\/td>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Coughing when drinking<\/td>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Drowsiness: not alert enough to eat and drink safely<\/td>\n\n
    \n
  • If this drowsiness is new contact GP for review.<\/li>\n
  • Offer oral intake when resident is alert, even if for brief periods<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
Inappropriate to refer to SLT.<\/span> Only refer if resident presents with unmanageable swallowing difficulties when alert.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fast Rate of eating and drink\/ cramming<\/td>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Food Residue seen in mouth after eating<\/td>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Medications: difficulty swallowing tablets<\/td>\n\n
    \n
  • Request review by pharmacy or GP.<\/li>\n
  • Medication may require modification.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
Inappropriate to refer to SLT.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Positioning difficulties: unable to sit in or maintain upright position<\/td>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Refusing to eat and drink<\/td>\n\nInappropriate to refer to SLT if no signs of dysphagia.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Regurgitation of food or fluids or symptoms of reflux in the absence of swallowing difficulties<\/td>\n\nInappropriate to refer to SLT.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Resident is struggling on current diet texture<\/td>\n\nDo not need to refer to SLT if tolerating IDDSI level without difficulty. If further modifications are felt necessary please refer to Adult Speech and Language Therapy <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Please notify Adult Speech and Language Therapy of the changes to their diet texture so our records can be updated<\/span>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Improvement in swallow. Resident has been placed on thickened fluids, is tolerating these well and their general condition has improved<\/td>\n\nDo not need to refer to SLT if tolerating IDDSI level without difficulty. If further modifications are felt necessary please refer to Adult Speech and Language Therapy <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Please notify Adult Speech and Language Therapy of the changes to their fluid consistency so our records can be updated<\/span>.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Saliva Management: Thick saliva and\/or dry mouth<\/td>\n\nInappropriate to refer to SLT.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Saliva Management: excess thin\/watery saliva<\/td>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Weight loss due to significant reduction in fluid\/food intake<\/td>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wet Voice after eating or drinking<\/td>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Referral Process In order to refer a resident to our service please complete our referral form. Prior to completing the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-fullwidth.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-115","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/slt-care-homes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/115","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/slt-care-homes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/slt-care-homes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/slt-care-homes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/slt-care-homes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/slt-care-homes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/115\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":357,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/slt-care-homes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/115\/revisions\/357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/slt-care-homes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}