Our experience of a speech and language therapist-led swallow disorder clinic

Dysphagia can lead to morbidity including weight loss and aspiration pneumonia. Effective triage of patients and streamlining of pathways to expedite diagnosis and treatment is therefore imperative.

The goals of this research were to measure the referral to treatment time for dysphagia patients in a newly established pathway and compare with existing UK national and local referral to treatment times, and to evaluate patient feedback.

Speech and language therapy advanced clinical practitioners were trained in nasendoscopy and assessment of swallow. Referral to treatment times were measured and patient satisfaction questionnaires completed.

A decrease in triage to treatment time (from 24 to 6 weeks). Patients reported high understanding of the condition and minimal discomfort during assessments. Radiation exposure was reduced (2 per cent of patients undergoing soluble contrast swallows, previously 100 per cent).

The new pathway expedites treatment and achieves high patient satisfaction. It empowers speech and language therapy in efficiently managing low-complexity cases and supports multidisciplinary care for dysphagia patients.