Dysphagia and Swallow Assessments

Swallow assessments and dysphagia training courses

Our dysphagia training courses are delivered by highly experienced medical professionals, ensuring that carers and healthcare workers are able to identify the signs of the condition, carry out accurate swallow assessments and appropriately manage the patient.

Dysphagia can affect a range of different patients and service-users, who may have trouble swallowing foods or liquids for a number of different reasons, such as:

• A stroke
• Head injury
• Dementia
• Learning or physical disabilities
• Mouth or oesophageal cancer

The proper care of this condition is essential in order to minimise the risk of further complications such as weight loss and chest infections.

Our comprehensive training course will provide you with a full and in-depth understanding of dysphagia and how to manage it within the care environment.

Dysphagia training for carers – what’s covered on the course?

From awareness to causes, high risk groups to possible complications, our dysphagia training courses examine the assessment and risk management strategies for supporting service users with swallowing difficulties.

The course also explores the importance of multidisciplinary involvement in the assessment and planning of care interventions in these circumstances.

The syllabus includes:

• What is dysphagia
• The causes
• Signs, symptoms and complications
• Risk assessments
• The normal and abnormal swallow reflex
• Management
• The importance of multi-disciplinary working
• Summary and evaluation

Course duration

Our dysphagia training courses are bespoke to your individual requirements, with typical courses ranging between 3 and 6 hours in length.

Assessment and certification

The course process consists of continual assessment by the course tutor, case studies, practical scenarios, OSCE's and workbook completion.

Upon successful completion of the dysphagia training course, you’ll receive a certificate valid for 2 years from issue.

Please note: our swallow assessment and dysphagia training courses are only available to employers such as...

• NHS Trusts
• CCGs
• Care providers
• Independent hospitals

...that can provide training facilities onsite for groups of 4 - 12 delegates per training session.