Swallowing screening and nutrition management

Quality statement

Patients with acute stroke have their swallowing screened by a specially trained healthcare professional within 4 hours of admission to hospital, before being given any oral food, fluid or medication, and they have an ongoing management plan for the provision of adequate nutrition.

Quality measure

Structure

Evidence that arrangements are in place to ensure that all people with acute stroke have their swallowing screened and have an ongoing management plan for the provision of adequate nutrition, administered by a specially trained healthcare professional.

Process

Proportion of patients with acute stroke who have their swallowing screened by a specially trained healthcare professional within 4 hours of admission to hospital, before being given any oral food, fluid or medication.

(a) Numerator: the number of patients who have their swallowing screened by a specially trained healthcare professional within 4 hours of admission to hospital, before being given any oral food, fluid or medication.

Denominator: the number of patients with acute stroke admitted to hospital.

(b) Numerator: the number of patients with an ongoing management plan for the provision of adequate nutrition.

Denominator: the number of patients with acute stroke admitted to hospital.

Description of what the quality statement means for each audience

Service providers ensure facilities and protocols are available to ensure that each patient with acute stroke has their swallowing screened by a specially trained healthcare professional within 4 hours of admission to hospital, and prior to the oral administration of food, fluid or medication, and that each patient has an ongoing management plan for the provision of adequate nutrition.

Healthcare professionals are trained to screen the swallowing of patients with acute stroke within 4 hours of admission before being given any oral food, fluid or medication, and that they implement ongoing management plans for the provision of adequate nutrition.

Commissioners ensure that services are in place for patients with acute stroke to have their swallowing screened by a specially trained healthcare professional within 4 hours of admission, prior to the oral administration of food, fluid or medication, and for the implementation of an ongoing management plan for the provision of adequate nutrition.

Patients admitted with acute stroke can expect to have their swallowing screened by a specially trained healthcare professional within 4 hours of admission, before being given any food, drink or medication by mouth, and also to have an ongoing management plan for the provision of adequate nutrition.

Definitions

Professionals trained to perform a swallow screen include nurses, doctors, and speech and language therapists.

Data source

Structure

Local data collection.

Process

Trusts can collect data via the Sentinel Stroke Audit, SINAP, HES data and through local data collection.