1. Speech and Language Therapy and Catering-Collaboration Lorraine Carmody 20 th March 2013 Stewarts Care Ltd

2. What supports Multidisciplinary Working? Meeting HIQA standards and guidelines Person Centred Planning Team Based Performance Management Guidelines of governing bodies (e.g. IASLT and INDI ‘Irish Consistency Descriptors for Modified Fluids and Food’) Resource restrictions

3. Role of SLT in Disability setting Role in developing a person’s communication skills through staff training, choice making, accessible information....... Role in assessing feeding, eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties, and management of same………

4. What’s working well….. Collaboration around appearance of food Information session for catering staff on swallowing problems, causes and management. Meeting with rep from nutritional company supplying thickening agents and nutritional supplements. Active discussion around Food Molds and Soaking Solution. Trial of Soaking Solution in identified areas. Follow up visits with company around introducing food molds to organisation.

5. What’s working well….. Menu choices Collaboration between catering, nursing and speech and language therapy departments. Service users have varied communication abilities and needs. Aim: A fast, consistent, and easy means of offering menu choices. Currently being piloted in 3 residential areas. If feedback is positive will be rolled out to all residential areas in coming weeks.

6. Into the future-other ways of working together……