Adult Learning Disability Dysphagia Service
We provide a service for adults with learning disabilities who have eating, drinking and swallowing problems. The aim is to ensure choice and dignity and that people are safe, well-nourished and most importantly enjoying their food. The Health Board have a dedicated Dysphagia Specialist Nurse covering the area of North West Wales.
The service provides an open referral system and a point of contact that offers advice and guidance around eating and swallowing problems. This means people can contact this service directly as opposed to GP referral.
Our dysphagia nurses support by;
- Providing comprehensive eating, drinking and swallowing assessments. Without appropriate assessments and management there is risk of coughing, choking, aspiration, dehydration, respiratory infection, poor nutrition, weight loss, poor health/oral health, anxiety, distress, hospital admission or extended hospital stay and death.
- Providing specialist advice to ensure eating and drinking is safe and people receive adequate nutrition in a manner that is acceptable to them.
- Gathering and passing on vital information about individual care needs.
- Organising education and training initiatives to increase knowledge of the condition through regular training sessions.
- Offering bespoke training where necessary.
- Advocating for people with a learning disability in helping with the capacity, consent, best interests and actively adhering to the mental capacity act.
- Acting as a resource for acute staff and Speech and Language Therapists to provide a service through treatment and discharge.
- Provide Easy Read information to individuals we support, families and carers.
- Weigh individuals who cannot use standard scales to obtain accurate weight records.
Contact our Adult Learning Disability Dysphagia Service
Phone: 07900052085 or 03000 852666
Available from 9.00am - 5.00pm Monday to Friday.