South West speech pathologist opens up on swallow study

A video fluoroscopic swallow study may sound like a mouthful, but for WA Country Health Service Speech Pathologist Emily Jackson, it’s a core part of the care she provides in her community.

Based at Bunbury Regional Hospital, Emily was instrumental in helping to make the service available through the Speech Pathology Department.

Two years on, she’s proud of the work the team has done to grow the service, including upskilling more speech pathologists in the field.

“I’ve got a real sense of pride for what we’ve accomplished, we’ve now got two more speech pathologists who are fully competent, so we’re able to ensure that continuity of service,” Emily said.

“We’ve increased awareness about video fluoroscopy with clinicians across the South West which has helped with ensuring people can get a referral if they need one.”

“We’ve had lots of support, and I’m so thankful for my supervisor, Senior Speech Pathologist Jessica Clews who has been mentoring me in the role,” she added.

Video fluoroscopy is a specialised skill for speech pathologists. It requires additional training and close to 12 months of supervision before it can be done independently.

“The upskilling of the two other speech pathologists means it’s not just one person holding the knowledge and we can really ensure that broader scope of care and skill building.”

Also known as a modified barium swallow study, video fluoroscopy assesses the safety and efficiency of a person’s swallow by taking a moving x-ray of the mouth throat.

It’s a powerful diagnostic tool for speech pathologists, allowing them to quickly identify risks for asphyxiation, design effective meal modifications and provide rehabilitative advice to strengthen a patients ability to swallow.

“Video fluoroscopy is considered the gold standard for assessing swallowing issues from an oral and pharyngeal perspective,” she said.

“Accessing this service is important for people in the South West because it can prevent life-threatening medical issues like choking, chest infections and pneumonia.”

Video fluoroscopy is available to those living in the South West including hospital inpatients, outpatients, nursing home residents and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants.

Referrals can be made by general practitioners or the managing medical team.