Lotte Meteyard Natasha Ross Caroline Perry and Susan

Lotte Meteyard, Natasha Ross, Caroline Perry and Susan Willows University of Reading and Royal Berkshire Hospital Question/Rationale (1) How does the dysphagia service provided by an adult acute SLT team for Head and Neck cancer patients fit with best practice guidelines and the evidence base? (2) Can student SLTs provide extra resources to SLT teams to complete service evaluation and development? What did you do? Project agreed between University and Hospital. Project offered to final year SLT students for dissertation Lay summary This project represents a collaboration between a University and SLT team. Using case-note data, we completed a review of the current service provided by the adult team for Head & Neck Cancer patients (as inpatients and out-patients). Principles for best practice were summarised from national guidelines and from the evidence base (published studies). Student SLT assigned to carry out data collection and analysis. Onsite visits arranged with SLT team. Student completes data collection. Joint supervision provided. Student completes data analysis and write up under supervision of University staff. Dissertation provided to SLT team. Presentation by SLT student to SLT team. What did you find out? Patients receive surgery in a different hospital, making continuity of care (pre, during and post surgery) a challenge – hand over of information could be improved. Including a quality of life measure for all patients would help meet best practice guidelines. The project successfully allowed the SLT team to complete a service review that would otherwise have not been resourced. Next steps: Continue collaboration between University and SLT team; enables SLT team to enhance service development and evaluation. Implications: Student dissertations represent a key resource and link point between Universities and SLT teams that are potentially under-used.