Standardising terminology for modified consistency diets and fluids

Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT)/INDI working group on standardising terminology for modified consistency diets and fluids. 2008-2009

A working group has been set up with the aim of  producing a consensus document that will provide a common language for the description of all food and fluid consistencies required to manage the different types of dysphagia covered by both professions.

This should benefit both the patient and professions managing their care in a number of different ways i.e improve communication, ensure clarity for patients/families, encourage easy transfer of information from setting to setting, empower staff and facilitate negotiation with other stakeholders e.g. catering, radiology .

This document is not aiming to provide clinical guidelines on when to use specific modified diets, instructions on exact amounts of thickeners or achieving adequate nutritional or fluid intakes for patients with dysphagia.
 
It will be up to each Dept/hospital/community area/long stay facility to decide whether they wish to adopt the consensus document but at the very least it should stimulate multidisciplinary discussion at local level and/or may be a reference point also for the adaptation/production of local documents.

The working group will be contacting appropriate S.I.G’s and all dietetic Managers . for feedback on the draft consensus document in the near future . If you would like to contact the working group members with any queries/issues please contact any of the following.

Contact details:
amchugh@stjames.ie
barbara.shinners@hse.ie
mosullivan@crc.ie
niamh.maher1@hse.ie