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Swallowing Disorders Clinic at Flinders Medical Centre
The Swallowing Disorders Clinic (SDC) is a Medicare bulk billed Speech Pathology service for people living with complex dysphagia within the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network area.
Dysphagia is the medical term used to describe difficulty in swallowing. This can include difficulty swallowing food, drink or saliva.
We provide outpatient input to support community medical and allied health management of complex dysphagia. All people in the community are eligible for this service. This includes people in residential care facilities, with National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding, My Aged Care funding or Private Speech Pathology input. We provide services across various sites within the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network.
Swallowing Disorders Clinic Services
- Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study (VFSS) Clinic
- Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) Clinic
- Motor Neurone Disease and Outpatient Dysphagia Clinic
Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study (VFSS) Clinic
A Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study is a motion x-ray of the mouth, throat and passage to the stomach (gullet). An x-ray is captured while the patient is eating and drinking, and we use it to:
- Identify the reason for swallowing difficulties
- Work out whether food or fluid is going down the right way and not into the airway or lungs (if food, fluid or saliva enter the airway, it is called aspiration)
- Give support to help manage swallowing problems.
Support can include:
- Discussing the options for changing the consistency of drinks and food textures
- Teaching about how to reduce the risk of aspiration or choking
- How to maximise swallowing efficiency to maintain quality of life
- Guide discussions around long term alternative feeding if appropriate
What’s involved:
- This procedure is offered in the SAMI radiology department at the Repat Health Precinct.
- The procedure is done while seated in a chair or wheelchair within the x-ray equipment.
- To work out how your swallowing works best, we get you to swallow a range of food and drink trials.
- The different food and fluid consistencies are mixed with barium and/or iodine contrast so that they can be seen on the x-ray.
- We may try different strategies like changing your posture or head position, different consistencies of food or fluid and different swallowing techniques.
Above: Image showing the room and chair where the VFSS is completed
Above: image showing how we provide feedback with the imaging taken during the assessment
Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing Clinic
A Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing involves a thin flexible scope being passed through tje nose and into the throat so we can see the patient's voice box (larynx) and surrounding structures. We use this procedure to:
- Identify the reason for your swallowing difficulties
- Work out whether food or fluid is going down the right way and not into the airway or lungs (if food, fluid or saliva enter the airway, it is called aspiration)
- Give support to help manage swallowing problems
Support can include:
- Discussing the options for changing the consistency of drinks and food textures
- Teaching about how to reduce the risk of aspiration or choking
- How to maximise swallowing efficiency to maintain quality of life
- Guide discussions around long term alternative feeding if appropriate
What’s involved:
- This procedure is offered on level 3 of the Rehabilitation, Aged & Palliative care (RAP) building at Flinders Medical Centre
- The procedure is done while seated in a chair or wheelchair
- We pass the thin flexible scope through your nose and into your throat
- With the scope in place, we get you to swallow a range of food and drink trials
- We may try different strategies like changing your posture or head position, different consistencies of food or fluid and different swallowing techniques
Above: image showing the room, chair, camera and equipment used for the FEES procedure
Above: image showing the view of the voice box seen via the camera
Motor Neurone Disease and Outpatient Dysphagia Clinic
We offer Speech Pathology input for people with MND or other complex dysphagia management requirements. We provide a consultative service to support community Speech Pathology management.
Our outpatient clinics are open on Tuesday afternoons in the 4th Generation clinic on level 4 of the RAP building at Flinders Medical Centre.
During the clinic appointment, we may:
- Review your swallow and provide education to support dysphagia decision making
- Suggest you attend our instrumental swallow assessment clinics for a VFSS or FEES
- Work with dietitians to educate patients to assist in their decision-making if considering a gastrostomy
- Work with gastroenterology for patients with both pharyngeal and oesophageal level dysphagia.
Referral process
Step 1 — Community Speech Pathology Assessment
As we are a consultative service, we prefer patients to have a community Speech Pathologist and have had an initial face to face swallowing assessment with them, prior to referral to us.
- Speech Pathology Australia provides a list of Community Speech Pathologists.
- Another way to access community Speech Pathology is to discuss with your My Aged Care Coordinator or NDIS support coordinator, if you have a My Aged Care plan or NDIS package in place.
Important note for treating community speech pathologists:
Treating Community Speech Pathologists are encouraged to attend the instrumental assessments provided though our service. If unable to attend, they should inform the Swallowing Disorders Clinic on 8404 2642 and provide comprehensive written handover prior to appointment. Our Speech Pathologists will liaise with the treating clinician, as required to support developing and implementing an ongoing swallowing management plan.
Step 2 – Complete SDC referral form
The Swallowing Disorders Clinic Referral Form (PDF 304KB) outlines how to submit the referral. Please note that the form must be signed by a doctor. Please also attach the most recent Community Speech Pathology assessment report (if available).
Step 3 – SDC Initial phone assessment
Anyone referred to the Swallowing Disorders Clinic will have an initial phone assessment with a Speech Pathologist. We can then decide if our services are appropriate and check there is ongoing support from community Speech Pathology following our input. If appropriate, people will go onto the waitlist for a clinic or assessment appointment.
Contact us
Telephone: (08) 8404 2642
Fax: (08) 8404 2263
Admin email address: Health.AdminRAPSPSDC@sa.gov.au
Postal address: Swallowing Disorders Clinic, Division Rehabilitation, Aged Care and Palliative Care, Level 4, RAP Building, Flinders Medical Centre Flinders Drive, Bedford Park SA 5042
VFSS Clinic
Location: SAMI radiology department at the Repat Health Precinct, 216 Daws Road, Daw Park SA 5041
Directions: Please enter from Daws Road, Gate 1 and follow signs to Radiology and Yellow coloured P1 car park. Once parked, head south to Medical Imaging - Radiology.
Map to SA Medical Imaging at Repat Health Precinct
FEES clinic
Location: Level 3, Rehabilitation and Palliative Care Building, Flinders Medical Centre, Flinders Drive, Bedford Park, SA 5042.
Directions: Use Southern Car park, enter through Southern RAP Entrance. Take corridor to lifts. Take lift to Level 3 and check in at reception desk.
Map to Rehabilitation and Palliative Care Building at Flinders Medical Centre (PDF 295KB)
Outpatient clinic
Location: Level 4, Rehabilitation and Palliative Care Building, Flinders Medical Centre, Flinders Drive, Bedford Park, SA 5042
Directions: Use Southern Car park, enter through Southern RAP Entrance. Take corridor past the lifts, check in at 4th Generation Clinic reception desk.
Map to Rehabilitation and Palliative Care Building at Flinders Medical Centre (PDF 295KB)