Reading List

These official sources underpin the course and are useful for workplace follow-up, supervision, refresher learning and policy review. The material is framed primarily around England adult social care guidance, with UK-wide choking guidance and separate signposting for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to avoid confusing local pathways.

Core guidance and England social care context

• CQC: Dysphagia and thickeners
  Covers expectations for swallowing care plans, safe use and storage of thickeners, hydration monitoring, medicines review, food modification and the warning signs staff should notice.
• CQC: Issue 6 - Caring for people at risk of choking
  Guidance for care homes on recording and following SALT advice, updating care records, preparing food and drink correctly, safe positioning and preventing avoidable choking incidents.
• CQC: Nutrition and hydration
  Sets expectations that people are supported to eat and drink safely, are not rushed, and have risks from complex eating and drinking needs managed appropriately.
• NICE CG32 recommendations: Nutrition support for adults
  Advises on indicators of dysphagia, monitoring and reassessment, and medicines review for people with swallowing difficulties.
• NHS England: Resources to support safer modification of food and drink
  Supports moving away from imprecise terms such as "soft diet" and encourages use of standard terminology, including IDDSI, for modified food and drink.
• NHS England: Risk of death from asphyxiation by accidental ingestion of fluid or food thickening powder
  Highlights thickener storage and handling risks in care settings.
• Resuscitation Council UK: 2025 First Aid Guidelines
  Details the adult choking response: encouraging coughing, administering back blows and abdominal thrusts, calling 999, avoiding blind finger sweeps, starting CPR if the person becomes unresponsive and arranging healthcare review after successful abdominal thrusts or chest compressions.

Wales signposting

• GOV.WALES: Food and nutrition guidance for older people in care homes
  Covers spotting swallowing difficulties, providing correct meal and fluid consistencies and linking texture-modified diets to IDDSI terminology.

Scotland signposting

• NHS inform Scotland: Dysphagia (swallowing problems)
  Public guidance on causes, complications, referral to specialists and treatment approaches including speech and language therapy and dietary changes.

Northern Ireland signposting

• HSC Public Health Agency: Dysphagia - public information
  Signposting to swallow-aware resources, safer mealtime tools and carer information on eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties.

For everyday practice, follow the resident's current swallowing plan and your home's escalation route, and consult these official sources when you need broader guidance.