Summary

Description

See help booklet for clinical audit at http://www.mqi.ic.nhs.uk/documents/2008 Clinical audit help-booklet FINAL.doc Screening for swallowing is question 3.3 Patients are routinely screened with a standardised screening procedure to check for dysphagia. The ability to swallow should be assessed within 24 hours of admission. Difficulties may be temporary but carry increased risk of complications. Visual fields and sensory testing are questions 3.1i and 3.1ii respectively. If the patient is alert and able to communicate, there is a formal assessment of visual fields. Recognition of field defects helps with localisation of the pathology and has therapeutic importance. Previous rounds of the audit have identified particularly low compliance with this element of the standard. Sensory deficits are often missed unless specifically looked for. It is a common reason for delayed recovery. The last 2 for visual fields and sensory testing are not in the public domain.