Jaspal Kaur

iCares SPEECH & LANGUAGE THERAPIST in Sandwell NHS

[#hellomynameishannah @hanbcuslt]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE share and sign!✍️

[Jaspal Kaur @JaspalSLT]

@LucyWoodSLT Aww thanks @LucyWoodSLT and we love the support and close relationship with our wonderful acute team, we are fab supportive group of SLTs.

[Jaspal Kaur @JaspalSLT]

@sandra_kennelly

[Jaspal Kaur @JaspalSLT]

We have 2 band 6 posts out to advert at SWBH in our community team. If you are a band 5 who has completed their dysphagia competencies and looking to develop in a community setting this is a great opportunity and a supportive team. https://t.co/EK9zRmsQT3 @icares_SWBH @SLTatBCU

[Jaspal Kaur @JaspalSLT]

Calling speech & language therapists looking for band 6 opportunities in an integrated community setting, we have 2 posts out to advert in Sandwell! Check out nhs jobs or https://t.co/EK9zRmtoIB @swb_slt @BlackCountryNHS @BlackCountryICS @boughey_alison @NashaKharas @RCSLT_Jobs

[Jaspal Kaur @JaspalSLT]

We have 2 band 6 posts out to advert at SWBH in our community team. If you are a band 5 who has completed their dysphagia competencies and looking to develop in a community setting this is a great opportunity and a supportive team. https://t.co/EK9zRmsQT3 @icares_SWBH @SLTatBCU

[Jaspal Kaur @JaspalSLT]

@FGH_SLT_NCA @AcquireSLT This looks great. Would there be a chance I could get more info and a copy please?

[Peter Neville @peteneville65]

For those who don't fully understand what is up with the NHS, here is a thread for you that might help.

I'm a consultant physician working as a doctor in the NHS in Yorkshire and Wales for 32 years now. I have experienced the NHS at its best (2008) and its worst (2022).

[Lauren Harrhy BDS PGDip @Laurenharrhy85]

📖 Story time; A general dentist reflects upon a case of throat cancer

A few years ago, at the practice which I now own, I was making my way down to reception with some papers.

The receptionist was talking to a man at the front desk who was not a current patient. She explained that we didn’t have space for new NHS patients. The gentleman explained that he didn’t necessarily want to see someone about his teeth but about the big lump at the back of his throat. He had been to see the GP over the road who had advised him that “it’s probably a cyst, go and see a dentist” as whatever the problem was it was affecting the fit of his denture - red flag 🚩

I had a spare few minutes so invited the gentleman to come to my surgery so that I could “have a quick look”

It was not a “quick look”

Upon inspection I found that the patient had a firm lump extending down the right hand side of his pharynx from the soft palate. He had no gag reflex to speak of so I was able to palpate quite far down. That was the second red flag 🚩

When discussing the patient’s medical history we talked about his use of alcohol (100+ units per week, possibly more) and his use of tobacco (60 cigarettes per day). Red flag number three 🚩

The patient had also recently lost some weight unintentionally but had, understandably, put it down to the stress of looking after his elderly mother who was terminally ill. Red flag 🚩 4

I had heard enough and put in a call to the local Maxillofacial department and asked for him to be seen urgently. Dentists aren’t able to refer directly into ENT.

Within days the patient called to inform us that it was cancer and to thank me for referring him.

This gentleman wrote me a letter some months later to express his gratitude that I had “saved his life”.

Of course, I had done no such thing, I had merely identified a substantial risk and referred him to the appropriate department. The treatment he received there was what saved him.

There are several things to take away from this story (and absolutely no shade to be thrown on my very busy, capable but overstretched GP colleagues)

1) The GP was not able to identify whether this was a lesion of concern (why would they? They have about a one hour lecture on oral cancer or something, the mouth isn’t specifically their area, like it would be for say; a dentist)

2) The GP advised the patient to go and see a dentist (someone who is used to looking at mouths all day), but this patient did not have access to a dentist. Had he not been in the right place at the right time (the front desk of my practice while I happened to be taking paperwork down and have five mins spare to examine him) he might not have been looked at for much, much longer. He was in no pain and would be unlikely to be triaged as “urgent” when ringing any helplines.

I have been the identifying/referring clinician several times through my career. I have cared for some of those patients when they have been well enough to come back to primary care.

I have even referred some of my patients for skin lesions (on the face & head) which have been malignant.

Oral cancer is often painless, unnoticed by the patient. Yes we must teach the public to self screen but where do they go then?

GP colleagues are overstretched, NHS dental services are at breaking point. Who will direct these patients into the hospital? A&E would be wholly inappropriate.

If you have made it this far, please know that I am not writing this to scare anyone or to virtue signal that I’ve picked up so many of these cases. I work in a deprived area, there is a correlation.

There is so much more awareness that needs to be raised around head and neck cancer. The government, healthcare professionals and the public could all stand to know more.

A good place to start is here:

https://t.co/9PQK14FVDh

November is a month for Mouth Cancer Awareness and blue is the colour we use to signify that

Thank you for reading

@TheBDA @MouthCancerMCF @TheBMA

[Rachael Moses @NHSRachaelM]

Calling all rehab professionals in UK who delivered care during the pandemic

@WHO are surveying the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rehabilitation professionals and the delivery of rehabilitation services

We need your views & experience - PLEASE ⬇️

https://t.co/E7WWRw6t7z

[Jaspal Kaur @JaspalSLT]

@NHSGGCDiet @UKSRG2 A great advice sheet for snack ideas - something that always comes up in discussion when discussing textures for modified diet @icares_SWBH @boughey_alison @swb_slt

[Jaspal Kaur @JaspalSLT]

Great little info video about aphasia @icares_SWBH this may help if you are trying to communicate with people with #aphasia

[RCSLT 💙 @RCSLT]

We’re proud to share top tips for communicating with people with #aphasia!

Created by experts in aphasia @volkmer_anna, and @BCAphasia, people with aphasia @JanAphasia and Michael Petley, and family members @carlystroke and Vanessa Ward.

Video and thread 🧵
#RockingAphasia

[Jaspal Kaur @JaspalSLT]

@Sian_SWBH Sian - the funniest thing is he almost forgot to turn up on the day… ones of his colleagues had to ring to remind him!! 🤣😂

[Jaspal Kaur @JaspalSLT]

Oops he’s done it again 🫣 when dad forgets to tell us about his retirement celebration. Good job it’s literally on the feature news of the work bulletin! 🤣 he said he forgot! 🤣 #nhsfamily #forgetful

[Jaspal Kaur @JaspalSLT]

Look at those fabulous bowling skills and smiley SLTs! Sorry I couldn’t make it. Hope you had fun 😀 good luck in the new job Emily.

[SLT SWB @swb_slt]

Afterwork team social 😊 and an opportunity to say goodbye to Emily as she moves on to pastures new next week. @ibedsSWBH @SWBHnhs

[Jaspal Kaur @JaspalSLT]

@SLTLothianAdult @GeorgiaSLT Great resource!

[Jaspal Kaur @JaspalSLT]

For those who may have missed it-
We have a band 6 vacancy out to advert in our community team- a perfect post for anyone who enjoys a mixed dysphagia and communication caseload.
7 days left to apply.
Good luck 🤞🏼 @icares_SWBH @SLTatBCU @SWBHnhs

https://t.co/lL3XeXj3ix

[Jaspal Kaur @JaspalSLT]

@icares_SWBH

[SLT SWB @swb_slt]

Another opportunity to apply for our fab 8a Clinical Dysphagia post!
We'd love someone passionate about dysphagia, service development + trained in FEES to at least @rcslt level 2b to join our team. Do chat to @LucyWoodSLT to find out more about the vision
https://t.co/ji7dG02o4R

[Jaspal Kaur @JaspalSLT]

@GlynnJenny @AprilAshton93 @Sian_SWBH @CherylGibbons16 @LouisePort73 @LorraineAllchu2 So proud! Keep going ladies! Well done @sian_SWBH

[Erin Probert @ErinSLTProbert]

It’s here! Flavoured foam tastes webinar with SLTs sharing experiences of using Biozoon in different settings - FREE - 23/05/23 - sign up link below! Lots of amazing speakers from across UK 🤩 @RHNuk @BiozoonUK @GilbertsonZoe