MDT community informal assessment questions

OT

• Are you less able to participate in any activities of daily living than before your stroke?
• Have you had any falls/ near falls? Do you have a plan if you do have a fall e.g. a pendant alarm?
• Cognition – planning/ sequencing/ memory: what would you do if your toaster caught fire?  how do you make a cup of tea? What month/day/year is it?
• Do you have a care package?

PT

• Has your ability to move (walk/transfer) changed?
• How is your balance/ leg strength?
• Had your ability to change position changed since your stroke?

SLT

• Is your speech slurred/ different from normal?
• Can the client follow one/two/three stage instructions?
• Do you have difficulties thinking of the right words/ is the patient’s speech non fluent?
• Eating/drinking – Any new difficulties with eating/ drinking e.g. Coughing/choking/ fluid coming out of nose/ mouth when drinking, chest infections/ weight loss.

Stroke

• Are you aware of any stroke services/ charities e.g. disability benefits, the stroke association, befriending…..
• Have you booked an appointment for a review with your GP now that you are back from hospital?

Community SLT referrals

Adapting from working in an inpatient setting to working in the community has given me some insight into what makes a good community SLT referral. If i could go back in time......


Ingredients for a good community referral

1. Formal Assessments - e.g. the CAT/ Frenchay or outcome measures such as the DOS. 
2. Baseline - clear information on the client's baseline of function.
3. Goals - goals achieved in hospital, goals which are open and potential community goals.
4. Background information - regular visitors? living with family? 
5. Send the referral (nhs.net email or fax + check if received) the day before or two days before discharge and call to handover any complications.