Prioritisation Systems Used in Adult Speech and Language Therapy Settings: A Scoping Review.
Orla Gilheaney, Carolyn Hulbert, Roisin Cullen and 1 others
PMID 40955867WHAT IT FOUND
In adult speech and language therapy, prioritisation often puts swallowing first and communication or voice lower. 10 included studies showed inconsistent systems with little detail, so diagnosis labels can delay people whose needs are severe.
Key findings
01All 10 included studies reported some method of patient prioritisation, and 60% (n=6) reported that patients with dysphagia were given the highest priority.
02Facilitators to designing or implementing prioritisation systems were missing in 60% (n=6) of studies, and barriers were missing in 80% (n=8).
03One included study reported 1/26 SLT managers used chronological referral order instead of a priority system, while another reported SLTs relying on clinical knowledge and local guidelines.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Only 10 studies were included, and their quality ranged from low to high, so the review cannot show which prioritisation system is best. Half of the included studies did not describe how participants were recruited, and 90% (n=9) did not discuss potential bias. Most studies did not report facilitators or barriers to prioritisation systems, so practical implementation problems are poorly described. Search of professional body and health service websites covered only a restricted number of countries, so services in other health systems may be missing.
Declared interests
The supplied text does not report this review's funding or conflict-of-interest declaration. For the included studies, it says one was sponsored, four were not sponsored, and sponsorship was not specified for five.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this review as evidence that a specific prioritisation system improves patient outcomes. It maps what systems were used and reports that most included studies did not describe facilitators or barriers, so it cannot tell you which system is effective.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →