Dynamic Imaging Grade of Swallowing Toxicity for Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (Starmer et al 2021)
Online Interactive Training Session
with Kate Toft and Kirsty McLachlan

Thursday 10th July 2025 | 1-4pm
Cost: £175 (per person)

COURSE OUTLINE

 

FEES reporting can be onerous and time consuming particularly for the novice FEES practitioner. This online interactive course will assist you to report your FEES findings concisely, using terminology that is meaningful to other professionals and save you time in the process.

We will introduce you to the DIGEST-FEES (the Dynamic Imaging Grade of Swallowing Toxicity for Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing) rating tool (Starmer et al 2021). The DIGEST-FEES enables clinicians to grade the safety, efficiency, and overall severity of pharyngeal swallowing impairment as seen on a FEES assessment.

Although initially developed for use with people with head & neck cancer, the DIGEST is a quick, clinically relevant tool which could be applied to any adult client group, and is particularly useful to facilitate quick comparison between multiple exams with the same service user.

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LEARNING OUTCOMES:

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On attending this course, you will:

• Learn about the development and validation of the DIGEST tool, and the positive impact it can have on FEES assessment/reporting and patient management

• Learn about how to use the DIGEST tool in the context of FEES reporting and using other rating scales

• Have an opportunity to practise using the tool and rating swallows​

COURSE TUTORS:

Kirsty McLachlan MPhil BSc (Hons) MRCSLT

Kirsty qualified as an SLT in 1999 and, shortly after, embarked on master’s degree by research looking at inter- and intra-rater reliability using FEES with the University of Newcastle graduating in 2006. She has worked in a variety of specialisms, but since 2004 focusing on oncology and head & neck cancer, dysphagia instrumental assessment and rehab in NHS Lothian where she leads the Head and Neck/Oncology/ENT SLT service. 

Kirsty has also recently completed a secondment within her own trust as the AHP Strategic Lead for Advancing Roles and has taken on a role with NHS Education for Scotland as Senior Educator on the Scottish Government Commission to support Advanced Practice Roles in Scotland.

Dr Kate Toft DProf MSc BSc (Hons) MRCSLT

Kate qualified as an SLT in 2001. She has worked in adult dysphagia across community, acute and outpatient roles across a variety of specialisms, latterly focusing on oncology and head & neck cancer, dysphagia instrumental assessment and rehab.

Her post-qualification MSc at Newcastle University focussed on behaviour change and dysphagia intervention. She completed a Clinical Doctorate in 2023 and has a particular interest in outcome measurement in dysphagia.

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