New funding to advance research on swallowing difficulties after intensive care
Congratulations to Dr Claire Mills, adult clinical lead speech and language therapist (SLT) at both Royal Brompton Hospital and Harefield Hospital, who has been awarded over £1.8 million through a prestigious National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Postdoctoral Award.
The postdoctoral award is aimed at researchers who have completed a PhD and want to continue developing their academic career through research that contributes to improving health. The five-year award will provide Dr Mills with protected time to undertake her research programme while continuing to develop as both a researcher and practitioner.
Dr Mills specialises in critical care and has over 19 years of experience as an SLT. She has built a strong track record of securing competitive NIHR funding, completing an NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship in 2023 and subsequently securing both a Development and Skills Enhancement Award and a Pre-Application Support Fund Award. This latest postdoctoral award represents the next stage in her research career.
The project funded through the award is titled “Early detection and management of serious swallowing difficulties after invasive ventilation” and will be delivered in collaboration with the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre. It focuses on patients who have spent time in intensive care and required a breathing tube to help them breathe. Around 50% of patients who require a breathing tube experience swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) after its removal. This condition is known as post-extubation dysphagia.
Dysphagia can lead to the accidental inhalation of food, drink or saliva, potentially causing lung infections and other complications. Currently, there is no established screening test used in UK intensive care units to identify patients with swallowing difficulties following the removal of a breathing tube. Dr Mills’ research aims to improve how swallowing problems are identified and treated in patients after they have been taken off a breathing machine, and to assess whether a larger trial of a potential treatment called expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) would be feasible.
As part of the study, researchers will compare the Leeds Post-Extubation Dysphagia Screen (L-PEDS), a screening tool developed by Dr Mills, with the current gold-standard assessment, Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing. This will provide evidence on how effectively the screening tool identifies patients with swallowing difficulties.
The study will also compare patients receiving EMST with those receiving a sham treatment to determine whether a larger trial could be carried out and whether EMST has the potential to improve outcomes for patients with swallowing difficulties.
Commenting on the award, Dr Mills said:
“I’m absolutely delighted to have been awarded this prestigious NIHR postdoctoral award. This award provides an exciting opportunity to lead a multi-centre study focused on improving the identification and management of swallowing difficulties in patients who have needed a breathing tube in intensive care.
“I’m excited to work with patients, clinicians, and researchers across the UK to generate evidence that has the potential to transform care and improve outcomes and quality of life for thousands of patients.”